Batman Begins
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Modèle:For Modèle:Infobox Film
Batman Begins is a 2005 superhero film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman. Christopher Nolan directed the film, which stars Christian Bale as Batman, as well as Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman. The film reboots the Batman film series, telling the origin story of the character with inspirations from classic comic book storylines such as Batman: The Man Who Falls, Batman: Year One and Batman: The Long Halloween.
After a series of unsuccessful projects to resurrect Batman on screen following the critical and commercial failure of Batman and Robin (1997), Nolan and Goyer began work on this film in 2003. Aiming for a dark and realistic tone, the filmmakers created a new interpretation of the Batmobile, here a military vehicle called the "Tumbler". The film was primarily shot in England and Chicago, and relied on traditional stunts and miniatures; computer-generated imagery was used minimally. Batman Begins was critically and commercially successful, and a sequel titled The Dark Knight was commissioned for a 2008 release with both Nolan and Bale returning.
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Plot
Age eight, Bruce Wayne falls into a cave where he is attacked by a swarm of bats. Bruce develops a fear of bats, and later urges his parents to leave an opera featuring bat-like creatures. Outside the theater, Bruce Wayne's parents are both killed in a robbery by mugger Joe Chill. Bruce blames himself for his parents' murder: had he not been frightened, the Waynes would not have encountered Chill.
After coming of age, Bruce returns to Gotham City from Princeton University intent on killing Chill, whose prison sentence is being suspended in exchange for testifying against mob boss Carmine Falcone. One of Falcone's henchmen kills Chill. Bruce tells his childhood friend Rachel Dawes about his foiled plan, and she expresses disgust for his blind vengeance without regard for justice. Bruce confronts Falcone, who tells him that he is ignorant of the nature of crime, so Bruce decides to travel the world for nearly seven years to understand the criminal mind. He is eventually detained in China for theft, where Ducard invites Bruce to join an elite vigilante group, the League of Shadows, led by Ra's al Ghul. Bruce is freed and travels to a mountaintop to begin his combat training with the League, who intend to use him to destroy Gotham. Bruce passes all the League's training, overcoming his childhood phobia in the process, but when ordered to execute a criminal, he turns on the League, destroying their headquarters and accidentally killing Ra's al Ghul. Bruce rescues an unconscious Ducard from the wreckage and leaves his mentor at a nearby village.
Bruce Wayne returns to a Gotham City that is mostly ruled by Falcone and begins plotting a one-man war against the corrupt system. He seeks the help of Rachel, now an assistant district attorney, and police sergeant Jim Gordon, who consoled him in the aftermath of his parents' murder. After reestablishing his connections to his father's company, Wayne Enterprises, Bruce is able to acquire, with the help of former board member Lucius Fox, a prototype armored car and an experimental armored suit. In his new Batman costume, he disrupts a drug shipment by Falcone and leaves the mob boss tied to a searchlight, forming a makeshift Bat-Signal. He also disrupts an assassination attempt on Dawes, leaving her with evidence against a judge who has previously gone soft on Falcone. While investigating the "unusual" drugs in the shipment, Batman is stunned by sinister psychopharmacologist Dr. Jonathan Crane, who sprays him with a powerful hallucinogen. Bruce's butler Alfred Pennyworth rescues Bruce, who receives an anti-toxin developed by Fox. Crane later poisons Rachel after showing her that the toxin, which is harmful only in vapor form, is being piped into Gotham's water supply. Batman saves her. The police enter Arkham Asylum and arrest Crane while Batman escapes with Rachel. After administering the antidote to Rachel in the batcave, he gives her two vials of it for Gordon – one for the detective to inoculate himself, and another to mass produce for the city's population.
At a party held at Wayne Manor, Bruce is confronted by a group of League of Shadows ninjas led by Ducard, who reveals himself to be the real Ra's al Ghul, the man killed earlier being a decoy. Ra's, who had been conspiring with Crane, plans to destroy Gotham by distributing the toxin undetected via Gotham's water supply and then vaporizing it with a microwave emitter stolen from Wayne Enterprises. Bruce, tricking his guests into leaving, fights briefly with Ra's while the League of Shadows set fire to Wayne Manor. Bruce escapes the inferno with Alfred's help just as the manor is destroyed. Batman arrives at the "Narrows" section of Gotham to aid the police in battling psychotic criminals, including Crane, who the League set free from the asylum. Rachel is confronted by but wards off Crane; Batman rescues Rachel when more criminals go after her. Batman intimates his identity to her while leaving Gordon in control of the Batmobile to stop the elevated train that is being used to transport the vaporizer to the city's central water hub. Batman battles Ra's aboard the train, then escapes just as Gordon topples the elevated line using the Batmobile's missiles, leaving Ra's to crash to the ground with the train.
