Batman Begins

I did my review of The Dark Knight Rises shortly after I saw it in theaters in 2012. It never dawned on me to review the prior two movies beforehand! Nine years later, I'm finally gotten around to it. Anyways, I saw Batman Begins in theaters with my family when I was 15 and even though I wasn't a big superhero fan (with the exception of X-Men), I was a big fan of Christian Bale (I still am). So, I really didn't know a great deal about Bruce Wayne, Gotham or the Batman fandom. Unlike prior Batman interpretations, Christopher Nolan's Batman universe really delved into the life and mind of Bruce Wayne instead of just focusing on his alter-ego. By centering on Bruce and his personal struggles and demons, the audience could have a deeper understanding of the man who forever balanced himself on the line between right and wrong. 

As the son of the affluent Dr. Thomas and Martha Wayne of Gotham City, Bruce Wayne grew up in a life of luxury and wealth. However, the Waynes' devoted their lives to bettering and care for Gotham. After Bruce witnessed the murders of his beloved parents, he spent years planning revenge. However, revenge doesn't work in his favor. Bruce's grieving separated him from the actual pain and suffering of the poor and desperate of Gotham. What leads good men to become criminals? Bruce is determined to find out.

For seven years Bruce travels the globe, understanding the criminal mind and training himself to fight and defend himself. And yet no matter how hard he fights, Bruce is still haunted by the nightmares of his parents deaths. When he ends up in a military prison in Bhutan and is certainly as low as a person can get, he gets a visit from Henri Ducard. Ducard is member of a The League of Shadows that is led by Ra's al Ghul. The League is a highly trained select group of men who are educated in martial arts, combat tactics, controlling of emotions and political anarchy. As Bruce trains to become a member of the League, he learns to control his fear. Not to hold it in, but to release it and use it to fight. 

Ducard educates Bruce on the elements of justice and how society cannot function without it. However, Ducard's idea of justice leaves no room for mercy. Something that Bruce has now learned to understand, now that he has let go of his fear and anger of the past. When Ducard reveals to Bruce that the League plans to attack Gotham and they will use Bruce as their Trojan Horse, Bruce leaves. He goes back to Gotham City, to his home. Bruce returns to a Gotham that has become a city ruled by organized crime, violent streets, corrupt politicians and crooked cops. The wealthy turn a blind eye to the poor that suffer with no one to aid or protect them. 

With the help of his guardian and butler, Alfred Pennyworth and Wayne Enterprises weapons manufacturer, Lucius Fox, Bruce begins to create something that goes beyond fighting the bad guys and protecting the weak. He hopes to create a symbol to inspire people, a legend to be remembered. Bruce takes his childhood fear of bats and with his training from Ducard, he forges the Batman. Aided by the honest and hardworking Sergeant Jim Gordan on the ground and Bruce's childhood friend, Rachel Dawes, the assistant DA, Batman begins to rescue his parent's city and in some hopes redeem what was taken from him.

Batman Begins is a solid origin story that chronicles Bruce Wayne's journey to becoming the Batman of Gotham City. Christian Bale's exceptional portrayal as Bruce Wayne making him a likeable and at times clueless rich boy and then immediately transitioning into the powerful Batman, made him born for the role. So, I had originally started Batman with the only intent of watching Christian Bale and ended up loving not only the Batman story, but also Bruce Wayne himself. 

Batman has always been more about the villains than the heroes. Because in a city like Gotham where corruption is rampant, the villains outnumber the heroes. What also separates Batman from most of his comic book counterparts is that Bruce doesn't deal with the big three--aliens, androids and wizards. Batman focuses on human depravation, the darkest recesses of mankind. And he usually does this with little to no thanks gratitude. Unlike the Avengers, Batman does not set out to be liked or even to be a hero. His original intention was to inspire people to stand for themselves, to not be afraid and to fight for their city. Regardless of how the Batman is received by society, nothing will stop him from protecting and defending those who are in need.