A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN BEGINS(2005)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN BEGINS(2005)

After the embarrassment that was Batman and Robin, plans for the next Batman movie took a complete halt and by then, I completely lost faith in Batman. The audience became witness towards a new rise of comic book movies, which were the Marvel superhero films. Between 2000 and 2004, my favorite superhero of them all, Spider-man finally came on the big screen which its two movies were awesome. X-men and Spider-man led the way to other Marvel movies which some were hits and most of them were misses. Then out of the blue, a new Batman movie was announced, which was now in the hands of filmmaker, Christopher Nolan who was at that time known for psychological thrillers such as Memento and Insomnia. My reaction to this was not of praise, but of doubt. As great Nolan was with Memento, flashbacks of previous Batman movies informed me of the impossibility to make a unique Batman movie as all of those movies runs in the same bland formula. We then heard that it wasn't gonna continue the original line, nor it was gonna be a prequel to it, but a complete rehash of the franchise. From there, we heard more that it was gonna tell the origins of Batman, there is no more Robin and had a glimpse of the "supposed" Batmobile. Still I wasn't convinced enough and was willing to pass it in theaters. It took a lot of convincing to finally see it and to my surprise, it was the most refreshing and (finally) most realistic Batman movie ever to be put on screen.

The entire character roster of Batman is completely recast and they were all given something to partake in this film. At first I was kind of skeptic for the casting of Christian Bale of the new Bruce Wayne/Batman, who I just know him from American Psycho and Equilibrium. He already has the look of the young billionaire playboy, but more importantly was he gonna be a good Batman? My fear laid to rest as Christian Bale gave a more serious, yet vulnerable Batman as he is just starting out in fighting crime. Michael Caine became a more lively Alfred and the character James Gordon was rightfully played by Gary Oldman who finally is something more than a stand-in police chief. We were introduced to a new love interest to Bruce Wayne, which is Rachel Dawnes played by Katie Holmes. The two villains in this movie are Ra's Al Ghul and The Scarecrow, who both played brilliantly by Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy. What is so interesting about this movie is Bruce's driving force and philosophy that inevitably transforms and curse him into become the Dark Knight he is. It is not anymore about death of Bruce's parents that motivates him into become Batman, the story looks into every angle and different locales that we get to learn of Bruce himself. And I love how Batman is now showed the badass motherf**ker that he should be. Burton's Batman was calm, smooth and looks like he won't be phased if he gets touched. Schumacher's Batman already looks like a pansy and doesn't command respect. This Batman (Nolan's) however is the Batman you don't f**k with! You give a slightest touch on him and he will beat the sh*t out of you and make you fully regret. You don't f**k with this Batman! And if you can't get enough of his badness masculinity, look at his Batmobile! His Batmobile is a f**kin tank! While I love the Batmobile of the Burton movie, the Tumbler is a freakin monster, every car on the road will sh*t themselves by the sight of this thing. If there is one problem I can point out, which is totally minor, its the climax between Batman and the main villain. Batman is already proven his badassness that there was clearly no match between them. The movie already serves as Bruce Wayne's rise to Batman and we haven't yet gotten up to where Batman finally take on a real challenge.

I have to be honest. It haven't really restore my complete love for the Batman (because I was busy loving Spider-man), but it restore my complete faith in the movies. Chris Nolan did the unthinkable where most fans would even doubt would happen and resurrected Batman back from the dead. I really love the movie and it would be no problem to see it again. And it was a guarantee that there will be a sequel to this, introducing The Dark Knight. As I said before, it didn't restore my complete love, but as soon I watched the Dark Knight trailer, I love Batman all over again! The trailer just blew me away and you can feel the scent of epic running into this movie! And the Joker... from the moment I heard him speak, I was completely f**kin sold! And I'm so excited for the Joker so much, that it makes me so sad that Heath Ledger is not around to be thanked by me. Ledger left this world as a legend and his Joker will live on.

Thanks for reading my journal on my views of every Batman movies and tomorrow... I'm gonna see the Dark Knight! Its gonna be the biggest event of the year and can't wait to be part of it!

A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN AND ROBIN (1997)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN AND ROBIN(1997)

Despite its mixed reviews from the critics and fans, Batman Forever was a financial hit and its typical that Hollywood starts casting the same money spell in creating another sequel. Joel Schumacher stayed on to direct the next Batman movie, setting the film to bigger and brighter than ever. Val Kilmer dropped out and was replaced by George Clooney as the new Caped Crusader, Batman/Bruce Wayne. The villains were Mr. Freeze and Poison Ivy, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Uma Thurman, who were chosen not from the source of the comics, but from the animated series. Of course, this movie is called "Batman and Robin", so you gotta have Robin in it, played again by Chris O'Donnell. But you didn't count on having Batgirl being part of the team, played by Alicia Silverstone. Gotham is filled with more giant statues and Batman has more shiny new toys including a nuclear-engine Batman. At age 11, I went in the theater and expecting to see the same result by Batman Forever. The result - literally and metaphorically the gayest Batman movie ever.