Following the battle, Batman becomes a public hero. Bruce gains control of Wayne Enterprises and installs Fox as CEO, firing Earle. However, he is unable to hold onto Rachel, who cannot reconcile her love for Bruce Wayne with his dual life as Batman. Gordon, newly promoted to lieutenant, unveils a Bat-Signal for Batman. Gordon mentions a criminal who, like Batman, has "a taste for the theatrical", leaving a Joker playing card at his crime scenes. Batman promises to investigate it. As Batman is leaving, Gordon mentions that he hasn't thanked Batman for what he has done. Batman replies that Gordon will never have to, and flies off into Gotham.
Cast
Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne / Batman, a billionaire industrialist whose parents were killed by a mugger when he was eight-years-old. Traveling the world for several years to seek the means to fight injustice, he returns to Gotham. At night, Wayne becomes Batman, Gotham City's secret vigilante protector. Bale was cast on September 11 2003,<ref name="dynamic"/> having expressed interest in playing Batman since Darren Aronofsky was planning his own film adaptation.<ref name=originalpsycho> Adam Smith
. " The Original American Psycho " , Empire , July 2005 , pp. 74-80, 82, 84, 87 . </ref> Nolan was also considering Billy Crudup, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hugh Dancy, Joshua Jackson, Eion Bailey and Cillian Murphy for the role.<ref name="dynamic"> Dunkley , Cathy ; Bing, Jonathan . " Inside Move: New dynamic for WB duo " , Variety , 2003-09-07 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Bale felt the previous films underused Batman's character, overplaying the villains instead.<ref>" Christian Bale on Batman Begins " , SuperHeroHype , 2004-11-19 . Retrieved on 2006-11-17 . </ref> To best pose as Batman, Bale studied graphic novels and illustrations of the superhero.<ref name="batsuit"/>
Director Nolan said of Bale, "He has exactly the balance of darkness and light that we were looking for."<ref>"
Official: Christian Bale is Batman! " , SuperoHeroHype.com , 2003-09-11 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Goyer stated that while some actors could play a great Bruce Wayne or a great Batman, Bale could portray both radically different personalities.<ref name=journeybegins/> Bale described the part as playing four characters: the raging Batman persona; the idiotic playboy façade Bruce uses to ward off suspicion; the vengeful young man; and the older, angrier Bruce who is discovering his purpose in life.<ref> John Hutchins . " Christian Bale " , UGO , 2005 . Retrieved on 2007-08-29 . </ref> Bale's dislike of his costume, which heated up regularly, helped him get into a necessarily foul mood. He said, "Batman's meant to be fierce, and you become a beast in that suit, as Batman should be – not a man in a suit, but a different creature."<ref name="batsuit" />
Since he had lost a great deal of weight in preparation for his role in The Machinist, Bale hired a personal trainer to help him gain one hundred pounds in the span of only a couple of months to help him physically prepare for the role. At first he went well over the weight required, creating concern over whether he'd look right for the part. Bale recognized that his large physique was not appropriate for Batman, who relies on speed and strategy. He managed to lose the excess muscle by the time filming began.<ref>Modèle:Cite video</ref>
Nolan wanted an all-star supporting cast, like Richard Donner's Superman film, which lend a more epic feel and credibility to the story.<ref name=journeybegins/> These include:
- Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth: The trusted butler to Bruce Wayne's parents, who continues his loyal service to their son after their deaths. He is Bruce Wayne's closest confidante. Though Alfred's family is depicted in the film as having served the Wayne family for generations, Caine created his own backstory, in that before becoming Wayne's butler, Alfred served in the Special Air Service. After being wounded, Thomas Wayne invited him because, "He wanted a butler, but someone a bit tougher than that, you know?"<ref>"
Alfred the Butler " , Empire , July 2005 , pp. 79 . </ref>
- Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard: Second-in-command to Ra's Al Ghul; he trains and befriends Bruce Wayne, and is later revealed to be the real Ra's Al Ghul. Nolan considered Viggo Mortensen for the role.<ref name="mortensen">"
Mortensen Up For Batman? " , Sci Fi Wire , 2003-12-10 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Writer David Goyer said he felt Ra's was the most complex Batman villain, comparing him to Osama bin Laden as, "He's not crazy in the way that all the other Batman villains are. He's not bent on revenge; he's actually trying to heal the world. He's just doing it by very draconian means."<ref> Tom Ryan . " In defence of big, expensive films " , The Age , 2005-07-14 . Retrieved on 2007-08-26 . </ref> Having played many mentor characters, the character of Ducard was considered by Goyer to be a twist on the Neeson archetype, being that he turns out to be a villain.<ref name=journeybegins>The Journey Begins: Creative Concepts [DVD, 2005]</ref>
- Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow: A psychiatrist who works at Arkham Asylum and has developed fear-inducing toxins. He takes on the persona of the Scarecrow to intimidate others. Nolan decided against Murphy for Batman, before casting him as Scarecrow.<ref> Fleming , Michael
; Dunkley, Cathy . " 'Batman' bags a baddie " , Variety , 2003-12-10 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Murphy read numerous comics featuring the Scarecrow, and discussed making the character look less theatrical with Nolan. Murphy explained, "I wanted to avoid the Worzel Gummidge look. Because he's not a very physically imposing man he's more interested in the manipulation of the mind and what that can do."<ref> Adam Smith . " The Scarecrow " , Empire , July 2005 , pp. 77 . </ref>
- Gary Oldman as Sgt. James Gordon: One of few uncorrupted Gotham City police officers. He is the officer on duty the night of the murder of Bruce Wayne's parents. He shares a special bond with the adult Bruce and thus with Batman. Actor Chris Cooper had been offered the role, but turned it down since the character did not meet his expectations.<ref>"
Cooper Not Gordon, Freeman May Take Role " , SuperHeroHype.com , 2004-02-03 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Oldman mostly filmed his scenes in Britain. He described Gordon as having "a good sense of right and wrong. Family man. Just a regular geezer."<ref>" More Mr Nice Guy " , Daily Telegraph , 2007-06-23 . Retrieved on 2007-06-25 . </ref>
- Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox: A high-ranking Wayne Enterprises employee who was demoted to working in the company's Applied Science Division, where he conducts advanced studies in biochemistry and mechanical engineering. Fox supplies Bruce Wayne with much of the gear necessary to carry out Batman's mission and is promoted to CEO when Wayne re-possesses the company.
- Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes: A childhood friend of Bruce Wayne who works as an assistant to Gotham City's District Attorney and fights against the corruption in the city.
- Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone: A ruthless crime boss who rules Gotham City with an iron fist, having many of the city's authorities under his control.
- Rutger Hauer as William Earle: The unscrupulous CEO of Wayne Enterprises who takes the company public in the long-term absence of Bruce Wayne.
- Ken Watanabe as Ra's al Ghul: The leader of the League of Shadows while Henri Ducard acts as his right hand man. His methods and ideology are more extreme than those Wayne embraces.
- Mark Boone Junior as Detective Arnold Flass: Gordon's partner in the GCPD. A corrupt cop, Flass works for Falcone by protecting his drug shipments.
- Colin McFarlane as Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb: The GCPD Commissioner. He is the one who tells young Bruce Wayne that his parents killer has been caught.
- Linus Roache as Thomas Wayne: Bruce Wayne's upstanding father, killed by Joe Chill when his son is 8 years old.
- Sara Stewart as Martha Wayne: Bruce Wayne's mother, killed by Joe Chill when her son is 8 years old.
- Richard Brake as Joe Chill: The criminal who murders Bruce Wayne's parents.
- Rade Šerbedžija as Homeless Man: A homeless man who is the last person to meet Bruce Wayne when he leaves Gotham, and he is the first civilian to see Batman.
