DC finally got their act together, and they've actually done it right! In case you can't tell, I loved the movie. There were a few nit-picky things that could have been better, but overall it was really good.
Things I liked:
1. They stayed true to the comic. Now, I'm not as well versed in Batman as I am in some other comics, but as far as I could tell, it was pretty close.
2. They started early, and stayed there. Some other comic movies (The Hulk and Daredevil to name two) started with the childhood and then zoomed forward to where the hero becomes the hero. Batman Begins did that, but they did it without getting to where the comic book takes place until the last few minutes of the movie.
Case in point, Commissioner Gordon is not yet the Commissioner. Wayne Manor is not yet directly connected to the Bat Cave. The villians are not yet as campy as the hero.
3. The Batmobile. Rocked. First the whole "Does it come in black?" scene. Then the chase. Then Gordon driving it. It was just so freakin' cool!
4. The casting. Morgan Freeman, need I say more?
Christian Bale was perfect casting. Michael Keaton didn't have the sex appeal. Val Kilmer was a pretty boy. George Clooney was close, but not tough enough, and the fourth installment just sucked anyway. Christian Bale managed to be tough and scary, but was likeable and had his humorous moments. And if I do say so myself, he has the sex appeal thing down pat.
Michael Caine, Tom Wilkenson, Gary Oldman, the kids who played the young Bruce and Rachel, and most of the other minor players I thought were also really well cast.
I could have taken or left Liam Neeson or Katie Holmes. Liam is awesome, but it was hard not to see him as Qui-Gon. I know that's not his or the movie's fault, but still. Katie I'm just not a big fan of. She was just okay. I didn't think either was terrible casting, just not really great.
5. John Williams is the man.
Things I didn't like:
1. The directing of the fight scenes. They were well choreographed and executed, but sometimes, especially in the prison at the beginning, it was hard to tell who was hitting who and who was winning. Everyone looked so similar and the shots were so close on the action that it was hard to pick out Bruce Wayne.
2. Everything was so dark. And I literally mean dark, as in no lights, hard to see, lots of blackness. Yes, I know that that's part of Batman. He's nocturnal, he's a vigilante, etc., but a movie that makes your eyes strain to pick out shapes is not always fun to watch.
Okay, that's my dissertation on the subject. Anyone else? Comments? Oscars? Tomatoes?
~Anna
