I've been a Batman fan since I was at least three years old. I know this because I was three when Tim Burton's Batman
came out. While I still look back fondly on the film, its flaws leap
out at me. Flaws such as the Adam West inspired take on Commissioner
Gordon, the fact that Batman doesn't seem to have a problem with killing
and, the biggest flaw of all, when you really boil it down Batman and
Joker are fighting over a girl (who isn't that attractive and just seems
to stand around and scream or look on stupidly).
Burton's film is really a mash up of Burton macabre and the Adam West series. There isn't a ton of substance. The same for Batman Returns
which swings more toward Burton's sensibilities while the last two
films of the franchise embrace the absurdity of Adam West (quite poorly,
mind you). This brings us to the relaunch and Christopher Nolan.
I've seen all but one of Nolan's films, Following,
multiple times. For the most part, I find that he's a brilliant
technician and exploits his stories to show his mastery of various
skills. Memento plays with a non-linear story, The Prestige with the idea of three acts, and Inception with dealing multiple realities in an increasingly complex format. (I know I left out Insomnia which is a remake of a foreign film but bear with me.)
However,
I sincerely believe that his Batman films are just as reliant on story
and subtext than they are tools for Nolan to show how awesome his films
can be. And what is the subtext behind his entire trilogy? Life in the
post-9/11 world from the attack itself to the last ten years of
escalating war to, possibly, the financial fall out. Heavy stuff for a
superhero flick right? Stick around. It gets heavier. Let's start with a
film that has been forgotten by some: Batman Begins."Direct threats require decisive action." - Dick Cheney
I picture Begins as a summary of the first month post-9/11. Even the dusty hue of the film reminds me of Ground Zero after the attacks. There are two key emotions that drive the film: fear (which writer David Goyer believes should be mentioned at least every other scene) and rage. If there were two words to describe the feelings of many Americans during that period, those would summarize it perfectly. Bruce Wayne's fear of bats, his fear of helplessness after his parents death, the fear that almost engulfs the city in the third act. And then there's the rage that creates Bruce Wayne's need for Batman, even the rage that dominates his growl while he wears the mask.
While the movie focuses heavily on the Begins bit with emphasize on his childhood and training, the time period that covers Bruce's time in cowl is fairly short. However that's plenty of time to act. The first move reminds me of the start of the Afghanistan war, a quick surgical punch at the people who allowed the evil that caused so much harm. The rulers of Afghanistan, the Taliban, are initially easily taken out much like Batman easily takes out Gotham's crime lord, Carmine Falcone, in one night. However, this isn't the end in either case. The true threats remain ever elusive.
Ra's al Ghul emerges as the fanatical leader of a sect of warriors determined to purge the world of what he perceives as evil. Sound familiar? New York lost the Twin Towers, Gotham City loses the Narrows. While Ra's' plot to literally bring fear to Gotham City ultimately fails due to Batman and Jim Gordon's efforts, the game has been changed.
Batman has entangled himself in a war that will result in unintended consequences which will be elaborated on in our next installment.
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