This is Batman. This is the movie I've been waiting for. Let's be honest, the Burton Batman films have not aged all that well. Yes, they're enjoyable enough. Somewhat innovative, reeking of Burton's visual genius and scope, not to mention the fantastic Danny Elfman scores. Batman Forever was fun, mostly due to Jim Carrey's great performance, my fondness for Val Kilmer in the cape, and Nicole Kidman as the love interest. But when you get down to it, these were not true Batman films. I'm not even going to mention the fiasco that is George Clooney's Batman. The Burton films are just so full of camp. Everything is obviously manufactured in a studio. The costume is a wreck. Jack Nicholson was not the Joker. He was Jack Nicholson with make-up. To be honest, Jim Carrey's Riddler would have made a much better Joker. Not to mention the fact that the Joker did not kill Batman's parents. Then we start getting suits with nipples, an adult Robin, bright and flashy colors, man. It's fun to look at but it's just not right.
Christopher Nolan, the genius behind Memento, has finally given us the Batman that has been thriving in the comics for years. This Batman is dark, brooding, driven, brutal, ruthless, idealistic, legendary, intelligent, a detective, and has just the right amount of humor. Christian Bale pulls all of this off perfectly. He is the ultimate Bruce/Wayne Batman. The other problem with the original movies is that they tried to make Bruce Wayne the center of attention and he's a guy who dresses up as Batman. The key to understanding this character, however, is recognizing that it is completely the other way around. When Katie Holmes' character tells Bruce that his actual mask is that of Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy, she is absolutely right. In all of his soul-searching, training, and ideals he has become Batman wholeheartedly. This film captures that essence brilliantly.
The supporting players are all well developed players, performed by top-notch actors. Morgan Freeman is fantastic as Lucious Fox at Wayne Enterprises. Liam Neeson once again aces the role of mentor. Michael Caine is the perfect choice for Alfred, landing perfectly timed jokes to add some levity to a rather dark and brooding film (exactly the way it should be).
The reality of the film is also fantastic. Batman has always been one of my favorite superheroes simply because he has no powers. He gets by on training, intelligence, and sheer intimidation. He seeks to instill the very same fear into his enemies that they attempt to wield. Also, the new car is very cool. The car chase sequence literally had me on the edge of my seat.
As for the villains, I don't want to give too much away but Ra's Al Ghul is fantastic. He's the kind of villain who does his evil under the guise of nobility and altruism. I love that because you're never quite sure that they're absolutely wrong in what they're doing. As for the Scarecrow, Cilian Murphy was perfect casting. He's creepy as hell, and the way in which they used the mask and his fear toxin was spot-on. Nolan did not shy away from using some pretty frightening images in the effort of gaining a wider kid audience. This is not a kid's movie, and it shouldn't be.
Ok, I think I'm going to stop here. If you haven't been able to guess, this is an extraordinary film; probably my favorite superhero film of all time, barely edging out Spider-man 2. Go see it, go see it, go see it!
10/10 Awesomes
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