Batman Begins

[Space Renegade Ulala]

May as well keep any stuff relating to it here - no doubt we'll see more and more info released in the coming months.

To start with, here's the logo:

http://batmanbegins.warnerbros.com/

Apparently, Bruce uses his high school metalwork skills to make the insignia and sticks it on the suit. Looks kinda heavy...

Anyway, directed by Memento/Insomnia director Christopher Nolan, the castlist is:

Bruce Wayne / Christian Bale

Alfred Pennyworth / Michael Caine

Jim Gordon / Gary Oldman

Ra's Al Ghul/ Ken Watanabe

Henri Ducard / Liam Neeson

Lucius Fox / Morgan Freeman

Rachel Dodson / Katie Holmes

Dr Jonathan Crane / Cillian Murphy

Any thoughts? Wll it succeed or is the memory of the Schumacher disasters still too fresh in audiences' memories?

[Alex W.]

Great googley moogley... it could certainly wipe away the memories of those crap campy sequels if it has as solid a visual style as that logo suggests. And the cast list is a dream come true.

[hub2]

Too many big names (if thats possible) might detract from the movie.

And it's got Katie Holmes in it, so I'm already dubious.

Sorry.

[Alex W.]

Come on- Gary Oldman as Gordon? Who couldn't like that idea?

[Harmunt]

No, no, no. I've yet to wash the taste of Batman Forever out of my mouth. This one had better rock shit up.

[hub2]

Come on- Gary Oldman as Gordon? Who couldn't like that idea?

I'm keeping my hype meter as low as possible. It's a personal experiment to see if I can avoid the disappointment I've felt over so many movies recently.

In fact what the hell am I even doing in this thread!

[MW_Jimmy]

I really hope this is as good as Burtons pair - if not better.

Thing is Ive never been a massive fan of the origins of Batman stuff nor the convoluted multiple Batmans and Robins/ Nightwing crap that comes after. The villian they've chosen isn't very comic-booky if you know what I mean. Seems more of a Bond Villian - shame.

Still the animated series craps on everything (I bought all the comics for it as well but stopped after ad. of batman & robin - only comic Ive ever bought seriously).

[Alex W.]

I'm keeping my hype meter as low as possible. It's a personal experiment to see if I can avoid the disappointment I've felt over so many movies recently.

In fact what the hell am I even doing in this thread!

Definately a good idea. I'm actually totall prepared for enuui when I go to see Kill Bill Vol. 2, for similar reasons.

[Rin]

Good cast, good director, good err logo... What can go wrong, eh?

[Stroker Ace]

Good cast, great director, DYNAMITE script reviews.

I'm positively moist with anticipation.

[Vemsie]

It will be one of 2005's obvious highlights. Nolan never directed a crap film, Goyer's script is superb according to those who've read it, the ensemble cast is the greatest next to Sin City and it has ninjas in it.

[Major Britten]

I was not interested in this but after i read the script reviews and how good it is PLUS the actors they have got for this I am becoming more interested. I will wait until I see the trailer first before I start getting too excited though

[Sabreman]

It's all looking good. I was a little cheesed reading somewhere an interview (I can't remember who with), talking about bringing depth to the characters and doing something interesting with the franchise, because I don't think Burton's two films were particular failures in that respect.

[Vemsie]

I like the Burton films to some extent but many things are wrong with them imo. Horrible action scenes, no tension, a costume that is so heavy Batman can hardly move in it, a way too hammy Joker, Prince, that whole Napier killed Bruce's parents bit. And so on.

I'd say there's plenty of room for improvement. But it's true Burton's films are masterpieces compared to the crap Schumacher produced.

[Sabreman]

I'd agree with all that, but I'd say that the centrepiece of Burton's films is Keaton's performance of Wayne, which I think was spot-on. He may have been hampered by the design department, but he nailed the character.

[Vemsie]

I'd agree with all that, but I'd say that the centrepiece of Burton's films is Keaton's performance of Wayne, which I think was spot-on. He may have been hampered by the design department, but he nailed the character.

Yeah, Keaton was excellent. I agree with that. Hopefully Bale will deliver as well.

[Space Renegade Ulala]

I loved Keaton's performances. The way he'd switch from being the single-minded and determined vigilante when in the cave/suit to being almost a lost and confused little boy when playing Bruce was great, it gave the impression Bruce Wayne never really grew up past the moment of his parents' death.

He was more balanced in Returns, a confident, shrewd and witty business man, then the focused and unstoppable nemesis of the 3 villains. His eyes were particularly expressive - he could act more with a single look than the entire cast of the Schumacher films combined (that final showdown with the Penguin as he slowly moves his eyes from looking at the detenator to the Penguin is one of the acest scenes ever, a great throwback to the days of silent films where music and expression was King...)

[Sabreman]

Here's the quote that bugged me. Bale, from SFX magazine:

I think that Batman is probably more aggressive than most everybody I've played. I just felt I hadn't been quite satisfied with what I'd seen in the other movies. It seemed that there was a real character here, that it wasn't just a bland kind of superhero, one-dimensional.

Nitpicky on my part, maybe, but like I said I think that's rather dismissive of Keaton's good work.

[:mediadavid:]

Keaton was a good actor, but i always thought he was far too small to be Batman. Batman should be a real giant of a man, though I don't know if Bale will be any better in that regard.

