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bluelovesorangeSaw Batman begins.
It was quite good. Everyone should see it, even non-fans of the comic book movie genre - though I feel that this adaptation (and Hellboy, I haven't seen Sin City yet) is one of the most superior adaptations of the genre I've seen yet and probably the most rooted in reality, funnily enough.
And even better, K.Ho affected my viewing very little. Though I must say, I was rolling my eyes through the entirety of her beloved's trailer - what with the impeccable dialogue ("Lightning doesn't strike twice!"), the disaster movie pornography cinematography, and Tom Cruise's blinding teeth. I'm sad that Dakota Fanning and Miranda Otto are in it though, because I happen to like their work.
first off, I have to say, Batman has always been my favorite comic book hero...or antihero. I even loved him as Adam West's super schlocky cartoon ballooned caped crime fighter - but my real love began with the Burton noirish films (especially when he met Michelle Pfeiffer's gloriously icy Catwoman) and then the cartoon series - which were drawn in this kind of awesome, Deco/20s style. Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, the Scarecrow....the Thing (the red clay guy, I'm not sure what his name was,CLAYFACE), and Bruce hunched over in his lair, snarking with Alfred? I loved all of that.
I missed all the scenery Batman films, where he descended into more cartoon/comic decadence and the Suit, instead of the real character - so I was really intrigued when I heard about Batman Begins. Then add the never would have thought about it in a million years casting of Christian Bale (you know, except for the entire never thought of casting him as a serial killer, or er...a dragon tamer) and the promise that it would be a 'dark' look into the mythology behind Batman, and I was hooked.
And now after watching it, it's probably my favorite Batman film. Nolan gets Batman, but more importantly, he gets Bruce Wayne. My only problem with the film was sometimes (I am used to the comic genre by now) that the fight choreography was too messy and not tracked and it all blurred into one, but separate Christian from the masses and then he is incredible. I also cried throughout the first half of the film - I couldn't help myself. For such a stoic character, Batman caused the most tears in me and I love, love Michael Caine's Alfred, and their interaction.
They could have cast anyone to play Rachel Dawes, by the way Katie was performing it, so I'm not particularly happy that they chose her to embody Rachel. I was indifferent to her character, whenever i wasn't seized by truly petty ruminations about for a hard-assed DA of 'incredible spirit and integrity' why on earth they cast such a wispy voiced, melting-wax mannequin. Also, I never bought the 'love' story between Rachel and Bruce. Chemistry is an arguable point, though - I just didn't see any. I guess the most I could say about Katie's performance was that it had little to do with the overall story - I get that it seems to be the deal in all of these films/genre to have an ideal/innocent to fight/protect for to truly hold onto the 'human' aspect of the superhero, but just like I couldn't get into Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane in Spiderman, I blanked through most of Rachel Dawes as well. Personally, if Bruce *had* been fighting for Alfred, or hell, the little urchin boy, I would have been more engaged.
As it is, I see no improvement in the 'love interest/independent female foil' in the comic movie adaptation (the exception being I understand the truly kick ass Rosario Dawson in Sin City, and Selma Blair's oddly appropriate manic depressive Liz in Hell Boy) and with Kate Blahsworth being Lois Lane to um what's his name's Superman.....
dude, I see Batman ruling the superhero circuit for a while longer.
And I can't wait for number two - who's going to play the Joker?! And you know who would be PERFECT for Harley Quinn (you need Harley!)
Kristen Bell.
Think about it.
Also, Cillian Murphy was perfection as the Scarecrow, and I think he'd be a great live action Howl, as well.
And, I think I know some people who belong to the League of Shadows.
Or should, anyway.
It was quite good. Everyone should see it, even non-fans of the comic book movie genre - though I feel that this adaptation (and Hellboy, I haven't seen Sin City yet) is one of the most superior adaptations of the genre I've seen yet and probably the most rooted in reality, funnily enough.
And even better, K.Ho affected my viewing very little. Though I must say, I was rolling my eyes through the entirety of her beloved's trailer - what with the impeccable dialogue ("Lightning doesn't strike twice!"), the disaster movie pornography cinematography, and Tom Cruise's blinding teeth. I'm sad that Dakota Fanning and Miranda Otto are in it though, because I happen to like their work.
first off, I have to say, Batman has always been my favorite comic book hero...or antihero. I even loved him as Adam West's super schlocky cartoon ballooned caped crime fighter - but my real love began with the Burton noirish films (especially when he met Michelle Pfeiffer's gloriously icy Catwoman) and then the cartoon series - which were drawn in this kind of awesome, Deco/20s style. Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn, the Scarecrow....the Thing (
I missed all the scenery Batman films, where he descended into more cartoon/comic decadence and the Suit, instead of the real character - so I was really intrigued when I heard about Batman Begins. Then add the never would have thought about it in a million years casting of Christian Bale (you know, except for the entire never thought of casting him as a serial killer, or er...a dragon tamer) and the promise that it would be a 'dark' look into the mythology behind Batman, and I was hooked.
