Batman Begins 83% on Rotten Tomtatoes!

[Shane Martin]

This is a very very good sign. From what I understand of the people whom have seen it, this is the best yet and we can thank Christopher Nolan for doing Batman right!

[George Bellefontaine]

Yeah, I think this could be the best of them all. Bale read all the old early Batman comics, where the storylines were darker, as was the portrayal of Batman at that time. He wanted to recapture the dark atmosphere of what he felt the author intended in the beginning.

[aud19]

Finally something to compete... and possibly better... the first one :T

[Gordon Moore]

Very positive indeed :yesnod: Should see this soon. My wife is interested in going (which is always a good sign). Might have a review this weekend is all goes well (and we can secure a babysitter of course )

[will1066]

Very encouraging, indeed. DC has been getting spanked by Marvel on the big screen. Some Batman success might give DC some momentum for the Superman movie.

[Shane Martin]

FWIW the new Superman film is being done by Brian Singer, the man that directed the 2 X-men movies.

[Nick M]

I'm going to see this tomorrow @1pm. I think Bale is an awesome actor, and the DC stories are excellent, but just from the previews I saw, the ninjitsu training in the himalayas and giant batmo-thing he drives are huge turn-offs.

[David Meek]

Aww man. Jen just called me and said that their work group is going to The Alamo Draft House to see Batman Begins for their monthly team meeting this afternoon! :-y The Draft House is a 5- or 6-screen cinema where they've removed every other row of seating and replaced it with long tables. You can order a meal, snacks, drinks, etc. and watch a movie. Guess I'll be catching it on my own. . . .

[JonMarsh]

Enjoy it anyway... this may be the first movie I drag my butt out to watch in the theater this year. So far it's been a lackluster year, IMO.

Well, OK, I've been a little busy, lately, too!

~Jon

[Nick M]

Doled out my $4.75.

Serious diversions from the traditional comic. I'm suprised DC approved this film with all the baloney it had. Very choppy in an attempt to cram alot of background in. The young bruce wayne was poorly casted. He looks as much like Bale as Mike Tyson looks like Elizabeth Taylor. Many effects and props are quite poor. The story/villain is downright boring.

With the incredible resources and talents of Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, and Christian Bale (not to mention the BMan legacy), I thought the ball was dropped and lost.

:25: out of :5: It had a few redeeming scenes, but the majority of it was a letdown.

Not sure I can even recommend renting it.

[Shane Martin]

Hrm so far Nick is the first I've seen dislike the film also considering the 83% at RTomatoes. Too each their own I guess.

[David Meek]

Well you know how cranky Nick gets about the Sox, and they're 3 games out. . . . :B

[Nick M]

:lol:

[Nick M]

Well I guess if you go to see it with the mindset that the Batman legacy doesn't exist and you don't mind absurd end of the world plots, then you might like it. :lol:

EDIT: Liam Neeson as a Ninjitsu master and Morgan Freeman as a cutting edge Engineer like Q was also pushing it into the $#!t-bin a bit too I guess... :

[David Meek]

Wait a minute. $4.75??????? How. . . What. . . Sheesh. Matinees here are $6.00 or so. 8O

[Azeke]

Wow Nick, that is certainly a disappointing review.

Not even a rental huh?

Regards,

Azeke

[will1066]

Aww man. Jen just called me and said that their work group is going to The Alamo Draft House to see Batman Begins for their monthly team meeting this afternoon! :-y The Draft House is a 5- or 6-screen cinema where they've removed every other row of seating and replaced it with long tables. You can order a meal, snacks, drinks, etc. and watch a movie. Guess I'll be catching it on my own. . . .

Now why doesn't my employer hold meetings like this?!

[Nick M]

Yup, $4.75 matinee's. Problem is, only two of the theaters at my local cinema are decent quality out of the 8 theaters they have. The other six have screens 2/3 the size with flat-floored seating and very poor bass response. The two killer theaters are recently built, and always have the new releases. I have to catch them the first week if I want to see the movies on a nice setup without driving 40mins to the nearest uber-cinema (a brand new cinemark).