Right from the start where we see shots of nipple piece and buttocks, witness the rise of the most brightest and feminine Batmobile we ever seen and cringe at a very lame one-liner delivered by Batman, I knew it was gonna be an unpleasant ride. Before the movie, I knew about Mr. Freeze and loved how the guys from the animated series gave this character a great design and backstory. I don't know what is the reason that Joel casted Arnold, the Terminator, Conan, Douglas Quaid, Jack Slater! as the mad scientist of ice, Mr Freeze. Well considering his character holds a giant freeze gun, it may fit along his line of characters who holds giant guns. And like his line of characters, he can't help himself but give out cheesy pun-ridden one-liners at every action he does. When you cast Arnold Schwarzenegger, you get Arnold Schwarzenegger, no matter what character he plays, which is fine. What is not fine is Uma Thurman and, dear God, she was horrible in this. How can a talented actress, who just gave a brilliant performance from Pulp Fiction, give us something so annoying and eyes-popping its suicidal just to watch her? You could say its the writers' fault that they gave actors such lousy writing, but she's at least good enough to have the responsibility to deliver them well. And what she does, she come across a vain drag queen who recently sex changed into a drag queen. I mean, every time she speaks I just wanted to choke her! And if she hadn't redeem herself in Kill Bill, I would have hated her for the rest of my life.

Continuing along the Burton/Schumacher's tradition to make Batman less interesting than the villains, George Clooney was just a every lady's hunk in TV and magazine and it was that logic to make him into Batman. His Bruce Wayne looks alright if he had another day-job as a magazine model, but he was unconvincing as Batman. Even Chris and Alicia were unconvincing as Robin and Batgirl. Its very hard to laugh at the most ridiculous costumes they ever wore, not to mention riding on the most gayest and mind-numbing vehicles ever in a superhero movie. Batman is not a freakin Power Ranger! I may be young when I first saw this, but I was just completely shocked by most things in this movie. My young mind kept telling me "This is not Batman! This is not Batman!" I even gave a big "WHAT!" when Batman whips out his Bat Credit Card. What the f**k does Batman need a Bat Credit Card?! Transaction his enemies to death?! In the Batman universe, the action scenes are meant to be off-the-wall and fantastical, but doesn't mean they have to be stupid. Pat Hingle is still useless as Commissioner Gordon, while Michael Gough gave his own dramatic performance in the film, but that isn't helping much.

The Batman franchise suffered from this film and its easy to know why. It was just that bad. Other people may like it if they want a light-filled action movie, but most people have gone bat-sh*t on this movie. I would see it again if I seriously want to relive the Batman nostalgia one by one, just like what I'm doing now, but no fat chance I would see this movie ever again. And Joel Schumacher has the unfortunate title of the man who created the worst Batman movie in cinema history. It killed off Batman and buried him for many years, joining Superman after he did 3 and 4. Many scripts and plans of reviving Batman back to the big screen, but in order to do that, they have to truly understand Batman, understand his pathos and mythology and gives the audience something they would never see in a Batman film. And after eight years, one man gets the idea and finally brings Batman back from the dead....

Up on my next blog: BATMAN BEGINS(2005)

A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN FOREVER (1995)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN FOREVER(1995)

The Batman franchise was later given in the hands of Joel Schumacher, who before directed films like Falling Down and The Lost Boys and was given a complete makeover. Gone was the dark gloomy city of Gotham, gone was the dark sleek Batmobile and gone was Michael Keaton as The Dark Knight, Batman. Gotham is now bigger and brighter, filled with statues of Gods and even has its own Statue of Liberty. Val Kilmer filled in the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman, which you can say about him is that all he does in this movie was just to look good and fight badguys. No further character development for Batman, even though we get back to his flashback of his parent's death. I was 9 years old when I first saw this in the theater and I didn't realize the big deal that was the nipple feature on the bat suit. But now I'm old enough, it is weird that nipples were included on the Bat Suit. The franchise finally includes Batman's ever annoying side-kick, Robin played by Chris O'Donnell. At least Robin was portrayed as a whiner instead as a ass-kisser in the previous Batman.

Like I said, the focus wasn't much on the heroes of the movie, but the villains. This time they are The Riddler and Two Face. Now back then, I was a huge fan of Jim Carrey (and still am). The actor brought out a new kind of humor to the screen and became the comedic idol of the year 1994. So I was very excited that Jim Carrey was casted as the Riddler, not that I'm gonna see him do a good performance in the movie, but I was gonna see him be Jim Carrey and do funny things. And that was part of the success that the movie brought. Even though the Riddler didn't look like the evil genius he was in the cartoon, at least he kept me entertained. Another funny, not so evil villain was Two Face, who was originally set to be played by Billy Dee William, but was changed to Tommy Lee Jones. We also have Nicole Kidman in her pre-Oscar phase and served as the love interest of Bruce Wayne.

