Rate Batman Begins

Desdichado · Jun 23, 2005

WizarDru said:
AValanthe and I turned to each other at the end and said "Best. Batman. EVAR".

Oh, and I gotta get me one of those.

What, a Batman?

fanboy2000 · Jun 23, 2005

No, a virus that makes people insane.

Ghostwind · Jun 23, 2005

I saw it last night finally with my Dad and thought it was a brilliant film (gave it a 10). It worked on so many levels from the actual story to the subtle humor that was strung out through the whole thing (especially the line about Alfred knowing one joke). I plan on seeing it a second time with my wife in the next couple of weeks hopefully.

Wulf Ratbane · Jun 23, 2005

I gave it an 8, and definitely think it's my favorite of the Batman movies.

But best comic book movie ever?

I dunno, maybe it comes down to personal preference for the heroes themselves, but for my money Spiderman (I or II, take your pick) is still the reigning champ for comic book movies. They're fantastic in every way.

Wulf Ratbane · Jun 23, 2005

Wulf Ratbane said:
I gave it an 8, and definitely think it's my favorite of the Batman movies.

But best comic book movie ever?

I dunno, maybe it comes down to personal preference for the heroes themselves, but for my money Spiderman (I or II, take your pick) is still the reigning champ for comic book movies. They're fantastic in every way.

EDIT: Whoa whoa whoa! Back the train up. The Incredibles would be the hands-down champ, but I won't count it because (a) it's animated, and I think it's implied that we're looking for real people playing comic book heroes; and (b) they're not based on an existing comic book. But The Incredibles is the best superhero movie ever.

Desdichado · Jun 23, 2005

I think it holds its own fairly well with the Spider-man franchise, though. And personally, I'd put X2 up there as well -- that was some damn fine comic book adaptation.

But if you leave aside superhero comics, I think Road to Perdition is by far a better movie than all the rest of them combined. Of course, it doesn't feel at all like a comic book movie, and although it is based on a graphic novel, I don't think it really should count.

Wulf Ratbane · Jun 23, 2005

Joshua Dyal said:
But if you leave aside superhero comics, I think Road to Perdition is by far a better movie than all the rest of them combined. Of course, it doesn't feel at all like a comic book movie, and although it is based on a graphic novel, I don't think it really should count.

No, neither do I-- but if you're going to go that route, put Sin City right up near the top.

Klaus · Jun 23, 2005

Wulf Ratbane said:
EDIT: Whoa whoa whoa! Back the train up. The Incredibles would be the hands-down champ, but I won't count it because (a) it's animated, and I think it's implied that we're looking for real people playing comic book heroes; and (b) they're not based on an existing comic book. But The Incredibles is the best superhero movie ever.

Y'see, The Incredibles never 'cliqued' with me... I kept hearing all kinds of praises about it, but when I watched it on DVD, I just expected... more.

Batman Begins, IMHO, is the best comic book or superhero movie ever (topping the first Superman, who was faithful to the comics at the time, including time reversal).

Desdichado · Jun 24, 2005

Wulf Ratbane said:
No, neither do I-- but if you're going to go that route, put Sin City right up near the top.

I expect that's probably true -- but I can't make that claim, because I missed Sin City in theatres. I'm waiting for the DVD release now.

WizarDru · Jun 24, 2005

Wulf Ratbane said:
No, neither do I-- but if you're going to go that route, put Sin City right up near the top.

True that. For totally faithful adaption, nothing tops Sin City, a near shot for shot and word for word reproduction of the comic. The incredibles is easily the best Superhero movie made, IMHO, while the best superhero movies include X2, Spiderman 2, Superman the Movie and now Batman Begins. X2 is faithful in concept and execution, if not letter of the law, in the same vein of BB, which doesn't follow the canon....but let's be honest, here: the canon has been rewritten a half-dozen times for most of these characters. Batman's prehistory has been clarified, redefined and slightly rewritten for decades. Spiderman...well, not's go there, shall we (even if you ignore the 'clone' nonsense, we still have John Byrne's....contributions).

The fact is that as I get older, I care less and less about being specific to the canon of the comics, when the comics aren't really that internally consistent to begin with. What I'm concerned with is when they distill the original characters and concepts down to a pure form and pass it back to me anew. Batman Begins did just that.

The original '88 Batman movie was like water to a man in a desert...we were all thrilled that someone had made a relatively non-campy movie about a superhero that we weren't embarassed to admit having seen. But looking back at it now, it hasn't aged well; worse, the cracks have gotten worse. I remember Sam Hamm referred to the experience when Jack Nicholson asked why the latest of dozens of rewrites had him doing some seemingly pointless action, and him having to tell "I don't know, Jack...I just don't know." By today's standards, it seems really....well, kinda bad, honestly.

Oh, and to you young whipper-snappers: Superman the Movie was NOT faithful to the comics of the time. It was anything but; Superman wasn't working at the Daily Planet in those days, he was a TV anchorman working for Morgan Edge. His powers were significantly greater and less than the movie version...there were tons of things different at the time. The Superman movie directly influenced Superman's reboot, with John Byrne taking many cues from Reeves' performance.

I mean, if you want perspective, try watching the first Wonder Woman pilot movie or ANY Captain America movie. ACK.