Production
Modèle:For In January 2003, Warner Bros. Pictures hired Memento director Christopher Nolan to direct an untitled Batman film,<ref> Fleming , Michael
. " 'Batman' captures director Nolan " , Variety , 2003-01-27 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> and David S. Goyer signed on to write the script two months later.<ref> Brodesser , Claude ; Dunkley, Cathy . " Inside Move: WB jump starts Batmobile " , Variety , 2003-03-26 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Nolan stated his intention to reinvent the film franchise of Batman by "doing the origins story of the character, which is a story that's never been told before". Nolan said that humanity and realism would be the bases of the origin film. "The world of Batman is that of grounded reality. [It] will be a recognizable, contemporary reality against which an extraordinary heroic figure arises", said the director. Goyer said that the goal of the film was to get the audience to care for both Batman and Bruce Wayne.<ref name="beautiful"> Graser , Marc ; Dunkley, Cathy . " The bat and the beautiful " , Variety , 2004-02-08 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Nolan felt the previous films were exercises in style rather than drama, and described his inspiration as being Richard Donner's 1978 Superman, in its focus on depicting the character's growth.<ref name=originalpsycho/>
Nolan's personal "jumping off point" of inspiration was Batman: The Man Who Falls, a short story about Bruce's travels throughout the world. The early scene in Batman Begins of young Bruce Wayne falling into a well was directly adapted from The Man Who Falls.<ref name="genesis">Modèle:Cite video</ref> Batman: The Long Halloween, written by Jeph Loeb and drawn by Tim Sale, influenced Goyer in writing the screenplay, with the villain Carmine Falcone as one of many elements which were drawn from Halloween's "sober, serious approach".<ref name="genesis"/> The writers considered having Harvey Dent in the film, but replaced him with the new character Rachel Dawes when they realized, "we couldn’t do him justice".<ref name=tlhintro>Introduction to Absolute Batman: The Long Halloween by Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer, 2007, ISBN 1401212824</ref> The sequel to Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory, also served as an influence.<ref> Jennifer Vineyard
. " 'Batman Begins' Scribe: 'We're Telling A Story That Has Never Been Told' " , VH1 , 2004-12-17 . Retrieved on 2006-12-13 . </ref> Goyer used the vacancy of Bruce Wayne's multi-year absence presented in Batman: Year One to help set up some of the film's events in the transpiring years.<ref> Stax . " The Influences of Batman Begins " , IGN , 2004-09-24 . Retrieved on 2006-12-13 . </ref> In addition, the film's Sergeant James Gordon was based on his comic book incarnation in Year One. Frank Miller's Year One plot device about a corrupt police force creating Gordon and Gotham City's need for Batman was also used by the writers of Batman Begins.<ref name="genesis" />
Filming
In January 2004, the untitled Batman project was scheduled to film in London, New York City, and Iceland.<ref>"
Batman Filming in New York as Well " , SuperHeroHype.com , 2004-01-30 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> In February 2004, crews transformed the restaurant Plateau in Canary Wharf for a hotel restaurant scene.<ref> Martin , Allison . " Plat-Man " , icTheWharf.co.uk , 2004-02-19 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> In the same month, an airship hangar at Cardington, Bedfordshire was rented by Warner Bros. for constructing a set in time for filming in April 2004.<ref>" Airship hangar is home to Batman " , BBC , 2004-02-20 . Retrieved on 2006-11-02 . </ref> Filming began on March in Iceland, and Nolan refused a second unit, to keep his vision consistent.<ref name="about production"> Batman Begins Production Notes - About the Production . Warner Bros
. Retrieved on 2007-02-24. </ref> The crew was hampered by 75 mph winds, but nonetheless they moved ahead to London by March 20 2004.<ref> Mike Szymanski
. " 'Batman Begins' Filming Marred By Storm " , Zap2it.com , 2004-03-20 . Retrieved on 2007-02-24 . </ref>
The building chosen to represent Arkham Asylum was the National Institute for Medical Research building in Mill Hill, north west London, England.<ref> Kasriel , Alex
. " From leafy suburbs to silver screen " , Edgware & Mill Hill Times , =2005-06-16 . Retrieved on 2007-05-05 . </ref> The interior shots of Arkham's stairwell were filmed in the then abandoned Midland Grand Hotel near St. Pancras railway station in London. Some scenes were also filmed in Chicago at locations such as Lower Wacker Drive and 35 East Wacker.<ref name=EMP> 35 East Wacker Drive . Emporis (2007)
. Retrieved on 2007-05-14. </ref>
Design
Director Christopher Nolan used the cult science fiction film Blade Runner as a source of inspiration for Batman Begins. The director screened Blade Runner to cinematographer Wally Pfister and two others to show the attitude and style that he wanted to draw from the film. Nolan described the film's world as "an interesting lesson on the technique of exploring and describing a credible universe that doesn't appear to have any boundaries", a lesson that he applied to the production of Batman Begins.<ref> Jankiewicz , Pat