And now after watching it, it's probably my favorite Batman film. Nolan gets Batman, but more importantly, he gets Bruce Wayne. My only problem with the film was sometimes (I am used to the comic genre by now) that the fight choreography was too messy and not tracked and it all blurred into one, but separate Christian from the masses and then he is incredible. I also cried throughout the first half of the film - I couldn't help myself. For such a stoic character, Batman caused the most tears in me and I love, love Michael Caine's Alfred, and their interaction.
They could have cast anyone to play Rachel Dawes, by the way Katie was performing it, so I'm not particularly happy that they chose her to embody Rachel. I was indifferent to her character, whenever i wasn't seized by truly petty ruminations about for a hard-assed DA of 'incredible spirit and integrity' why on earth they cast such a wispy voiced, melting-wax mannequin. Also, I never bought the 'love' story between Rachel and Bruce. Chemistry is an arguable point, though - I just didn't see any. I guess the most I could say about Katie's performance was that it had little to do with the overall story - I get that it seems to be the deal in all of these films/genre to have an ideal/innocent to fight/protect for to truly hold onto the 'human' aspect of the superhero, but just like I couldn't get into Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane in Spiderman, I blanked through most of Rachel Dawes as well. Personally, if Bruce *had* been fighting for Alfred, or hell, the little urchin boy, I would have been more engaged.
As it is, I see no improvement in the 'love interest/independent female foil' in the comic movie adaptation (the exception being I understand the truly kick ass Rosario Dawson in Sin City, and Selma Blair's oddly appropriate manic depressive Liz in Hell Boy) and with Kate Blahsworth being Lois Lane to um what's his name's Superman.....
dude, I see Batman ruling the superhero circuit for a while longer.
And I can't wait for number two - who's going to play the Joker?! And you know who would be PERFECT for Harley Quinn (you need Harley!)
Kristen Bell.
Think about it.
Also, Cillian Murphy was perfection as the Scarecrow, and I think he'd be a great live action Howl, as well.
And, I think I know some people who belong to the League of Shadows.
Or should, anyway.
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no subject
Date: 2005-06-18 06:55 pm (UTC)I don't think I could fully comprehend how hot Cillian Murphy was until now because WHOA. I think it might have been the glasses though, haha.
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Date: 2005-06-18 07:01 pm (UTC)waitaminute,
Date: 2005-06-18 08:14 pm (UTC)The thing that I liked about Rachel (if not Katie), was that she was actually *doing* something for the protection of Gotham, instead of being just a flighty female. And of course, I was inevitably irritated by the swooning-fall-sweeping-hero-carry (whatever that means, but -- you know). I think I might have liked Rachel a *lot*, had she been played by someone with spunk and iron will and had her character been developed a bit more.
I will always remember the severe level of WTF I experienced when I saw the first poster for Reign of Fire. CHRISTIAN? Did you fall and hit your head?
Cillian absolutely killed (oh, rhyming!) me as Crane, and I am even risking the inevitable badness that will be Red Eye for him.
Nolan really created a masterpiece here, a tribute to what I, at least, love about Batman, that he's a man with fear and guilt and NO BLOODY SUPERPOWERS. And the snark. And ALFRED.
as a final note, I second the Kristen Bell as Harley. As well as Dafna's vote for Michael Ian Black as the Joker. Ohhhhyes.
where are you padawan?
Date: 2005-06-18 08:48 pm (UTC)And yes, Dawson. It has been corrected.
Let me hate on the Holmes and the Blahsworth for a minute more.
no subject
Date: 2005-06-19 01:21 am (UTC)I think this one Aikido teacher I had a few years ago must have been a member. He was really sweet and laughed a lot and reminded me of my uncle (definitely not a city-destroying evil guy)... but if someone told me he was secretly a ninja I would totally believe it. Listening to him in class it as like "Sure I'm laughing with you now and I love puppies and kittens too and I have infant grandkids but you do know that I could totally kill you, right?"
Watching movies like this make me wanna be a ninja. Even though I know the training looks cold and crappy and back-breaking, I always walk out of the theater thinking... "Hm. I want to go exercise."