I guess if you're a batman fan you should atleast rent it. Not up to snuff for me though, and I almost left the theater towards the end. So far Spider Man 2, Superman 1, and the original Punisher with Dolph are the only three comic-movies I've enjoyed. Recent previews of Fantastic 4 have also tainted me with skepticism with the corny MTV like comedy and attitudes appealing to the reality-tv type minds. Oh well, I suppose the Sox are 3 games out... but the yanks are 3 behind us! :twisted:

If you plan to visit the cinema anytime soon, check out Cinderella Man. Absolutely spectacular from beginning to end.

[RebelMan]

... Morgan Freeman as a cutting edge Engineer like Q was also pushing it into the $#!t-bin a bit too I guess... :

I haven't seen the movie but I saw the Q part in previews and Nick has it right on. The campy Bond seen is not very original and turned me off. I doubt I'll see it before it hits the DVD. Furthermore, the corny looking "Box-Mobile" is a joke!

[Sithlord]

Batman Begins The real review

the original Punisher with Dolph are the only three comic-movies I've enjoyed

Ahh so your the one who like that movie.

Are you forgeting X-men and X-men 2? Hulk? The Dolph Punisher movie doesn't hold a candle to those IMO

[QUOTE]

The young bruce wayne was poorly casted

Well you did like Jake Lloyd in the Phantom Menace

I went and saw Batman Begins and it is simply the best Super Hero adaptation so far with Superman 1 a close second. I am very surpised you found this movie average?? It has everything you could possibly want in a Batman movie and more. The acting was excellent the effects were not overdone like some others and the casting choices are perfect. There was no single actor that stole the show or overacted and they finally got the mood right bloody DARK. The first Batman was great but from there the franchise just went down hill. This movie is a breath of fresh air. How can you say that the villian was boring :roll: my god the Scarecrow was downright scary and menacing a true villian just like the in the comics. He had no fear and proved to be a formidable adversary for the Bat. The action scenes were incredible edge of your seat stuff and again was not controlled by too much CGI thank god. Morgan Freemans character was excellent subdued yes but again it left you wanting to know more about this guy. He doesn't have to be wearing a white coat and wear glasses and shaking from drinking too much coffee to show he knows his job which was to build for the military the best gadgets he could with a no cost factor attached. I loved the interaction between him and Bruce. Liam Neeson was great for the role that was given to him. The way he handles Bruce Wayne in the monastary was very intense, and the training was brilliant he was a force to be reckoned with. Need I mention Christian Bale..... The perfect choice for the Cape Crusader and the first time an actor has pulled off being two entities in this franchise. I also loved the way the director made sure that you were involved with the creation of the Batman from the costume to the car. I thought the Car (when I first saw it on the net) was crap, but in the context of the movie WOW amazing. It was built for a single purpose and boy did it deliver. I guess I could go on about this flick but do yourself a favour everyone, go and see this movie and don't wait for the rental it really is that good. IMO :T :45:

Another satisfied customer: http://www.darkhorizons.com/reviews/batman-n.php

P.S Sorry Nic but I must disagree with you on this one. I guess you have to be a fan of the character and of comics to appreciate what the director was trying to do and he delivered in spades. Looking forward to the sequel. :tv:

[George Bellefontaine]

Gee, I don't know now. I tend to agree with many of Nick's observations of flicks he has commented on int the past. I'll wait till it comes to dvd and maybe try a rental rather than buying.

[David Meek]

Well the approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes is still at 81%.

Jen doesn't watch movies twice very often (we're talking once every 4-5 years), but she's ready to go back to see Batman Begins when I go. That in itself tells me a lot.

[Shane Martin]

Jen doesn't watch movies twice very often (we're talking once every 4-5 years), but she's ready to go back to see Batman Begins when I go. That in itself tells me a lot

The 81% does too. Based on the other 2 forums I visit and the near universal praise, I think Jen is on to something.

[Nick M]

Oops, I forgot the hulk, I did like that one somewhat (about as much as I enjoyed the original punisher). None of these films are on the level of Superman or Spiderman 2 though, IMHO.