. " Dark Knight Resurrected " , Starlog , August 2005 . Retrieved on 2006-11-06 . </ref>
Director Christopher Nolan worked with production designer Nathan Crowley to create the look of Gotham City. Nolan designed Gotham City to be a large, modern metropolitan area that would reflect the various periods of architecture that the city had gone through. Elements were drawn from New York City, Chicago, and Tokyo, the latter for its elevated freeways and monorails. In Batman Begins, the Narrows was based on the slummish nature of the (now demolished) walled city of Kowloon in Hong Kong.<ref> Otto , Jeff
. " Interview: Christopher Nolan " , IGN , 2006-06-05 . Retrieved on 2006-11-06 . </ref>
Batmobile
Nathan Crowley, one of the production designers for Batman Begins, started the process of designing the Tumbler for the film by model bashing. One of the parts that Crowley used to create the vehicle was the nose cone of a P-38 Lightning model to serve as the chassis for the Tumbler's jet engine. Six models of the Tumbler were built to 1:12 scale in the course of four months. Following the scale model creation, a crew of over 30 people, including Crowley and engineers Chris Culvert and Annie Smith, carved a full-size replica of the Tumbler out of a large block of Styrofoam, which was a process that lasted two months.<ref name="batmobile"> Brain , Marshall
. How the Batmobile Works . HowStuffWorks
. Retrieved on 2006-11-05. </ref>
The Styrofoam model was used to create a steel "test frame", which had to stand up to several standards: have a speed of over 100 mph, go from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds, possess a steering system to make sharp turns at city corners, and to withstand a self-propelled launch of up to 30 feet. On the very first jump test, the Tumbler's front end collapsed and had to be completely rebuilt. The basic configuration of the newly designed Tumbler included a 5.7-liter Chevy V8 engine, a truck axle for the rear axle, front racing tires by Hoosier, rear 4x4 mud tires by Interco., and the suspension system of Baja racing trucks. The design and development process took nine months and cost several million dollars.<ref name="batmobile"/>
With the design process completed, four street-ready race cars were constructed, with each vehicle possessing 65 carbon fiber panels and costing $250,000 each to build. Two of the four cars were specialized versions. One version was the flap version, which had hydraulics and flaps to detail the close-up shots where the vehicle propelled itself through the air. The other version was the jet version, in which an actual jet engine was mounted onto the vehicle, fueled by six propane tanks. Due to the poor visibility inside the vehicle by the driver, monitors were connected to cameras on the vehicle body. The professional drivers for the Tumblers practiced driving the vehicles for six months before they drove on the streets of Chicago for the film's scenes.<ref name="batmobile"/>
The interior of the Tumbler was an immobile studio set and not actually the interior of a street-capable Tumbler. The cockpit was over-sized to fit cameras for scenes filmed in the Tumbler interior. In addition, another version of the Tumbler was a miniature model that was 1:5 scale of the actual Tumbler. This miniature model had an electric motor and was used to show the Tumbler flying across ravines and between buildings. However, the actual race car was used for the waterfall sequence.<ref name="batmobile"/>
Batsuit
The filmmakers intended to create a very mobile Batsuit that would allow the wearer to move easily in order to fight and crouch. Previous film incarnations of the Batsuit had been stiff and especially restricted full head movement. Lindy Hemming, the costume designer for Batman Begins, and her crew worked on the Batsuit at an FX workshop codenamed "Cape Town", a secured compound located at Shepperton Studios in London. The Batsuit's basic design was a neoprene undersuit, which was shaped by attaching molded cream latex sections. Batman actor Christian Bale was molded and sculpted prior to his physical training so the team could work on a full body cast. To avoid imperfections picked up by sculpting with clay, plastiline was used to smooth the surface. In addition, the team brewed different mixtures of foam to find the mixture that would be the most flexible, light, durable, and black. The latter presented a problem, since the process to make the foam black reduced the foam's durability.<ref name="batsuit"> Batman Begins Production Notes - The Batsuit & Gadgetry
. Warner Brothers
. Retrieved on 2006-11-06. </ref>
