Batman Begins~ Creature of the night
Welcome to my review for Batman Begins, the first installment to the The Dark Knight Trilogy that is now the most beloved trilogies of all-time. It has been more than a decade ago this film was released worldwide which took the audience by storm. Right now, Batman Begins has earned the title for one of the "most influential films of all time". I have always been fascinated by the stories regarding Batman. Some of the best of the Batman's stories focus on mature themes, dark tone and tragedy that has defined the character for ages. Which is why I want to analyse and understand what is it that Christopher Nolan did with Batman Begins that is now become a classic for the next generations to remember. First off, before Batman Begins, Nolan has been making self-contained indie fims. Following his success in his independent, character-driven films such as Insomnia and Memento, Nolan's work have caught interest in Warner Bros. and decided to hire him to make the next new batman film. Nolan later decided it is best to reintroduce the character in a darker, and more grittier version and to strip the character to his core essentials.
Batman is one of DC Comics' most iconic superheroes ever created after Superman and Spider-Man. The character has always been a fan-favourite to many across the globe. However, what is the magic touch that DC has cast over Batman? What makes him so special? Is it because of his fancy gadgets or is it because he is rich? The stories of Batman has always been intriguing to read, as a child, Bruce Wayne was orphaned after witnessing the death of his parents before him. Motivated by his loss to fight crime, he takes on the mantle of Batman by overcoming his fear of bats. He dresses up as a bat in order to strike fear into the hearts of men and protect the innocent from crime. Aside from having an interesting backstory, his perseverance and endurance is also what makes him so compelling. Batman has principles, his main principle is his no-kill rule which is constantly put to the test when The Joker tries to force Batman into making unethical decisions. However, he never gives up no matter the cost he has to face as a result. This can be shown in Batman: The Killing Joke.
That which was also the number one reason why Batman Begins is such an exhilirating ride by having a more character-driven drama and personal stakes, Batman becomes much more endearing than he was in Batman & Robin.
The Villains
"When I found you in that jail, you were lost. But I believed in you. I took away your fear, and I showed you a path. You were my greatest student. It should be you standing by my side, saving the world."
"The training is nothing! The will is everything! The will to act."
"Men fear most what they cannot see."
Ra's al Ghul is the main antagonist for Batman Begins. He is played by Liam Neeson, one of the greatest actors of his generation. Ra's al Ghul first meets Bruce in a Bhutanese Prison where he identifies himself as Henri Ducard, an associate of The League of Shadows. He offers a "path" for Bruce to take which he accepts and travels to a monastery where The League of Shadows resides. Ra's al Ghul is a skilled warrior and a strict teacher. Throughout Bruce's training, he is unable to best his mentor in a sword battle but comes close during the battle on the frozen glaciers. However, Ra's breaks the glaciers below him due to Bruce forgetting to mind his surroundings. Months later, Bruce completes his training but as a final test, the man who seems to be Ra's al Ghul, orders Bruce to kill a murderer the league has captured. Bruce refuses, stating that he will not use evil methods to fight injustice. Ra's advises Bruce not to have compassion for his enemies but Bruce relents and knocks out Ducard before setting the monastery ablaze. He defeats and leaves Ra's al Ghul to die there before saving Ducard from his appending doom. Following Bruce's return to Gotham and the birth of his new persona "The Batman", The League infiltrates Bruce's home on his birthday. Henri Ducard reveals himself as Ra's al Ghul, having placed a decoy in his place to trick Bruce!!
Overall, Ra's al Ghul is one of the awesomely executed bait-and-switch villains in Batman Begins. He is complex, endearing, and menacing for a villain. I think the most interesting aspect for the character was his relationship with Bruce Wayne, a student-teacher dynamic which was really enjoyable to watch. The best part about Ra's al Ghul is that he believes that he can save the world from injustice and corruption by destroying its source of corruption, Gotham City. Ra's doesn't believe that what he is doing is wrong. Every great villain will always believe in what they are doing is right which serves to drive the conflict between Bruce and him. Bruce refuses to kill evil people to combat injustice because he knows that he will become like the cruel people in the end. Ra's however believes that injustice can be fought through evil methods to set an example. They are fighting for the same goal, but with completely different ideologies and methods.
