East Los Angeles College Campus News spring 2013 Editor-in-Chief Megan Perry is the guest writer this week. She has been a part of the Campus News team as a staff writer and page editor before making it to EIC. Perry is currently an English major headed to University of California, Santa Barbara after her current run at ELAC. Perry has written poems, stories and will continue to pursue her goal of being a writer, with some journalism on the side. Perry's contribution to Film-A-Week makes her the newest name added to the list of guest writers, that includes previous writers Erik Luna, Summer Gomez, Jesus Figueroa and Jennifer Berrueta. Follow Megan on Twitter (@MeganMann) and follow on Instagram (@thebooknerd).
Batman wasn't born a hero, which Director Christopher Nolan brings to the forefront in the 2005 summer blockbuster, Batman Begins.
The film can be split into two parts: the background and birth of Batman; and a never-expected ending that will blow audience's minds. With themes like revenge, Nolan shows another side of Batman. He shows the hero's human side and helps convey the struggle it takes to be a hero.
Bruce Wayne, played by Christian Bale, trains in a secluded cabin in the snowy mountains to face his fears, one of which is being attacked by bats.
The training scenes were beautiful, with Wayne working with his trainer Henri Ducard, played by Liam Neeson, in different scenarios to strengthen his body and mind. At one point, Wayne and Ducard slide atop a frozen lake sparing with swords clinking back and forth and the beautiful icy mountains in the background.
Through a series of tests and the help of a little blue flower, Wayne learns his extraordinary abilities.
It brings to mind the image of The Karate Kid training with his sense.
Wayne transformed from somewhat of a push over to a total vigilante out to get the villains, Batman is born.
Unlike the other superheroes, Batman had to struggle, in Gotham city, to become the well-known hero he is known as today. His parents were killed, giving him the need to know the criminal mind so he could defeat them. He searched for himself by traveling and getting into trouble for seven years.
On his return he found Gotham City split between the rich and the poor, giving a dark undertone to the film.
The poor areas were some of the most grimy parts of the city, with a close resemblance to the skid row in downtown Los Angeles. It is dark and cloudy, sometimes rainy, throughout most of the film. Batman brings exquisite weaponry to the scene, one being the Bat Mobile. The Bat Mobile in this film has to be one of the coolest Bat Mobiles presented, being a massive armor tank with huge wheels in the rear.
Nolan's film highlights that Batman wasn't born with extreme abilities, he is just human. He glides into walls, he drives into parked cars and he makes mistakes, just like anyone else.
Proving that hard work pays off, Nolan set Batman up against the psychological killer Scarecrow. The Scarecrow, played by Cillian Murphy, manipulates peoples' minds. The Scarecrow's costume is simply a brown burlap sack with eye holes cut-out in it as a mask, but it really gave the creeps whenever he put it on. His simple costume perfectly contrasts Batman's sleek $350,000 Bat suit.
Bale is one of the only actors that could make a form-fitting all-black suit equipped with cape and cap look stunning. It wasn't like any of the other superheroes who wear tights and bright colors to attract attention. Batman is dark and lurks in the shadows with the ruffians, which is why he needed an awesome suit. The costume designers hit it on the nose and made Batman look amazing.
Nolan's take on the origin of Batman set the precursor of superhero films to come. It was not afraid to take a risk in doing so. The legend of the Dark Knight has a rich background and Nolan took note by taking the source material, following close to Year One & The Long Halloween, and adapting it for a modern era with a dynamic vision that embrace the dark, that Burton established back in 1989, with thriller elements displayed in his previous film, Insomnia.
The performances delivered are across the board fantastic. Liam Neeson's Henry Ducard steals the show with a sauve demeanor before he reveal himself to be, spoiler alert for a eight year-old film, Ra's Al Ghoul.
The cinematography in this film, while not as perfect as the sequel The Dark Knight, captures the feel of the grit and grime Gotham possesses. The action never disappoints with a fascinating chase on the Gotham rooftops and the outbreak of the weaponized hallucinogens invaded the city being the main highlights.
The only disappointment I have with the film is the pacing that feels a bit too quick. It takes it time to develop the character of Bruce Wayne into Batman. Yet, when Batman does appear, it changes to a different pace.
Batman Begins is a remarkable film through and through, making the Bat the ultimate superhero once again.Next week, Film-A-Week takes on a famous Star franchise that ruled the Summer back in the 80's. That's right, Film-A-Week is boldly going where everyone has gone before. With the highly anticipated Star Trek Into Darkness already in theaters and cinemas at this current point in time, Film-A-Week is ready to experience a beloved classic in all its wrath. Across the moon of Vega, its Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
Film A Week 20: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
Saturday, May 25th
Part of Take Back the Summer Cinema Month
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