The X-Men films were only so-so for me. I read Uncanny X-Men comics growing up, and the film just had too many plot deviations along with some poor casting. The films also lacked serious storylines like the comics and lacked emotion. They were more like blockbuster films with explosions and over dramatised relationships. They didn't even have their costumes, they all wore jumpsuits (WTF?). The comics were much more than explosions.

The beginning of the film was very choppy and left alot out as it tried to cram alot in. Then the last 2/3 of the film was long and drawn out with many uneccessary scenes. Batman drives a Tank? What happened to the batmobile? :huh: In one scene he is racing down the freeway in his tank (he can leap buildings and drive across rooftops in that massive vehicle, but not outrun cop cars), and turns his lights off to "dissapear". Only 5 seconds later he turns them back on and is in the same situation. What was the point of that? The CGI pans of Gotham city when young bruce is riding the train with his father is quite poor. It almost looks like Monster's Inc's Monstropolis... :B They were on to something with trying to convey the difference between justice and vengeance, but all the scenes with his parent's death were emotionless, rushed, and not nearly as dark or well-portrayed as the same scenes in Burton's Batman. The hearing scene was downright asinine. The whole end of the world plot was a little dumb for me, bordering on Mr. Freezes attempt to freeze the planet. Imported hallucinogenic drugs being poured into the city's water supply, and then a giant microwave emitter boiling all the water into steam releasing the drug causing mass panic and everyone kills each other? Funny how it boiled tap water but didn't affect people...I dunno. Pretty poor plot in my book. Having Liam Neeson as the evil ninjitsu ring leader also caused shaking head in hands. Morgan Freeman is one of my top 3 favorite actors. He can Drive Miss Daisy and lead a Homicide Investigation, but when he starts blabbering about kevlar utility belts, ion thrusters, and hybrid materials w/molecular memory, well, you get the idea. :roll: Just about anyone could play this role better than he did.

Bale changing his voice into a raspy deep Jabba the Hut tone when in costume had be laughing too. One particular scene had me almost in tears, he sounded so bad. The character had no depth of intelligence behind it like Keaton did.

What was the point of the scarecrow? A guy with a burlap sack over his head that jumps around? He doesn't even do a damn thing. What type of a villain blows drugs in your face, puts a burlap sack on, douses you with gasoline while you stumble around, and lights you on fire? Is that what his battle tactics are? Comes at you with some LSD, a burlap sack, and a gallon of high-test? :rofl:

Michael Caine did play the perfect Alfred though. By far he had the best performance.

With the simply immense amount of material in the comics, fantastic actors, and large budget, I think they did a terrible job conveying Batman. I dunno, just me I guess as certainly alot of people enjoyed the film it appears. I guess don't mind me, I'm the rotten egg... :W

[aud19]

What about Katie Holmes though?!?!? :drool:

[Nick M]

She was better than most of the other characters. One scene between her and bale in a car outside a restaurant was good. Not much chemistry between the two after that though. Their acting together was like 50's drama...

"Oh yes Batman, Kiss me now..."
"No, no, I mustn't!" :rofl:

[Sithlord]

I believe if Byran Singer used the original costumes for X-men..well lets just say it wouldn't have worked. Wolverine in yellow spandex..remember that line in X-men 2? they would have looked like bright coloured kids pajamas. Unfortunatly the majority of the viewing public need to see incredible fight scenes and explosions when it comes to blockbuster movies otherwise if it focuses too much on relationships well they would get bored. Hulk and Batman Begins deviated from this by incorporating these two elements with Hulk not so great but Batman hitting the target. Have you ever watched the Batman Animated series? Excellent show and Batman Begins seemed like a live version of that. Umm Batman driving a Tank?? I didn't see a turrent or tracks. What I saw was a car that did what he needed it to do and thats to be able to handle tough situations and not look like a super jet on wheels. Did you miss seeing the huge jet boost that was at the back of the car? Thats why it's able to jump across roof tops and it probably users alot of fuel, so thats probably why did didn't imploy it when being chased by the police instead he tried the stealth mode which did confuse them somewhat and gave him time to ajust to the situation. As for Morgan Freemans character, he was great not overdone again. You will find that people in that line of work who deal with millions of dollars of hi-tech equipment and have to present them to governments and the military, are very proffesional cool carm and collected individuals. I'm glad he wasn't like a crazy cars salesman. This movie is the start of a totally new direction for the Batman franchise and it needed to be toned down to show the early beginings of Batmans crusade, so of course the last thing on his mind is a cool slick rocket car. I absolutley hated the way the last two batman movies changed the car it make it look like a driving christmas tree. Batman is all about stealth hiding in shadow and in the latest installment this was used throughout the movie. As for not being able to out run police cars..look at the amount of traffic that he contended with and the fact that it was his first drive in the thing so...

