March 18, 2008
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After the taut little thrillers Memento and Insomnia, director Christopher Nolan spread his wings with the gloriously epic Batman Begins. It’s a distinctly classy comic-book yarn and Christian Bale imbues the Caped Crusader with beguiling dignity — even in silly pointy ears. Nolan does away with the hyper-stylised visuals imprinted on the franchise by Tim Burton and the knockabout comedy baddies subsequently employed by Joel Schumacher. Instead, he offers a darker, more gripping psychological portrait of Bruce Wayne and his painful evolution into Batman. Bursts of adrenaline-pumping action relieve all the brooding, although the plot sometimes creaks under the strain of so much going on. It also lacks a truly terrifying villain, but a sterling cast (including Liam Neeson, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman) stands persuasively for lofty ideals as a climate of fear threatens to bring down Gotham City. Batman Begins swoops you up and doesn’t let go till the end.
Tag: blockbuster