"No one can save Gotham. When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural. Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as its greatest city tears itself apart, through fear. The movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time."
"We are back to finish the job. And this time no misguided idealists will get in the way. Like your father, you lack the courage to do all that is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them and stab them in the heart."
-Ra's al Ghul to Bruce Wayne
Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow serves as the secondary antagonist for the second act of the film. Played brilliantly by Cillian Murphy, he functions as the recurring villain Batman has to face after having disbanded the league of shadows. Crane, a corrupt psychiatrist in Arkham Asylum who was associated with Carmine Falcone has developed a weaponized hallucinogen that brings out the worst fears in everyone who comes into contact with it. He first test the drug on Carmine Falcone who was apprehended by Batman causing him to be legally insane and moved to Arkham Asylum. Although he is not physically imposing, he is one of Batman's most dangerous criminals in Gotham City. Equipped with fear gas and toxins that can drive anyone mentally insane, Scarecrow serves as to test Batman's fear. In the film, we see that Batman is still haunted by images of bats, Scarecrow uses his drug on Batman, setting him on fire later on. Batman nearly loses his mind but manages to escape before Scarecrow could discover his secret identity. Fortunately, with the aid of Lucius Fox, an antidote was synthesized and his mind was still intact. Batman later confronts Dr. Crane in Arkham Asylum, who is plotting to taint Gotham's water supply with the drug and cause mass panic. He forces Crane to "taste his own medicine" in which Crane reveals that he is working with Ra's al Ghul.
These antagonists serve their purpose well in the story as to put the protagonist to the test. For Scarecrow, he tests Batman's fear which is his fear of bats. Ra's al Ghul on the other hand, tests Batman's morals and ideologies. Both Batman and Ra's al Ghul have their respective visions of how a utopia can be formed but because of that, they are in direct conflict with one another.
Symbolism and Themes
The main theme that is present in Batman Begins is fear. Fear is what starts Bruce's emotional journey in becoming the Batman. We see that as a young boy, Bruce has developed a fear of bats ever since he fell into the well swarmed with these vile creatures. His relationship with bats was so disturbing to a point it indirectly caused the deaths of his parents. Bruce realizes that his fears were the reason why his parents died that day. He concluded that if he had conquered his fears in the first place, the death of his parents will not be in vain. He also comes to realize that his city has descended into corruption. It has become a filthy and corrupted place which the mob uses as a way to supply their drug shipments. We also see that mobster Carmine Falcone has rose into power where he acts as the city's judge, jury and executioner to a point that none of the cops or lawyers would dare to cross him. This is also a lesson which Bruce's learns from Falcone on how to infiltrate crime. In order to reclaim his city, he must first make his enemies fear him, he needs the power of fear to gain their respect. Hence, Bruce travels across the globe to learn of the criminal underworld and to train in combat to save his city and ensure that his father's legacy will not be forgotten.
After being accepted by the League of Shadows, which Henri Ducard has agreed to train him. Bruce quickly learns sword fighting, disappearing from sight and to overcome his fear of bats. During a sword battle on the glaciers, Ducard gets Bruce to overcome his guilt of his parents' death by stating that their deaths was his father's to blame. Enraged, Bruce nearly defeats his mentor but fails to mind his surroundings as Ducard breaks the ice below Bruce. After a series of intense physical and mental training, Bruce completes his training as a ninja for The League of Shadows. However, as a final test, Ra's al Ghul orders Bruce to kill the murderer that the league has recently captured. Ducard also states that after he has completed his training, the league can begin to infiltrate and destroy Gotham. The League has been planning on destroying Gotham which they believe is the source of all corruption and injustice which stands in their way of making the world a utopia. Bruce turns on the league and burns down their home, leaving Ra's to die but taking an unconscious Ducard to safety.
With his newfound abilities and motivation, Bruce saves up enough money to call Alfred and get a ride home to Gotham. Bruce begins rebuilding his life in Gotham city after seven years of his disappearance. Bruce confronts his fear by returning to where all his fears have manifested from, the day where he fell into the well that was the home of bats. The bats swarm him which indicating that they welcome his return and Bruce embraces them. This is a crucial scene because it shows us the complexity of fear and how we can always overcome them by embracing them. This is what makes his transformation into Batman emotionally investing, he becomes the living manifestation of fear itself. As a symbol, he can be everlasting and incorruptible and his enemies will run for their lives after hearing his name. He upholds the law, order and hope for the future of his city where his father failed to do so.