First time I saw this, I loved it. Normally because I was a kid and I found it to be... well.... funny. Jim Carrey was the selling point of the movie and made it into a financial success. The movie wasn't really a Batman movie and it can be called "Jim-Carrey-dressed-in-green-and-do-wacky-things-until-he-gets-asskicked-by-Batman" movie. Looking back on it now, it is not really a great Batman movie but its still mildly entertaining to watch. It kept its flow of the movie in a steady pace without going overboard with illogical fantastical moments and obvious theme-ridden puns. Unlike its next movie...

Up on my next blog: BATMAN AND ROBIN(1997)

A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

After Tim Burton directed Batman in 1989, he went on to complete a very haunting fairytale of Edward Scissorhands, where he was now developing what would become his signature in filmmaking, thus includes Gothic settings, bizarre characters and dark storytelling. The film sparks the imagination of film audience everywhere as well stinging them in their heart and soon people began to realize his own trademarks in his film. This notion would soon apply for the sequel to the movie of one of the greatest superheroes ever known. One idea would include a dark redesigning of Catwoman and the Penguin. The film's introduction depicts the haunting tale of birth and origin of the Penguin, born as a grotesque monster and was abandoned by the sewer's river by his parents and was raised by zoo penguins. Its a hideous retelling of the Ugly Duckling where an ugly bird-like baby blossom into a evil disgusting grotesque maniac, played by Danny DeVito who has a growing grudge against the city of Gotham. Another villain is an original for the movie, Max Shreck played by Christopher "We Need More Cowbell" Walken, as he helps the Penguin run for mayor of Gotham. He also serve the purpose of transforming doormat Selina Kyle into the wild and sexy Catwoman. And I tell you, this is the REAL Catwoman, not the crap Halle Berry and some dude pulled off to make Catwoman a Spider-man clone. Michelle Pfeiffer stayed along the line as being ferocious, untamed and damn sexy while mildly laying out some feline puns. And I ask you, who can stop all these three villains? Why Batman of course, played once again by Michael Keaton.

A sequel means bigger and longer, so while the first Batman was dark, this Batman movie doubled its darkness. There are many things in this film that will even traumatize a child, let alone question the heroism of Batman. Not as a social commentary, but really comparing between the film Batman and the comic Batman, I mean, Batman doesn't kill anyone. While I was amazed by the adventure and action in the first Batman movie, most of the time in this movie I was completely freaked out by all the horrifying images displayed on the screen. One scene shows the Penguin bite the nose of some guy and he was gushing out blood! I was 6 years old when I first saw this in the theater with my parents and that bit alone scared the hell out of me. Not to mention the part when they kidnap little children, the charred corpse of Max Shreck and even the horrifying yet pitiful death of the Penguin. Sure the movie has balls, but come on, you have to know when its too much.

Despite all that, it was still a great Batman movie and you could say its slightly better than the last. While the Penguin isn't what it was in the comics and cartoons, he was still a cool Penguin. Catwoman is still the reigning feline mistress and Batman showed off many cool action sequence and many cool gadgets for his utility belt. After the release of Batman Returns, was there a sequel in mind? Hell yes! Is it gonna be like that? Hell no! Warner Bros. are not going to risk having Batman fans and kids drawing out from its scary and dark ideals. What do they do? They do what parents do when their child had a scary nightmare: lighten up the room and comfort them with fun and toys. And thats what they did with the next Batman film. Of course, that means they'll be going back a bit...

Up on my next blog: BATMAN FOREVER(1995)

A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN (1989)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN (1989)

After two campy seasons of Batman in the 60s, Batman took a backseat to the age of Marvel superheroes and even four Superman movies. It was until newcomer director Tim Burton, whose previous films were Bettlejuice and Pee Wee's Big Adventure, brought the Caped Crusader back to the big screen. While not telling the origin of Batman, the movie serves as Batman's first battle with his ever-dangerous nemesis, The Joker. Burton's choice of casting Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman was very questionable towards the fans. Keaton didn't have the look of a playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne, but give him the awesome bat-suit and the sleek Batmobile and you got yourself a cool Batman. While it is a Batman movie, the star of the movie was the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. In the future when Heath Ledger will do a different approach to the Joker, Jack gives a most faithful performance to the comic and cartoon source, being a dangerous clown with a bag of gimmicky tricks. For that time, his version of the Joker scared the hell of me as a kid as some of his tactics and deliverances were very dark indeed. I remembered being freaked out when the Joker burnt a guy to crisp with his hand buzzer and when a news anchorwoman died laughing from the laughing gas and left just smiling. I mean damn, that is freaky!

