Batman Begins

—Overview
—Photos
—About this Film
—Spiritual Connections

—Review by Elisabeth Leitch
—Review by Kevin Miller
—Review by Maurice Broaddus
—Review by Mike Furches
—Review by Johann YO Synder
—Review by Mark Stokes

Batman Begins isn’t a great comic book movie…

… it’s a great movie. In fact, it doesn’t even feel like a comic book movie. Instead, it feels like an epic, dramatic, action film that just so happens to have a hero that dresses up like a bat. Yes the hype is true; this is the Batman film that fans have been waiting for This is one of the best (if not the best) comic films to ever grace the big screen, but I can’t emphasize enough that this film transcends the label of comic book movie. It’s quite simply one of the most enjoyable films so far this year.

For those of you who have been in the batcave for too long, Batman Begins is a new start for the franchise, something that was desperately needed after the travesty of Batman and Robin. Director Christopher Nolan has re-imagined Batman for the big screen, and he has done a masterful job. Although, to say that he’s re-imagined anything perhaps isn’t fair because Batman Begins is actually much more faithful to the character of the comic books than any of the previous films; except for the animated versions that is. In fact, one of the great strengths of this film is that you actually get to know and understand Bruce Wayne, adeptly played by Christian Bale. As the film unfolds, you learn why Bruce is so angry, why he is driven to fight crime and injustice, why he would even consider wearing the costume of a giant bat, why he uses so many gadgets and where he got them from, how he learned to fight, and why he uses fear as a weapon. All of this helps you to get to know and identify with the character, which lends much more emotional weight to everything that follows.

One of the best parts of the film is how real it feels. Much of Gotham was filmed in Chicago, so it feels like a real place. The stunts are amazing and done without fancy, CG special effects. The action scenes are intense and ferocious, befitting of a hero whose strength and power come from rage. There’s a car chase that ranks as one of the best I’ve seen a film for quite some time, again done without any CG enhancements. While there are some CG effects, for the most part they are unobtrusive and blend well with the rest of the film. The supporting cast is superb. Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman all add to the richness of the film with their performances, giving it a much more epic feel than any of the previous films. In fact, this is the first Batman film where I actually felt anything was at stake. The reality of the world that Nolan created actually made me feel like lives were truly at risk, and I was on the edge of my seat at times, hoping that Batman would save the day in time. All this contributes to what I said earlier about the film not feeling at all like a comic book film, it’s an grand, epic adventure that just so happens to be based on a comic book.

Batman Begins is also a surprisingly insightful film for a “mere� comic book adaptation. The trailers for the film focused a lot on fear, and that’s because fear and how to overcome it is one of the main themes of this film from beginning to end. Bruce Wayne learns to overcome his fears to fight evil. He learns to use fear against his enemies while his enemies use fear to steal, kill and destroy (sound familiar?). Fear is a force to be reckoned with, and even as Bruce Wayne eventually overcame his fears in order to help and save others, I was reminded of the need for me to do the same. The Bible tells us that we have not been given a spirit of fear (2 Tim 1:7), but one of power (no costume necessary). Just as fear could not be a part of the Batman’s life if he wanted to help others, fear must be overcome in our lives if we are to save a world in need. Be it a fear of looking foolish, of not knowing what to say, of feeling we’re not “good enough� to be used by God; whatever your fear may be, God can and will help you overcome it so you too can be a hero and save people - not just for a day, but for all eternity.

I loved Batman Begins. Not just because I’m a Batman fan, but perhaps more so because I’m a fan of well made movies, of which this is a prime example. This truly is the Batman film I’ve waiting for, and the small hint of adventures to come fills me with hope that this new start of the franchise will continue on for a least a few more films. Summer blockbuster movies often have a tendency of being a letdown (*cough* Revenge of the Sith *cough*), but Batman Begins is not one of them. From the intense action to the dramatic story telling, I walked away from Batman Begins thoroughly satisfied, not just because it’s a great Batman film, but because it’s all the things a summer blockbuster should be.

—Overview