Ok maybe you haven't read any Batman comics or you wouldn't be so harsh when talking about the Scarecrow. This guy is INSANE with a total different outlook to life than the normal person and doesn't even think twice about taking on the Batman. Sorry didn't see him jumping around?? His battle tactic was simple and effective and proved to us that Batman isn't all powerful and dissorienting your opponent is a great tactic in my book better than going toe to toe with the possiblity of being defeated. It was totally unexpected and quite confronting when you think about it. What would you have preferred a guy running around in a straw hat with hay bales stuffed in his shirt giggling to himself? The movie was real set in a world not too different from out own which is why most people seem to relate to it. It wasn't too futuristic and the action scenes were not over the top. As for Batmans voice, that was perfect and again if you have watched the Animated Series you would understand that downright agression and a strong commanding voice can rattle even the most hardened criminal it's all about presence. You will find that most Martial Arts use this tactic to great affect for example Kenjitsu. When striking an opponent you yell Hai and if done well it can make them think twice about taking you on. Again this is Batmans first task at being a crusader so maybe you are being a little harsh. You must forget the past offerings as they don't exist in this new franchise. I guess we are not going to agree on this so I for one will be seeing this again this weekend with my brother and I know that it will be as good the second time as much as the first. Just my 2cents

[Nick M]

X-Men: I think the proper costumes would have been great. With the proper lighting I would have loved to seen that yellow costume come out of the shadows to engage a proper costumed Sabertooth, or even better, Omega-Red. Rogue didn't have the hair & curves, Jean Grey was missing that great costume , etc. With all the great events in X-Men history, they chose some pretty corny story-lines. I dunno, just me I guess.

Batman Begins: I enjoyed the first Batman the most. Keaton was a fantastic Batman, and who better to play Joker than Nicholson? The Dark Knight was directed in a dark environment. Unfortunately Burton is a little too eccentric, and I thought this hurt the overall film. I read Batman comics when I was younger, and watched the reruns of the original TV show. The new "bat-mo-thing" may not be a tank, but it looks like a wheeled APC or something. The sleek corvette batmobile is no-more I guess. Considering the batmobile was a major part of batman history, I was dissapointed to see this...



Instead of something like this...



Seeing that thing drive across roof-tops was a little, no, seriously unrealistic looking, but I guess it's just a movie. Personally I preferred the low to the ground black dart racing around... oh well.

The guy who played scarecrow did a poor job in my opinion. The special effects were cool, but really. He was taken down while jumping around with a horse when Holmes shoots him in the face with a tazer... Come-on... :rofl: I posted above regarding how I felt about the plot. I think Scarecrow could have been portrayed as a much more devious and intelligent/insane character the way he was in the comics. I know about the effects of a ki-up by the way... :B

Anyhoo, nothing to get riled up about. Just one shmucks opinion here (in the minority to boot). :B

EDIT: Here are some of the critics feelings that I also agreed with that held the film back to a rating of 50%.

"The movie slowly moves away from being an engaging film about people and starts to fit itself into the mold of every other dumb action movie youve ever seen."

"When you shine too much light, you take away the shadows. And without those, the Dark Knight is just a guy in a rubber suit mugging muggers."

"...his voice makes him sound like he's undergoing a perpetual colonoscopy."

"...wasteful in it's casting..."

"Turgid, tiresome, it's the lack of a dynamic villain that kills Batman Begins"

I guess I'm not completely alone, but yes, in the minority. Then again, reality TV is rampantly popular too... :rofl:

[Sithlord]

I wont bother posting all the positive reviews that this movie has received on the net. If you actually read the title of the of the movie one will see that it is the BEGINING of something. This movie is showing Batmans early beginnings hence the title and we must accept that may not be as flamboyant as the past offerings or have cool looking gadgets.