Kim Basinger was there to provide the love interest and damsel in distress for Bruce Wayne as Vicki Vale, though not much was developed between them and I never knew she even existed in the comics. Its not like she'll become the Lois Lane or Mary Jane of Batman. This goes to show that while Superman and Spider-man have their one and only, Batman is a damn player! He goes out and hooks up many chicks without breaking a sweat. Thats more awesome than James Bond, because he dresses up as a bat and still kick ass! Michael Gough was Alfred the butler and Pat Hingle was James Gordon. Didn't care for the casting of James Gordon, but I would say they did a lousy casting, comparing between him and the version from the animated series.

Overall it was a great Batman movie to watch. I wouldn't say its an awesome Batman movie to watch and here is the reason why. I learned as a kid all the things about Batman, the looks, the history (though The Joker did not really kill Batman's parents), the characters, the gadgets and everything. And this probably was close you'll get from watching an episode from the animated series or reading the comic. And it would take the right tone but at the same time, something different and breathtaking to make an awesome Batman movie......(and thats where Begins comes in, but its not its turn to be reviewed). But what makes this so special was how it was matured from its campy style in the 1960s to a more darker and moody, yet fantastical rendition. The music was brilliantly done by Tim Burton's henchman in the music department, Danny Elfman and Gotham City portrays as a giant shadow with buildings instead of.... Los Angeles. And it brought Burton back on for another Batman movie, with a more darker vision...

Up on my next blog: BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

A Look Back on the Films of Batman: BATMAN (1966)

With the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight coming out soon, its time for me to look back on the past Batman movies starting from the campy years of 1966 to the modern era in 2005. As close as it is, Batman is my second favorite superhero with just being close to Spider-Man. Batman has been through many changes and transformations in the film media for the best and for the worst. So without further ado, here is my view on the last Batman movies, leading up to The Dark Knight.


BATMAN (1966)

Not really the Batman that we all come to love, but it was the time when there was free love and everything was bright and colorful. Adam West portrays a reasonable good Bruce Wayne, kind of channeling Roger Moore of James Bond and as Batman, he's more of a Superman's little cousin with no superpower. Burt Ward plays the "definitive" sidekick of Batman, Robin and when I mean definitive, I mean catch-phase quipping, second-standard and just completely young. In this film, they go up against four villains, the Joker, the Penguin, Catwoman and the Riddler, bent on a typical world domination scheme. And for this case, Batman seems to have every single gadgets to every situations that is labeled "Bat" like the Batmobile, Bat-copter, Bat-boat, Bat-laser and who could ever forget, the Bat-Shark Repellent. And how funny it is to see Batman holding over his head a bomb, size of a beach ball and running around the dock to find a place to throw it away. Reflecting on that time, a lot of movies and TV shows were very imaginative and sillier with many quirky and campy expositions with shows like Get Smart and the Avengers, though it doesn't necessary mean they have to be logical.

For this Batman movie in its time, it just all about fun. Before Batman was feared and questioned by the public and hidden away from the eye of the media, he was loved and cheered by everyone, portrayed as this handsome buff wonder man in a bat suit. One example shows Batman and Robin flying on their Bat-copter in daylight and everybody would point up and be happy its Batman. Young girls would bunch up and call out for Batman and even war veterans and generals would stop and salute them. Logic for the plot of this movie was nearly abandoned. I mean how can you turn all the world leaders in the UN into colorful dust and hold them as hostage? As a kid, I remember watching this and just enjoying it, no matter how silly it is and thinking to myself this is really Batman, the whole Bat-copter, beach-ball bomb and shark repellent. It was like how you were a 8-year-old kid playing with your kiddie friends in a sandbox version of Batman. Kids are not making a deep complex plot and characterization of Batman, they're just using their wild and young imagination with lasers and bombs. As an adult, I know from the 1966 movie of what is Batman and not, but it is a fun movie to watch for nostalgic sense.

Up on my next blog: BATMAN (1989)

Another blog site...

I'll try my luck with this blog site

Well hey, maybe I'm not cut out to be a blogger. I go on the Internet to look at videos and games, not to post up blogs about my daily life. I have my studies at Masters at RMIT, I'm doing animations and short films in my spare time and I mostly chat to people on the net. I haven't got time to blog. And I just forgotten the password to my CuteNews account for my official website, so now I have to bring down the news application for my website and will be replaced with this. Will I have the tolerance and time to keep updating my blog for anyone who cares to read.

I'll give this a shot. In my blog, I'll be talking about my days, stuffs that inspires me, movies and TV shows I have checked out and issues that are happening around the world. What I trust on this blog site is of the reputation that it brings out the creativity and influences from many bloggers.

I hope you look forward to many of my entries on my blog.

Jordan