[11 Herbs 'n' Spices]

Keaton was a good actor, but i always thought he was far too small to be Batman. Batman should be a real giant of a man, though I don't know if Bale will be any better in that regard.

I would have to disagree.

You have to remember, Batman is just an ordinary man who has trained his body physically and mentally to become the superhero he is.

I would say that Bruce Wayne would be athletic build and no taller than 6'2". His menace comes from his prowess and his outfit.

BTW, that new bat insignia looks great. Looks gritty and dirty. Tarnished. Beat up. Just the way Batman should be.

The cast is a fine ensemble indeed. I intially thought that Michael Caine is too big an actor ( in celebrity not stature) to play Alfred. I thought that Alfred is too humble a role for him. Then i started thinking about who Alfred really is. He's seen Bruce Wayne grow into Batman, become the Dark Knight and assisted in his training (to a degree). He wouldn't be as passive as I remembered him. He would be someone who Bruce respects and one of the few people who could put Bruce in his place if needed. Caine certainly has that gravitas behind him.

I'm still not completely sold on Oldman as Gordon. I absolutely love Oldman's work but feel he would make a better Joker than Gordon. Ijn this movie, Gordon is in his earlier days so is more of a gumshoe gradually working his way up to Comissioner. The actor that springs to mind is Dennis Quaid but I don't think he would be perfect himself, just more the direction I expect.

I don't want to fall into teh ype machine but it seems as though it would take a major fuck up to cause this movie to be crap.

Definately my most anticipated movie over the next two years.

[Caleb Newcastle]

The difficulty I have is reconciling any movie production of Batman with the sheer genius of the animated series.

That voice coming from that face is something that summed up the entire concept of the character for me.

I even mark out for Bruce Wayne focussed episodes of Batman Beyond which is a terribly underrated cartoon.

From Rebirth:

Jokerz Leader "Don't you know who you're dealing with old man? We're the Jokerz!"

Bruce Wayne "Sure you are."

From Shriek:

Terry "So, how did you know that you weren't going crazy?"

Bruce Wayne "The voice I heard called me Bruce. In my mind I never call myself that.

Terry "So what do you call yourself, then?"

Bruce Wayne [in that voice] "What do you think?"

Brilliance. Utter Brilliance.

[11 Herbs 'n' Spices]

The difficulty I have is reconciling any movie production of Batman with the sheer genius of the animated series.

That voice coming from that face is something that summed up the entire concept of the character for me.

I even mark out for Bruce Wayne focussed episodes of Batman Beyond which is a terribly underrated cartoon.

From Rebirth:

Jokerz Leader "Don't you know who you're dealing with old man? We're the Jokerz!"

Bruce Wayne "Sure you are."

From Shriek:

Terry "So, how did you know that you weren't going crazy?"

Bruce Wayne "The voice I heard called me Bruce. In my mind I never call myself that.

Terry "So what do you call yourself, then?"

Bruce Wayne [in that[/] voice] "What do you think?"

Brilliance. Utter Brilliance.

I'll agree with you in that Batman Beyond has some good characterisation but for me, it seems so much like a diluted version of the original animted series.

IMO, Batman is not about the technology and the gadgets. Yes, he has always used them in his arsenal but when it comes down to it, it's the man behind the gadgets that is the greatest weapon. He's is a great detective, extremely well educated and in peak condition. In Batman Beyond, the techno-suit is relied upon too much. This has always been my main complaint with the series and ultimately put me off it. It seemed too heavily marketed towards kids.

But your are right - as it stands, the animated series is the definitive screen version of the Batman universe.

[Jammy]

It's certainly shaping up to be a return to form. Bale is great casting - I and a mate actually said he'd be a great choice a long time before he was cast - his face is the right shape, he's a good height. Hope he can bulk up a tad though, as Wayne is a huge guy.

[Vemsie]

There's no stopping Nolan. Marvel (no pun intended) at the lastest additions to the cast.

A Dutchman joins the cast

[Calashnikov]

I wonder if Hauer will offer us a reprise of his shambling blind samurai Vietnam vet of calamity as seen in this film:

[Vemsie]

Blind Fury is ace B)

[Calashnikov]

Blind Fury is ace  B)

It's fairly bad, though. He reminds me of an ultra violent Mr Magoo-cum-clumsy Police Academy Man #1.

[Vemsie]

It's fairly bad, though. He reminds me of an ultra violent Mr Magoo-cum-clumsy Police Academy Man #1.

I like it. But anyway, back to Bats....

[Calashnikov]

I'm thinking the film is in danger of becoming too cluttered and incoherent. Obviously, the personal sub-stories in juxtaposition with the action stuff is a fairly obvious mechanism used in comic flicks, but I'm starting to worry about this one. The cast is huge. It might come out as a disjointed mess.

But apparently the script is don. B)

Don't get me wrong: I'm mad excited about this movie. I just hope I wont be disappointed.

[Caleb Newcastle]

I'm thinking the film is in danger of becoming too cluttered and incoherent. Obviously, the personal sub-stories in juxtaposition with the action stuff is a fairly obvious mechanism used in comic flicks, but I'm starting to worry about this one. The cast is huge. It might come out as a disjointed mess.

But apparently the script is don. B)

Don't get me wrong: I'm mad excited about this movie. I just hope I wont be disappointed.

Aye. Too many villains, personal or otherwise, and we'll get another Batman Returns.