Batman Begins

When I saw the previews for Batman Begins, I thought to myself, "No way. Not again. I'm not seeing that." But I should have noticed something. There was something different about the trailers. They were teasers. They didn't give me any insight into what the movie is about... you know like most movie previews do now a days, giving you more than a taste of every important scene.

Well, I was drawn into the theaters by some spectacular reviews of Batman Begins by the New York Times and others. The applause from those writers will be echoed here.

This movie is fantastic. It is a total departure from the down-the-hole route the others were taking this story. Visually it's stunning, and not in any way the others had been. Part of the story is filmed in Iceland, which is akin to Hollywood's discovery of New Zealand in The Lord of the Rings. Normally these type of films use special effects to the point of saturation, or manufacture plot points simply for the placement of some extra flashy effect. In this film, every effect seemed to be justified by the story line, and (to my own surprise) actually enhanced the story.

Surprising was the use of the film's martial arts integration and the retelling of Bruce Wayne's childhood story. The worth-wile time re-telling this well-known story was also surprising. There was foreshadowing, but it was subtle, and no part of the story-telling was not utilized to support the characters.

Katie Holmes was surprisingly believable, except for the last scene, which seemed to draw on the sappy-ness of her previous roles. Perhaps writers and directors need to start casting her in more defiant roles.

Christian Bale has made himself a great Bruce Wayne and Batman. His delivery as a millionare and super hero were equally convincing.

Morgan Freeman's appearance is always appreciated, and this film was no exception.

Michael Caine was also very believable, and was a perfect cast as Alfred.

If you have questioned seeing this film, as I did, you need to come around. Don't wait for video or DVD. It's worth the sound and atmosphere that the movie theater brings, including, dare I say, the $9.50 price-tag (minus the pre-game commercials, of course).