"When you shine too much light, you take away the shadows. And without those, the Dark Knight is just a guy in a rubber suit mugging muggers."

Not sure what this person is trying to say but thats the character wake up(directed at the reviewer). Thats like saying take the X-mens powers away and they are normal people. Wow didn't think of it that way I mean really.

I guess my issue is with your initial (being the first) review and how that effects others decisions on this forum in seeing this movie. You have become almost the official movie reviewer here and forum members love reading you reviews like myself. But I mean "Not even a rental" now thats a COME-ON. I personally wouldn't end a review saying and not even a rental which pretty much says don't go see it, as there are so many different views on so many things that it's wrong to think that no one will like it, as we both have demonstated with our discussion here not everyone likes the same movies.

Well it seems you and I both have our views on this new offering and I for one can't wait for the sequel. I also read that Michael Keaton liked this one as well so thats promising.

Just to top it off: http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/626/626277p1.html . This guy is normally hard on films. Enjoy

[autio]

nick - sithlord,

Okay not to interrupt you guys in the 10 th round BUT are you guys saying you LIKED "Hulk". I watched it with my daughters and we agreed the best thing about the movie was the way my IB sub knocking candles off the coffee table. The hulk was just terrible some of the CG really ruined the movie IMO. Dont get me wrong here I like animated shows I just couldnt suspend my reality even for a minute computer graphics are getting better but to me they ruin alot of good movies. Can you Imagine how the original Superman would have looked with Computer generated scenes ? The fortressof solitude would probably look like the frozen wastland ice scenes in Post Impact. BTW I liked both versions of the punisher!!! I havent yet seen BB so I cant comment .

[Nick M]

I thought the Hulk was a decent :3: out of :5:.
Same goes for the original Punisher.

Neither were up to par with Spiderman 2 or Superman though.
With the material available and given budgets, I expect more from these legendary DC & Marvel titles.

Just my humble opinion though. opcorn: :tv:

[Shane Martin]

EDIT: Here are some of the critics feelings that I also agreed with that held the film back to a rating of 50%.

:wtf:
The Film is still at 82%

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/batman_begins/

The problem is you are looking at the "Cream of the Crop part" and not the entire picture.

[Kyle]

I am a huge batman fan, and I felt this gave the original Burton batman a run for the money. And that is saying A LOT. It was definitely a much different film, but I feel it captured a lot of the elements that make batman what he is.

[Nick M]

The problem is you are looking at the "Cream of the Crop part" and not the entire picture.

No... there is no problem, it's just my opinion. Personally I felt the film was average at best. It doesn't mean I'm right or you're right, it's just my opinion. I'm happy for those who enjoyed it.

Jeese-Louise...:roll: :lol:

[Sithlord]

Oh well Nic I guess you will have to get used to it. I believe some films deserve credit where credits due.Thats what happens when you post movie reviews on forums, your going to rattle a few cages but hey thats what makes this forum so good is it's diversity and it creates good friendly discussions. I saw it again today with my Brother and he absolutley loved it, he may even express his view on it here soon so watch out.

As for the Hulk I didn't love it I thought it was good and would rate it them same as Nic did. I thought the CGI worked well but as effects are getting better with every movie, it quickly becomes just ok when it was great when I first saw it. I hope they do a sequel to that one as well and maybe bring in the Abomination who can definately go toe to toe with the Hulk. Theres still a few superhero films due out soon and I hope they live up to the hype like BB.

[Gordon Moore]

I don't understand why Nic has to be subject to any criticism. So his opinion didn't go with th popular vote....big deal. He just gave a review, he shouldn't have to justify it. To be told he didn't possibly "get" the movie is an odd comment. Why take it so personal (as if there's vested interest here)? Why judge Nic based on what movie he liked or not? That's a very closed view of a person

Nic's just a guy giving his opinion on a movie he didn't particularly care for. If that sways a person a certain way than that's up to that certain individual and has zero to do with Nic. If a person is that wishy-washy that they can't make up their own mind as to whether or not they want to see a movie, that bears little responsibility on Nics part. It's a 2 way street. If the general conscensus is a movie is bad but someone comes along and says they loved it....most people blow it off.

