At the Movies

Hadn't seen a movie in ages (at the theatre anyway) so went to see one recently. War of the Worlds was opening but figured it was going to be too packed so I saw Batman Begins.

I really enjoyed it. I've seen some of the previous Burton Batman films and thought they were good. I actually liked this one better. The same director who did Memento (which I loved) did this film and it plays much less 'cartoony' than the originals. The action is more 'realistic' if you can use that term to describe a comicbook character. The well known tale of an heir to millions watching his parents die is followed up with an explanation as to just how he gets the training that makes him so deadly. There are elements of Frank Miller's Batman nestled in the plot and some of the action. The fight scenes are marred by camera angles that are too tight and choppy for my taste-I like to see a well choreographed fight scene clearly played out, but it doesn't put a stop on the fun. The end left the door open for a sequel which I would see if it were done.

I guess the most telling thing was I would have watched Batman Begins again, but didn't feel the same urge to see Revenge of the Sith. In terms of the recent spate of comic heros turned feature films, I'd put this one up with the best of them, Spiderman 2 and X-men 2. They'd make the short-list of movies I'd pay to see again. I'll definitely be picking this up when it's released on DVD.