BATMAN BEGINS

US, 2005, 141 minutes, Colour.
Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, Mark Boone Jnr, Linus Roache, Morgan Freeman.
Directed by Christopher Nolan.

Once upon a time, Batman was simply a popular comic. Then it became a krash-pow television series in the 1960s with all kinds of comic villains. When director Tim Burton made his very successful film, Batman, in 1989, critics and audiences around the world were very impressed. Here was a Batman that combined the comic strip, the joking tone while also having something serious to say about caped and masked crusaders.

The popularity of this kind of serious, even darker side of Batman and his campaign against criminals in Gotham city continued with Batman Returns in 1991. However, in Burton’s films, the star criminals, the Joker, the Penguin, Catwoman, were played by top Hollywood stars, Jack Nicholson, Danny de Vito, Michelle Pfeiffer. Michael Keaton’s Batman seemed to take second place. He was also rather dour in his manner, morose at times, not exactly a character that most people could identify with.

So, Hollywood changed the tone and Batman Forever and Batman and Robin were far more colourful and flamboyant, the sets and costumes bright and showy with Val Kilmer and George Clooney more genial embodiments of Batman. While the public went to see the films, the critics turned up their noses.

And, apart from some animation series for television, that seemed to the end of that. No more Batman franchise.

It must have taken some courage for the producers of Batman Begins to start again. Their gamble has paid off well. This is a very interesting Batman film. It is geared much more to an adult audience than to a younger audience. While there is action and confrontations with criminal, Batman Begins also invites its audiences to think.

It is worth noting that this Hollywood venture was filmed in part in Britain, has a British director and most of the principal cast are British and Irish. Director Christopher Nolan had made an impression with Memento and Insomnia. His direction of a blockbuster is surprising and successful. He also co-wrote the screenplay with David S. Goyer who wrote and directed the rather brutal Blade Trinity.

One of the principal features that make Batman Begins the thinking person’s film is its rational explanation of everything that happens, especially Bruce Wayne’s early trauma in falling down a well and begin terrorised by bats, the brutal killing of his parents for which he blamed himself, the Asian martial arts training he perfected, the fact that he is a billionaire and so has money and leisure to pursue his crusade as well as have access to what became his costume, his car and his devices for scaling buildings and hang-glide. While he does resemble Spiderman in his confronting evil, there are no mysterious explanations for his transformation. His becoming Batman is his own choice, the working out of his psychological pressures and his choosing a symbol, the bat, which signified his overcoming his fears.

There is a great deal of talk about the nature of fear and also about justice and the condemnation of vengeance as motivation.

Christian Bale is the new Bruce Wayne, serious but able to show a lighter side when necessary. Liam Neeson is a strong martial arts master who becomes villain. Michael Caine is Alfred the butler. Gary Oldman is uncharacteristically calm and on the side of the law. Morgan Freeman always brings gravitas to his roles. Tom Wilkinson is a criminal chief and Cillian Murphy a young and rather sinister doctor. Katie Holmes is Rachel, Bruce’s childhood friend, now become a DA.

The first part of the film is flashback to Bruce’s devotion to his dedicated father within a context of grief and anger and his training to be a warrior. In the latter part of the film, there are car chases, fights and a threat to the water supply of Gotham which is solved in split second timing. So, there is something for everyone.

1.The film well received by critics, by audiences? The popularity of the Batman comics over the decades? The range of films? The comic style of the 60s, Tim Burton in the 80s and 90s, the more flamboyant styles of Joel Schumacher’s films? A Batman for the 21st century? The appeal of the film, character, explanations, issues?

2.A film about the origins of Batman, the credibility of the explanations of Bruce Wayne’s life, career, character, his psychology, his relationship with his parents, their deaths, with crime, becoming a crusader, his visit to the East, his training, his wealth as supporting him in his crusade, the scientific developments of the company that he could draw on?

3.The film as returning to the dark style of Tim Burton’s films? The colour photography, the muted colour? Gotham City? Light in the early part of the film, growing darker? The East and the Himalayas, the locations? The Buddhist sanctuary? The contrast with the darkness of urban evil? The musical score?

4.The strength of the cast, the skills of the director and his reputation?

5.Themes and images, the images of the bats, Bruce’s dreams, the bats and his fears, phobia? The parental relationship, his father, the company, his mother? The opera, the bats, the violence? The tragedy of Bruce’s parents’ death? The bequest of his father? The taking up of the parental theme and the relationship of Bruce with Ducard? Bruce and his blaming himself for his parents’ death, coming out of the opera? Being helpless with the attack and the mugging? The training by Ducard – and having to rebel against Ducard?