For the cape, director Christopher Nolan wanted to have a "flowing cloak... that blows and flows as in so many great graphic novels". Hemming's team created the cape out of their own version of parachute nylon that had electrostatic flocking, a process shared with the team by the British Ministry of Defense. The process was used by the London police force to minimize night vision detection. The cape was topped by a cowl, which was designed by Nolan, Hemming, and costume effects supervisor Graham Churchyard. The cowl was created to be thin enough to allow motion but thick enough to avoid wrinkling when Bale turned his head in the Batsuit. Churchyard explained the cowl had been designed to show "a man who has angst", so his character would be revealed through the mask.<ref name="batsuit" />
Special effects
In making Batman Begins, Nolan preferred using traditional stuntwork to computer generated imagery.<ref name=originalpsycho/> There were, however, several establishing shots that were CG composite images, that is, an image composed of multiple images. Some examples are Gotham's skyline, exterior shots of Wayne Tower, and some of the exterior monorail shots. The monorail sequence was actually a mix of live-action footage, model work, and CGI. Modèle:Section-stub
Film score
Modèle:Seealso The film score for Batman Begins was composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Director Christopher Nolan originally invited Zimmer to compose the film score, and Zimmer asked the director if he could invite Howard to compose as well, as they had always planned a collaboration.<ref name=knightmusic> Danny Graydon
. " A Little Knight Music " , Empire , July 2005 , pp. 87 . </ref> The two composers collaborated on separate themes for the "split personality" of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, Batman. Zimmer and Howard began composing in Los Angeles and moved to London where they stayed for 12 weeks to complete most of their writing.<ref> Spence D . " Batman Vs. Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard Part 1 " , IGN , 2005-06-10 . Retrieved on 2006-12-01 . </ref> Zimmer and Howard sought inspiration for shaping the score by making set visits to Batman Begins.<ref name="zimmer"> Spence D . " Batman Vs. Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard Part 2 " , IGN , 2005-06-13 . Retrieved on 2006-12-01 . </ref>
Zimmer wanted to avoid composing a film score that had been done before, so the score became an amalgamation of orchestra and electronic music. The film's ninety-piece orchestra<ref name=knightmusic/> was developed from members of various London orchestras, and Zimmer chose to use more than the normal amount of cellos. Zimmer enlisted a choir boy to help reflect the music in the film's scene where Bruce Wayne's parents are killed. "He's singing a fairly pretty tune and then he gets stuck, it's like froze, arrested development", Zimmer said. Zimmer also attempted to add human dimension to Batman, whose behavior would typically be seen as "psychotic", through the music. Both composers collaborated to create 2 hours and 20 minutes worth of music for the film.<ref name="zimmer"/> Zimmer composed the action sequences, while Howard focused on the film's drama.<ref name=knightmusic/>
Release
Box office performance
Batman Begins opened on June 15, 2005 in the United States in 3,858 theaters, accumulating $48,745,440 over its opening weekend. The film went on to gross $371,853,783 worldwide.<ref> Batman Begins (2005)
. Box Office Mojo
. Retrieved on 2006-11-04. </ref> It is the second highest grossing Batman film to date, behind Tim Burton's Batman, which grossed $411,348,924 worldwide. In comparison to the previous Batman films, Batman Begins averaged $12,634 per theater, the least of all the Batman films. It was released in more theaters, but sold less tickets than any of the others, with the exception of Batman & Robin.<ref> Batman Movies
. Box Office Mojo
. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref> Batman Begins was the eighth highest grossing film of 2005 in the US.<ref> 2005 Yearly Box Office Results
. Box Office Mojo
. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref>
Home video
The DVD of Batman Begins was released on October 18, 2005 in both single disc and two-disc deluxe editions.<ref> New Video and DVD Releases
. About.com
. Retrieved on 2006-12-13. </ref> In addition to the film, the deluxe edition contained featurettes and other bonus materials. The edition contained a small paperback booklet, the first Batman story Detective Comics #27, as well as Batman: The Man Who Falls and an excerpt from Batman: The Long Halloween.<ref> About the DVD
. Warner Bros. Studios
. Retrieved on 2006-12-13. </ref> Batman Begins achieved first place in national sales and rental charts in October 2005, becoming the top-selling DVD in the fourth quarter of 2005. The DVD grossed $11.36 million in rental revenue.<ref>"
Batman Begins Tops the DVD Charts " , ComingSoon.net , 2005-10-27 . Retrieved on 2006-12-13 . </ref> The DVD held its position at the top of the sales chart for a second week, but fell to second place behind Bewitched on video rental charts.<ref>" Batman Begins Repeats First Place " , ComingSoon.net , 2005-11-02 . Retrieved on 2006-12-13 . </ref>
Batman Begins was released on HD DVD on October 10, 2006.<ref> Batman Begins (HD)
. Warner Bros.
