Under the mask ‘Begins’ offers a look into the history and psyche of the winged one
Like a just-unearthed song by the Clash or a swell new way to mix peanut butter and chocolate, “Batman Begins” is a thrilling combination of discovery and familiarity.
Although Batman has been around, cinematically, for a couple of decades, “Begins” answers questions the other movies never dealt with in a satisfactory way: Why the costume? Where does he get his strength? What’s he so mad about? And what’s with the bats?
“Batman Begins” is a very entertaining movie – stylish, intelligent and with a sense of humor – but it’s somber and character-driven, and you’ll have no trouble believing it was made by the guy who did “Memento.” Having directed that film, as well as “Insomnia” and “Batman Begins,” Christopher Nolan – it could safely be said – is keenly interested in the psyches of stressed-out antiheroes.
Like “Memento” and “Insomnia,” “Batman Begins” operates on this simple premise: There’s this guy. He’s a mess. Here’s why.
“Begins” introduces us to a young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) coming under the tutelage of a mystery man (wittily played by Liam Neeson), who gives him a “Kill Bill”-ish introduction to Eastern-style butt-kicking. Then, it sends him back to Gotham, where his old friends no longer recognize him (including a squeeze played by Katie Holmes – but don’t let her presence fool you into thinking “Begins” is perky) and where poverty and corruption imperil the city.
The problems of Gotham are not easy to solve, and Batman, his face often pictured half in shadows and half in light, knows he’ll need to do bad things to bring about good. For a major Hollywood movie, “Begins” is surprisingly political and surprisingly willing to dig into what’s wrong with society: Says Neeson, “Create enough hunger, and everyone becomes a criminal.” He’s talking about Gotham, but every time anyone mentions “Gotham” here, you can feel free to substitute “America.”
Other than brief lags in pace, Nolan doesn’t make a false step. He’s great with the cast, which boasts six Oscar nominees who were selected to defy expectations – people we think of as villains (Gary Oldman) often play good guys and vice versa. The surprise is Michael Caine, brilliant as Bruce’s dignified, mournful butler, Alfred, a role that has not required brilliance in the previous Batmovies.
“Begins” boasts not just an all-star cast but also an all-good cast, and Bale is superlative, finding the gravity and the heroism in Bruce/Batman (one quibble: His makeup person has gone a little heavy on the self-tanning towelettes).
You’d expect Nolan to explore psychology convincingly, but his deft handling of blockbuster elements is a revelation. “Batman Begins” has the narrative verve of a comic book without feeling like a comic-book movie, and it’s packed with special effects but doesn’t feel effects-y.
Nolan seamlessly integrates the effects, whether it’s in the suspenseful action sequences or in the film’s central image, a majestic shot in which Batman stands at the corner of a Gothic building in Gotham, much like the gargoyles that guard New York’s Chrysler building. It’s a beautiful, haunting image, but it wouldn’t be so effective if Nolan hadn’t already helped us understand the past that brought Bruce/Batman to his role as defender of the city and the difficult future that awaits him.
Difficult but not impossible. “We can bring Gotham back,” says Batman in “Begins,” which ends with a sly reference to the action of the original “Batman” movie and an affirmation that the anger and guilt that fuel Batman are overshadowed by a more powerful force: hope.