I'd say to the folks that LUV batman....throw your positive review into the mix and be a little more tolerant. There is more than one way to see a movie. Not everyone has to love it. People who don't feel the film lived up to expectations are entitled to say so....they have every right as the people who love a movie. There's no wrong opinion here and that's all they are so I'd say everyone should lighten up.

Nic sees a lot of movies and he's gracious enough to spend some time telling us what he likes and dislikes. If you disagree, post your review but leave the reviewer alone, they are not open to personal attack. That stuff is what scares people away from posting.

[Sithlord]

I'm not asking Nic to justify his reasons for not liking it I'm simply discussing it theres a difference. His review was very short and I wanted to know personally why he disliked it so much as he didn't really go into much detail like his past reviews. I'm pretty passionate when it comes to certain movies and I like to get into more detailed discussions so if thats being less tolerant then I'm sorry. I'm sure Nic is a big boy and he can handle this FRIENDLY discussion by himself, and I for one don't need to be lectured like a child and told how to act or post unless I'm breaking the forum rules in which I will gladly apoligise for if necessary. I'm fully aware that everyones opinion is just that, so if I cannot post what I have previously then whats the point of having a seperate movie thread? Is it only for luvy duddy posts where everyone has to consider everyones feelings all the time..well thats impossible. The best discussions comes from different opinions and thats what makes it great. I've got nothing against anyone here who posts but I would like the freedom to express my opinions and thoughts without being told I can't or that I'm not being tolerant.

As I said in my previous post I love reading Nics reviews and I'm simply discussing it which is why this forum exists. So if thats wrong then I'm at a loss. Gordan everything was going just fine and it was inappropriate of you to post what you did as I simply am not attacking Nic just DISCUSSING the movie with him. But I guess you will get praise for doing so and a pat on the back. Good on you well done great job. You have now taken the fun out of a friendly discussion.

[BladeRnR]

Well here goes my review for what it's worth. To Gordon I respect your opinion but this is a forum and by it's very definition it invites discussion (Often passionate) and both positive and negative forms should be entertained. If there wasn't passion and we all stood in circles all day long singing Koom Byah then we'd still be picking fleas from our hair and scratching in the dirt. The very fact Nic posted his review invites comment and I didn't see anything that even resembled a personal attack. Anyway...

Batman Begins is the best Superhero film ever made next to Superman. It's literary accuracy is only matched by it's superb execution, acting and sets. I learned many 'new' aspects of the Batman mythos I didn't know about and the film provides very credible explanations for things that have never been explained over the years. I cannot find enough superlatives to begin to describe how great (Magnificent) this movie is.

- Batman's origins are portrayed superbly by Christian Bale. Was there ever anyone else who should have played Batman other than this fine actor? I think not ;x( . The set pieces are incredibly realistic, the technology employed by Batman was explained elegantly and is based (Surprisingly) on current Science. This lends an extremely realistic flavour to this 'fantasy' genre that many Superhero movies fail to provide.

- The acting is uniformly excellent and is of the highest standard even if graded besides movies in other genres. The Scarecrow was just brilliant and quite menacing, Michael Caine was the perfect Alfred, Morgan Freeman (A joy to watch) and other actors played their parts to perfection (Yes even Katie Holmes). Nobody overacted and no one actor stole the show. If Liam Neeson acted even 1/4 of how he performs in this film he would have saved Star Wars Episode 1 single-handedly. Somebody here mentioend Jake Loyd - OMG I wish they woukd have thrown him out the nearest airlock. Lucas's choice here was criminal. My nephews act better than that.

- The action is breathtaking but always supports/strengthens the story and is not gratuitous by any means (Spiderman/Spiderman 2 anyone? - total rubbish by comparison). The special effects were not overt and blended naturally right the way through.

- The music is by far the most memorable score of any Superhero movie to date (Except for the aforementioned Superman).

