‘Batman Begins’ resurrects the franchise (review)

[Cannikin]

It’s been eight years since director Joel Schumacher contaminated the Batman series with the lamentable “Batman & Robin” — and a full decade since he started the job by directing the only-slightly-less-lamentable “Batman Forever.”

But not even those debacles could keep a good franchise down, especially now that “Lord of the Rings” and “Star Wars” have come to an end. “Batman Begins,” a prequel created by writer-director Christopher Nolan (“Memento”) and his co-writer, David S. Goyer (“Dark City”), takes place in a galaxy far, far away from SchumacherLand.

In place of nippled batsuits, it offers a relatively realistic take on the story, starting with a traumatic episode from Bruce Wayne’s childhood. After seeing his parents gunned down in an alley, Bruce wants to execute the beggar who did it. But he eventually decides that he wants justice, not revenge, and broadens his approach to law enforcement by defending the defenseless of Gotham.

Tom Wilkinson, slumming stylishly as a self-confident gangster king, revels in the chance to radiate pure evil. Liam Neeson and Michael Caine take turns playing Bruce’s mentor; one is compromised, the other is the soul of resourceful integrity. Ken Watanabe is scarily ruthless as a ninja villain. Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Rutger Hauer and Linus Roache also make the most of their screen time.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8146869/

[sundog]

1. joel schumacher should be bludgeoned

his contribution to batman is just one of many reasons

[Kraklen]

2. And a less then stellar review.

http://www.newyorker.com/critics/cinema/articles/050613crci_cinema

Fight scenes that are too fast, filmed too close, can't see what's happening.

You know, that was my biggest complaint about the Schumacher films.