6.Bruce’s immersion in the criminal world, the details of the crime, the squalid way of life, in the prison? The background to his crusade and avenging?

7.Ducard, his visit, the challenge, Bruce’s quest, the training in the mountains, the martial arts and the fight, Ra’s Al Ghul and his monastery? The taunts, Bruce and his learning to fight? His fears and overcoming them? The invitation to join the centuries-old group – their crusade, their vigilante mentality and tactics?

8.Bruce and his memories, the father, the hospital, the fall and picking up? Care? The childhood with Rachel? The importance of Alfred in the household and his care? Bruce’s father, the world of transport, the rail and transforming Gotham City? The building, Wayne Tower? His father and delegating authority? The robbery? His father telling Bruce not to be afraid? Jim Gordon and his place in the city? The robber and his being imprisoned? The court case? The importance of the business world, Earle and his taking over the business? Bruce and his return to Gotham City after his exile, people thinking he was dead? His presence at the trial? His angers?

9.Ducard as guru, issues of fear and anger, the martial arts, the theatricality and deception? The powder? The confrontation in the monastery, the burning of the monastery? Ducard and his theories of society, responsibility, will as everything, the will to act, his story of his wife?

10.Bruce’s character, rage and anger, wanting to be spared his fears, the issue of vengeance? The rackets, justice and harmony, revenge and feeling better or not? The importance of decency and the quality of pity? Attacking the criminal system?

11.Alfred, Michael Caine’s style, his giving a damn, heritage, his speech about Harvard, leaving? Alfred not presuming? Rachel at Harvard time? The hearing, the deal about the Mafia? The murderer, Bruce’s speech? The man’s death? The Mafia killing him?

12.Rachel, her strength, the distinction between justice and vengeance, working through the system? The Mafia slaying? Her being ashamed? Her decision to work as a district attorney? Bruce and the encounter with Falconi, the subway attack?

13.Flass, the café speech about the world, understanding, the bashing? The plan to get Rachel? The set-up of the drug delivery and the violence?

14.The drugs, the changing of the crate, the stealing and the fear, the thrill, Bruce not becoming one of the criminals? But trying to understand the criminal mind? To conquer fear, to be one with fear? Rituals and rites of passage?

15.The Leave Shadows, the Master, Ducard and refusing to execute the commission? Ducard saying compassion was a weakness? Vigilanteism as the only way? The condemnation of Gotham, its having to be destroyed? The destruction of the monastery, saving Ducard’s life as he was hanging over the cliff?

16.Alfred welcoming Bruce on his return? Bruce and his contemplating his future, the need to be dramatic, looking for a symbol, the bats, elemental and terrifying, assuming a persona? The contrast with the Wayne business situation, Earle and the arms manufacture? Bruce’s decision to become Batman, revisiting the well, the circle and his being fearless?

17.Dr Crane, his testifying, his institution and the experiments, the link with Falconi, the drugs, his gassing Falconi?

18.Lucius Fox and his experiments, his character, the Morgan Freeman style character? The past, with Bruce’s father? On the board? His being relegated to the laboratories by Earle? His supplying Bruce with the equipment, the cloth, the car etc?

19.Jim Gordon, working with the police, the corruption, the corrupt police? His secret visit and the discussions with Bruce Wayne? The ordinary good man, his home life? His ambitions to clean up Gotham City?

20.Bruce’s plan to overcome Earle, Alfred and the plan about the shares, the ownership? The development of the Bat Cave, the vehicle, the costume? His interventions? Rachel and her reaction, the challenge?

21.The issue of the vaporiser, it missing? Falconi, Dr Crane?

22.Bruce and his injuries, his double life, the playboy sequences and the party, Rachel and her disgust? The interrogation of The Enforcer? The unmasking of Dr Crane, the drugs, the fall in the fire? The importance of Lucius Fox developing the antidote? Rachel and her pursuit, the gas and Crane?

23.The party, the guests being ousted, Ducard’s arrival? The revelation of the plan about the water supply? Ducard and his using Bruce’s memories of his parents? The condemnation of misguided idealists? Justice as balance? Therefore the fight, and Ducard burning Bruce’s mansion? Alfred rescuing him? The move towards the pursuit and the stopping of the disaster?

24.Chaos, the criminals, Flass and his role, Gordon and his attempts to remedy the situation, Rachel and her rescuing the young boy? The fights on the train? The mounting tension, the disaster, the crash of the train?

25.Order restored, Bruce and his taking over the company, the revelation of the truth to Rachel, the boarding up of the well? The stethoscope and the memory of his father? The possibility of rebuilding? The fact that one’s real face is one’s mask?

26.Order restored – but danger in Gotham, Jim Gordon and the final image of The Joker?