- The technology employed in Batman Begins is one of the highlights. By it's very title it implies that Batman is just starting out thus everything he uses has a raw edge to it and a realism often lost in other Superhero movie attempts. Initially I thought the Batmobile was terrible from the pictures I saw on the Net BUT in the context of the movie I cannot see how they could have used anything else. Even Batman had to start somewhere right? The movie explains the origins of everything we have come to know about this character from subsequent attempts (Mostly poor except for Tim Burtons effort which by comparison to this can only be described as 'passable').

Do yourself a big favour and see one of the best Superhero movies yet made 8)

[Nick M]

I'm a big fan, and had the Batman bedspread, tighty-whiteies, and stacks of comics growing up. Watched the original TV shows, and saw all the previous films multiple times (never got into the cartoons however). I still have a few BMan comics in the closet actually, such as "The Death of BMan" via Bane. And a few offshoots similar in styling to Spawn (I believe they were produced by DarkHorse?). My opinions were just that. Saying things like "Oh well Nic I guess you will have to get used to it. I believe some films deserve credit where credits due" hints of flame, and really does nothing to further the discussion. Gordon was simply trying to keep the chat on the film and not on the reviewer, and it's appreciated by me.

I'm quite happy you enjoyed the film, but that has nothing to do with the credability of my opinion. Based on my experience, I recommended not seeing it so that others who have read my opinions before (and have similar tastes in film) can be a bit more educated when purchasing tickets at the boxoffice or laying down cash at blockbuster. I'd be happy to discuss my opinions on the film further, and would love to hear more of yours. :T

[Gordon Moore]

Gordon was simply trying to keep the chat on the film and not on the reviewer, and it's appreciated by me.

'xactly :T

I'm completely totally for open discussion on the merits of the film....not the reviewer per say. That's all.

The one thing I like that HTF does is has 2 threads....one for pure reviews and one for discussion. It keeps the 2 seperate entities. A review is simply one person's opinion that shouldn't be open to a critical breakdown. The discussion on the good and bad merits of the film should be in vibrant and friendly discussion. I completely for that, enjoy and welcome it.

Nick just summed it up better in one line than I could in a post. :

[Sithlord]

Understood. So back to the discussion at hand. Gordon have you seen this movie yet? What did you think? I promise not to shoot you down in flames either way. I'm looking forward to hearing others opinions on this movie. Nic I think the story line with Bane was about "The Breaking of the Bat" ( excellent story) as he didn't die just had his back broken, that was Superman. Gee that would make for a great movie having a character that Batman actually fears and breaks him. Boy did they waste that opportunity with Batman & Robin truelly terrible attempt. Bane " Bomb" so funny.

[Gordon Moore]

My wife and I are hoping to get there this week. This is one of my "Must Sees" along with War of the Worlds. I'll be sure to say what I liked and what I disliked. Of the "other" series I only really ever liked the first one and that's about it (though Devito was pretty good casting as the penguin, but I didn't dig his longish hair)

[Nick M]

Oh yeah, you're right Sithlord, it is indeed The Breaking of the Bat. I have the Death of Superman issue too, thats why I confused them I think.

Of the first two films (Burton/Keaton), I thought the casting and costumes were excellent for every character. Also enjoyed the orchestral theme song. The biggest thing in the first one that bothered me was Burton's obsession with the 80s and beyond surreal styling (for example Vicky's dress at the benefit & the Prince soundtrack, LOL!). I loved Penguin & Catwoman in Batman Returns (not to mention Batman). I still enjoyed the first two anyways, and picked them up for $3/each at a local fleamarket. Films 3 & 4, well, never bothered to see them twice... :B

[David Meek]

Thank you for returning from the brink.

Just a reminder - discussion of differences of opinion on the movies, scripts, acting, etc. is all highly recommended and hoped for here. Taking it to a personal level isn't going to be tolerated. I want old hands and new-comers both to feel comfortable posting their thoughts - and I'll have that.

Again, I appreciate you all pulling back. Carry on. . . .

At The Movies Moderator

[George Bellefontaine]

Yep. I for one strongly encourage discussions on films. Anytime anyone of us here at The Guide does a review, be it long or short, it is always IN OUR HUMBLE OPINION, so please, please discuss away. Discussion is what a forum is all about.