. Retrieved on 2006-12-13. </ref>
Reaction
Awards
Just months after its release, Batman Begins was voted by Empire readers as the 36th greatest film of all time.<ref>"
The 201 Greatest Movies Of All Time " , Empire , 2006-01-27 , pp. 95 . </ref> In 2006, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers honored James Newton Howard, Hans Zimmer, and Ramin Djawadi with an ASCAP award for composing a film that became one of the top grossing films of 2005.<ref> ASCAP award . American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> The film was awarded three Saturn Awards in 2006 as well: Best Actor for Christian Bale, Best Fantasy Film, and Best Writing for Nolan and Goyer.<ref> 2006 Saturn Awards
. Locus Mag
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> Christian Bale would go on to win a MTV Movie Award for Best Hero.<ref> 2006 MTV Movie Awards
. MTV
. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref> However, Katie Holmes's performance was not well received, and she was nominated for a Razzie award for Worst Supporting Actress.<ref> 26th Annual Razzie ® Award Nominees for Worst Supporting Actress
. Golden Raspberry Awards
. Retrieved on 2006-12-01. </ref> Batman Begins won the fan-based Total Film award for Best Film.<ref>"
Total Film readers' awards " , Total Film , 2005-10-31 . Retrieved on 2006-11-19 . </ref>
Critical reception
Based on 244 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, Batman Begins received an average 84% overall approval rating;<ref> Batman Begins
. Rotten Tomatoes
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> the film was more balanced with the 40 critics in Rotten Tomatoes' "Cream of the Crop", which consists of popular and notable critics from the top newspapers, websites, television and radio programs,<ref> Rotten Tomatoes FAQ: What is Cream of the Crop
. Rotten Tomatoes
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> receiving a 63% approval rating.<ref> Batman Begins: Rotten Tomatoes' Cream of the Crop
. Rotten Tomatoes
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> By comparison, Metacritic calculated an average score of 70 from the 41 reviews it collected.<ref> Batman Begins (2005): Reviews
. Metacritic
. Retrieved on 2007-09-09. </ref> Common criticism focused on the realism behind the character, and certain character portrayals that hindered the film. The film was not without its detractors, with dissention over Nolan's ability to create a complex character and Bale's ability to portray that character. James Berardinelli applauded Nolan and Goyer's work creating more understanding into "who [Batman] is and what motivates him", something Berardinelli felt Tim Burton's film lacked; at the same time, Berardinelli felt the romantic aspect between Bale and Holmes did not work because the actors lacked the chemistry Christopher Reeve and Margot Kidder (Superman), or Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man), shared in their respective roles.<ref> James Berardinelli
. " Reel View's review of Batman Begins " , Reel Views . Retrieved on 2007-08-28 . </ref> According to Total Film, Nolan manages to create such strong characters and story that the third-act action sequences cannot compare to " the frisson of two people talking", and Katie Holmes and Christian Bale's romantic subplot has a spark "refreshingly free of Peter Parker/Mary Jane-style whining."<ref> Batman Begins - Film Review . Total Film
. Retrieved on 2007-09-13. </ref>
Los Angeles Times' Kenneth Turan, who felt the film began slowly, stated that the "story, psychology and reality, not special effects", assisted the darkness behind Batman's arsenal; he noted that Neeson and Holmes, unlike Bale's ability to "feel his role in his bones", do not appear to fit their respective characters in "being both comic-book archetypes and real people."<ref> Kenneth Turan
. " Los Angeles Times reviews Batman Begins " , Los Angeles Times , 2005-06-14 . Retrieved on 2007-09-04 . </ref> The New Yorker's David Denby did not share Berardinelli and Turan's opinion. He was unimpressed with the film, when comparing it to the two Tim Burton films, and that Christian Bale's presence was hindered by the "dull earnestness of the screenplay", the final climax was "cheesy and unexciting", and that Nolan had resorting to imitating the "fakery" used by other filmmakers when filming action sequences.<ref> David Denby . " Aiming Low " , The New Yorker , 2005-06-05 . Retrieved on 2007-08-27 . </ref>
J.R. Jones, from the Chicago Reader, criticized the script, and Nolan and David Goyer for not living up to the "hype about exploring Batman's damaged psyche."<ref> J.R. Jones
