But despite the failure of Batman & Robin Warner Brothers wasn't going to not make another Batman movie but it was still rather a bold choice to tap indie director Christopher Nolan to do a real-world take on the character. Perhaps it was the only way to recover, to go in an entirely different direction. And when Batman Begins premiered in 2005 it turned out to be what audiences were looking for, and built a market for comic books films to be not only mainstream but taken seriously as films. The success of these films lead to the Marvel Cinematic Universe being possible, even if that series takes the genre back in a less serious direction.
Batman Begins takes a big step in the new direction but holds on to some of the campier elements of the genre. It spends a great deal of time setting up that this Batman lives in the real world with real world problems. This Gotham isn't overrun with costumed criminals it's a city where corruption is rampant and crime is a symptom of public institutions being susceptible to influence. This is different than most interpretations of the Batman world we've seen before. It comes up with real world reasons for Batman's suit, his cape, his equipment, almost hyperfocused on contextualizing the mythos.Nolan is clearly interested in exploring the nature of a vigilante hero, starting to ask uncomfortable questions, the kind raised by having a character like Batman in the real world. The thing I most responded to was how the film started to make us question so many of the assumptions we have about our comic book heroes.
But Begins still falls into some traps. The villain's big plans are a bit nonsensical and over the top. It's like something out of a more campy movie and often pulls me out of the film. It is almost like they weren't sure they could go full real world and held on to a bit of the Bond Villain archetype.
I remember feeling the film makes needless changes to the Batman legend which take away from it's comic authenticity. It wasn't the first film to do this but certainly isn't the quintessential Batman adaptation. And part of why this bugs me is that many of these changes are unnecessary. Bruce's parents being killed after an opera instead of after a movie screening offers nothing to the story.
But there are other weird choices which keep this from being my favourite Batman film. The casting Katie Holmes as the new character Rachel Dawes, a character whose relationship on which so much of Bruce Wayne's development hinges, but Holmes just isn't up for what the role needs. This is highlighted in the next film when Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role and takes it much farther.
But what they build here allows them to move into the rest of the series and achieve something truly outstanding.
Batman Begins
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hower, Ken Watanabe
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: David S Goyer, Christopher Nolan
The Dark Knight is one of my favourite movies ever. It didn't start out that way. Nolan's stark vision, set in the real world aesthetic he set up with Batman Begins, was unsettling at first. The morality play he spins questioning the nature of vigilantism and how the idea of a comic book hero is problematic when faced with the complexities of the real world, is a lot to take in. Part of what makes this such an incredible film is the way it walks the line between crowd pleasing blockbuster and complex thesis on difficult topics. But it walks this line perfectly.
The Dark Knight overcomes some of the issues I feel Batman Begins struggles with. While I don't think this film would be possible without the groundwork laid in Begins, I also think it manages to solve some of the problems of the earlier film. Knight pretty much moves away from the outrageousness of the genre and grounds itself firmly in reality (although Two-Face's, well... face... remains a bit much) and its plot is more complex and cohesive than the prior film's.
There are a lot of strengths here. People talk about Ledger's Joker a lot, and that is well deserved. It is a towering achievement. So far I haven't met a Joker performance I haven't liked. They all offer something good and the desire to compare and compete them is one I never understand. Ledger's Joker, as a part of Nolan's Dark Knight story, is not "crazy" in the slightest. He's an anarchist, a foil to the way Bruce Wayne is trying to force the world to makes sense. He is challenging the hypocrisy, not only of Batman but of the police, organized crime, politicians, and Gotham (read as us) itself. He tries to hold up a mirror to us to make us see what is wrong with ourselves. And what is brilliant in that story telling is how broken it makes us (as outlined in Harvey Dent's story) but even more so in Bruce's arc. He is pushed to the brink of breaking, and his heroism is not in how he "stops" the Joker, in fact much of that is extremely problematic, but in how he saves himself from breaking. He finds a way to find light and hope despite all the darkness around him and in himself. Nolan's film isn't completely nihilist, there is heroism here, not just in Bruce but in the citizens of Gotham themselves, and I think in Rachel.
Rachel Dawes, as I mentioned discussing Begins, could have been an extremely problematic character, fridged in this story if we don't understand what's really going on. But Nolan's handling of her and the recasting of the role with a truly powerful actor like Gyllenhaal, makes her so much more, makes her essential to the narrative, saving Bruce from what he could have become.
And then there is all of the amazing set pieces here. The under bridge chase is famously entertaining but the China withdrawal, Joker's interactions with the mob, the opening bank robbery scene. This is an amazing action film. It works on so many levels and so wonderfully on each. I never tire of watching The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
This is a strong trilogy but for me none of the films quite hold up to The Dark Knight. Rises has much about it I really love but there are also issues which keep it from quite rivaling its predecessor. Still, it is a remarkable piece of work. It takes the themes from the previous films to their logical conclusions. The challenge this times comes from opposition to the law and order Batman has established and what makes Bane as fascinating as he is, is that he's not far off in his critiques of who Batman and the GCPD are.
But the film fails a bit in making Bane's case strong enough. Bane is Napoleon in Animal Farm, a hypocrite who espouses ideology but ends up being the very things he criticizes. His "justice" is a farce. That would have been okay in a less complex story but after the Joker in TDK, creating such a smart critique, this stands out as weaker.
In my opinion a lot what is wrong about Rises is how desperate Nolan appears to end things. So much feels rushed. He is so determined to tell his trilogy and bring it all full circle without anyone being able to continue it that he doesn't allow the time or development for so much of what would make this story truly soar to emerge. This could have been a longer series but instead easy answers must be given to warp things up.
Still, Rises accomplishes a great deal. It's still smarter than most of its genre and its depiction of Catwoman starts out strong. I feel she is one of the things lost in the hurry up to end it push, but so much of what the script and Hathaway deliver here make for a very interesting Selina Kyle. The action is taken up a notch even from TDK, which in many ways also takes away from the realism aspect.
Perhaps the biggest flaw for me is Gordon-Levitt's character, a character who seems designed more to tick boxes than actually add something powerful to the story. The reveal of his "real" name at the end is a groaner, and there is this weird tension between how Nolan is ensuring everything is shutting down without possibility of continuation and then this character is almost set up as Batman 2. It is a needless awkward addition which just feels incongruent. I wish Nolan hadn't been so determined to burn it all down when he left ensuring no one else could play with his toys. It always feels like a bit of a let down after TDK and I always wish there could have been more to this version of the story. Then ending is rushed and leaves so many ideas unused on the table.
Still, there is a finality to the narrative about which much is quite satisfying. Alfred's final scene is gorgeously beautiful and there is an aching to it which is delicious. For me this series will always be a detour on Batman's journey, a very welcome and fascinating story that isn't quite Batman but is fascinating and remarkable and endlessly watchable.
The Dark Knight Rises
Starring: Christian Bale, Anne Hatha
way, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Matthew Modine, Liam Neeson,
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
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