Christopher Nolan has also added subtle symbolism throughout the franchise. While it may not be the main focus of its respective films, it does add a layered context within the films. Nolan uses fire to convey this subtle symbols because fire is considered to be the most destructive force of nature which consumes about anything it touches. The element of fire has great power for forging will and determination, it gives people hope as well as living symbol that burns in our souls to survive. Imagine being lost in a forest with nothing but fire to keep you warm, it symbolises hope to survive and to face the creatures of the dark. It is also a source of energy that must be controlled or you will get burned. In other words, you will be consumed by its power and eventually you lose the hope to survive. This added symbolism is used to symbolise the chaos and destruction of Gotham.
For example, as Ra's al Ghul states, "No one can save Gotham. When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural. Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as its greatest city tears itself apart, through fear. The movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time" .
His mercenaries later burn down Wayne Manor from the insides of the building. This signifies that the League of Shadows is planning on burning down Gotham by infiltrating its infrastructure and destroying their social order to cause chaos. Hence, a great fire will rise which will be the city's doom. Thankfully, Gotham's doom was prolonged with the combined efforts of Batman, Sergeant Gordon and Rachel Dawes. However, the symbol of fire still appears as motifs through its sequels, mainly in The Dark Knight. Fire was mainly used to describe The Joker's desires and motives.
Bats is also used to symbolise Bruce's fear. Bats symbolises our rebirth and potential that is unrealised. If someone dreams of bats, it is trying to symbolise that we should leave our old ways and start taking on a path that helps to tap in our success. It also symbolises boldness and breakthrough as we take the leap of faith as we enter the darkness alone. This shows that one must face their own fears on their own and become stronger as they head back into the light. As in the opening scene when Bruce falls into the well in his front yard, he develops a fear of bats which swarms and surrounds him. This is to develop his relationship with bats through fear. As Bruce slowly overcomes his fear of bats which is shown when bruce goes back to the well that he once fell into. He stumbles upon a cave full of bats that swarm and surround him, but Bruce embraces his fear and becomes one with fear itself. This scene symbolises that as he embraces his fear, he becomes the living manifestation of his fear itself. He goes into the deep, dark caverns into the farthest part of the subconscious mind that invites him to complete his transformation as the everlasting symbol he swore to become. By becoming a symbol of justice and hope for the people of Gotham as well as symbol of fear to his enemies, he becomes "The Batman".
Cast
The cast has done a great job in their respective roles. Christian Bale is fantastic at nailing the playboy, billionaire persona as Bruce Wayne as well as capturing the stoicism of Batman. He does a great job at toeing the line between being a flawed, troubled man trying to fight injustice as well as putting up a theatrical personality as a billionaire. I can feel his pain of losing his parents which was also done really well by Bruce's child actor Gus Lewis. This is also the only movie where Batman does not take his fake voice too far which was in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Liam Neeson is also fantastic as Henri Ducard / Ra's al Ghul. The most enjoyable aspect of the film was the chemistry between Christian Bale and Liam Neeson as well as the student-teacher dynamic which felt fleshed out and there is always tension between them that is really kept me on the edge of my seat. He is also fantastic as the antagonist who challenges Bruce's ideals about how Gotham should be. Micheal Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy and Katie Holmes all gave fantastic performances respectively. However, the relationship between Katie Holmes and Christian Bale feels slightly undercooked and their romance felt unnecessary. Nevertheless, it does not become the main focus of the story and only serves to emotionally remind Bruce to never exact revenge.
The Ending
The ending for Batman Begins is less intriguing than its sequels that follow. Although it is considered to be the weakest ending for the entire trilogy, it serves its purpose to set up a sequel. By the end of the film, Gotham City Police Department has built a bat-signal to call Batman whenever crime has occurred. In this scene, Gordon asks Batman to help track down a criminal who leaves "Joker" cards in his crimes. Batman promises to look into it and glides off as the screen cuts to black. While this is still a solid ending, it just does not live up to the quality of its sequel's ending.
Thank You