. " Who's Afraid of the Big Bad City? " , Chicago Reader . Retrieved on 2007-08-27 . </ref> Matthew Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune believed Nolan and Miller managed to "comfortably mix the tormented drama and revenge motifs with light hearted gags and comic book allusions", and that Nolan takes the series out of the "slam-bang Hollywood jokefests" the franchise had drifted into.<ref> Michael Wilmington . " Movie review: 'Batman Begins' " , Chicago Tribune . Retrieved on 2007-09-13 . </ref> Comic book scribe and editor Dennis O'Neil stated that he "felt the filmmakers really understood the character they were translating," citing this film as the best of the live-action Batman films.<ref> Greg Bray . " Interview: DENNY O'NEIL " , Batman On Film , 2006-10-18 . Retrieved on 2007-08-27 . </ref> Roger Ebert commended the realistic portrayals of the Batman arsenal—Batsuit, Batcave, Batmobile, and the Batsignal—as well as the focus on "the story and character" with less stress on "high-tech action."<ref> Roger Ebert . " Ebert reviews Batman Begins " , Chicago Sun-Times , 2005-06-13 . Retrieved on 2007-08-27 . </ref> Bruce Newman echoed Ebert's sentiment over the realism of the film stating Nolan and Goyers "reverse-engineered" character gives an "aura of realism;" Newman felt the casting of Neeson and Watanabe were a "distracting resemblance" to their character portrayals in The Phantom Menace and The Last Samurai respectively, but that Gary Oldman was a "welcome piece of reverse casting" for the role of James Gordon.<ref> Bruce Newman . " 'Batman' spreads its wings: Dark Knight comes alive in moody prequel to previous film versions " , San Jose Mercury News , 2005-06-14 . Retrieved on 2007-08-27 . </ref>
Like Berardinelli, USA Today's Mike Clark thought the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Rachel Dawes was "frustratingly underdeveloped;" he felt Bale performed the role of Batman as well as he did Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.<ref> Mike Clark
. " Batman role fits Bale, but 'Begins' wears thin " , USA Today , 2005-06-13 . Retrieved on 2007-08-28 . </ref> Kyle Smith thought Bale exhibited "both the menace and the wit he showed in his brilliant turn in American Psycho", and that the film works so well because of the realism, stating, "Batman starts stripping away each layer of Gotham crime only to discover a sicker and more monstrous evil beneath, his rancid city simultaneously invokes early ’90s New York, when criminals frolicked to the tune of five murders a day; Serpico New York, when cops were for sale; and today, when psychos seek to kill us all at once rather than one by one."<ref> Kyle Smith . " Kyle Smith review of Batman Begins " , KyleSmithOnline , 2007-03-10 . Retrieved on 2007-09-09 . </ref> In contrast, Salon.com's Stephanie Zacharek felt Nolan did not deliver the emotional depth expected of "one of the most soulful and tortured superheroes of all;" she thought Bale, unlike Michael Keaton who she compared him to, failed to connect with the audience underneath the mask, but that Gary Oldman succeeds in "emotional complexity" where the rest of the movie fails.<ref> Stephanie Zacharek . " Salon reviews Batman Begins " , Salon.com , 2005-06-15 . Retrieved on 2007-09-09 . </ref> However, Tim Burton, director of Batman and Batman Returns, called the film "very touching and very good."<ref> Steve Head . " Interview: Tim Burton " , IGN , 2005-07-08 . Retrieved on 2007-10-10 . </ref>
Thematic analysis
Comic book writer and author Danny Fingeroth argued a strong theme in the film was Bruce's search for a father figure; "[Alfred] is the good father that Bruce comes to depend on. Bruce’s real father died before they could establish an adult relationship, and Liam Neeson’s Ducard is stern and demanding, didactic and challenging, but not a father figure with any sympathy. If Bruce Wayne is anyone’s son, it is Alfred’s. [Morgan] Freeman’s Lucius is cool and imperturbable, another steady anchor in Bruce’s life."<ref name=fingerothvfx> Danny Fingeroth
. " Batman Begins: Redefining the Dark Knight " , VFXWorld , 2005-06-15 . Retrieved on 2007-10-13 . </ref> English professor Mark Fisher of the University of Florida stated Bruce's search for justice requires him to learn from a proper father figure, with Thomas Wayne and Ra's al Ghul being the two counterpoints. Alfred provides a maternal figure of unconditional love, despite the overall lack of focus on a mother figure in Bruce's life.<ref>Modèle:Cite paper</ref>
Fingeroth also argued a major theme in the film is fear, which supports the story of Bruce Wayne becoming a hero. Director Christopher Nolan stated that the idea behind the film was "a person who would confront his innermost fear and then attempt to become it." Fingeroth referred to this film's depiction as "the man with fear — but who rises above it." The theme of fear is further personified by the choice of antagonist — the Scarecrow.<ref name=fingerothvfx/>
References
External links
- Official site
- Official production notes
- Film analysis at IGN
- Scene-by-scene annotations of Batman Begins
- Comic Vs. Film analysis at IGN
- Batman Begins at the Internet Movie Database
- Modèle:Rotten-tomatoes
- Modèle:Mojo title
- Modèle:Shh
- [Batman Begins Catégorie Arts/Movies/Titles/B/Batman_Series/Batman_Begins/] de l’annuaire dmoz.
Modèle:DC Comics films Modèle:Christopher Nolan films
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