Batman: Arkham Origins Releases Today!

Batman: Arkham Origins releases today! The third game in the Batman: Arkham video game series is out today. The Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City games are the closest thing you will ever get to actually becoming the Dark Knight. If you are a Batman fan, you own it to yourself to play the Arkham games because they are awesome. Seriously, they would at least make my Top 10 Video games of all-time. Since the game has just been released, I have decided that I will review the other two Batman games and then Origins after I finish it. Also I have already pre-ordered Origins and it will hopefully arrive in a few days. My main concern about the game is that Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are not back to reprise their roles as Batman and the Joker, and Rocksteady is not making the game, but instead are handing it over to Warner Bros. Games Montréal. Despite this, the multiplayer is intriguing and reason to play the game's awesome combat system is a good one. Do you plan to buy the game? Are you a fan of the other Arkham games? Please comment below.

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New Batman is Ben Affleck?

Ben Affleck is officially cast as Batman in the upcoming sequel to Man of Steel, presumably named "Batman Vs. Superman." Well, this is surprising news, maybe he will end up directing Justice League movie after all, but more on that later. While many Nolanites and Batman fans are outraged, I am not entirely sure what to think. My reaction was almost literally what Captain Reynolds thought when he saw River in the first episode (video below). From what everyone has said, Ben Affleck has become a good actor and an excellent director since the disappointing Daredevil film. Yes, Ben Affleck has already played a comic book character, a Marvel one to be specific, and what I find funny is how Daredevil is the closest thing to Batman in the Marvel universe, except Daredevil is a much darker character in the comics and one of the best. About the Daredevil film, it was not very good; it basically got just about everything wrong with the character, however the movie itself is arguably average, and the director's cut is said to be a lot better. Also Disney-Marvel actually owns the rights to Daredevil now after Fox lost them. Back to Affleck as Batman, I am mostly indifferent about the choice. I have yet to see any of the movies he has directed, although I plan to watch some of them at some point. It was rumored a while back that Affleck might direct the Justice League movie, and considering that he often acts in the films that he directs that is not an entirely outlandish idea. While Zack Sndyer is the most likely candidate at this point, Affleck might be a better pick considering he directed the Oscar winning Argo, although his action direction is still in question. So, what do you think of this casting choice? Please comment below.

 

My initial reaction.

 

 

Affleck playing both Batman and Daredevil: let the memes and jokes begin!



 

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Batman/Superman Movie Officially Announced

It is official, Batman will be part of the Man of Steel of sequel! What millions of fans have clamoring for is finally becoming a reality. The movie is set to be released in 2015, the same year as Star Wars Ep. VI, Avengers 2, and Ant-Man, therefore 2015 could be the most epic year in the history of cinema. Zack Sndyer is coming back to direct the sequel, which is not a bad thing nor it is the best thing for the franchise. The actor for Batman has yet to be announced however, there is plenty of time before principle photography begins so announce will not be for a while. It is mostly confirmed that Christian Bale will not be returning to reprise his role of Batman nor will any of the other "Nolanverse" characters be featured in the film. David Goyer is set to unfortunately pen the script again for the sequel. While Goyer can be a solid writer, his script for Man of Steel lacked the human touch and made all but Superman's character feel cold and distant. As for Batman, it has been suggested that he will play part of an antagonist, possibly fighting Superman, at least in the beginning. Unless Kryptonite or something similar is introduced in the Man of Steel universe, Batman stands no chance. Sure, Batman have defeated Superman in the Dark Knight Returns comic, but Superman did not really want to hurt Bruce. Other rumors are that a Flash movie is set for a 2016 release date and a Justice League film in 2017.

This is somewhat off topic but something that I will understand is why everyone was complaining about the recent reboot of Spider-Man before it even came out because people thought it was "too soon" for a reboot, even though Spider-Man 3 was disappointing. Conversely, there was approximately the same amount between the horrendous Superman Returns and Man of Steel yet no one was being jerk and complaining that it was "too soon" for a reboot. Also people are not complaining that is too soon for Batman to be rebooted, it makes no sense! Regardless, Man of Steel and the Dark Knight movie will either be the fun team-up fans have been waiting for, or a complete disaster. What are your thoughts on the upcoming Batman/Superman movie? Please sound off in the comments. Also please check back tomorrow for my review of Death Note.

 

This is a picture of the official logo shown at Comic-Con.

 

 

 

 

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Dark Knight Rises Best Parody Ever.

Here is a hilarious dubbing of The Dark Knight Rises. While I have a unique sense of humor, and many do not find what I like funny, this is my favorite video on YouTube. It is ridiculously funny and has a great sense of humor, that I just can't get enough of. I have literally seen it more than 20 times over the last 4 months. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as I do and warning it is packed with spoilers. Also there is another video Dark Knight Rises Holiday parody by video the Auralnauts, which I enjoy almost as much. Check back tomorrow for my review of Gettysburg.

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Batman: Under the Red Hood Review.

By popular choice, here is the review for Batman: Under the Red Hood.

Thoughts: Batman: Under the Red Hood is a 2010 direct-to-video animated superhero film based on the Batman storylines "A Death in the Family" and "Under the Hood".
2D animation is one of my favorite forms of animation and DC has made some great direct-to-video movies that could even compete with some of the best live-action comic book adaptations and Batman: Under Red Hood is definitely the best of their recent movie.
While this version of Batman is still dark and gritty, it is definitely more rooted in the comic book universe than other adaptations of the character. Also this movie is made more for people who are at least somewhat familiar with the other adaptations of Batman.
The action is fantastic and probably the best animated action I have ever seen (more on action below), the animation style drawn well but the use of 3D animation mixed with 2D animation does not work well at all. There were a few noticeable flaws, some of the dialogue was a little corny, and the movie could have been slightly more realistic in parts of the action. Also if there was a small change to the ending, it would have been perfect. One of the strongest aspects of the film is some of thematic material. Mostly about would it be better to just kill The Joker and end the suffering of millions. Another strong point of Under the Red Hood is the ending, it was very suspenseful, and I was waiting with bated breath during the final scene.



Note: The scoring of the film is relative to other animated movies, not live-action films. Therefore a animated movie with a score of 9.5/10 is not necessarily better than a live-action film with a score of 8.7/10.


Directed by: Brandon Vietti
Genre: Comic Book, Action, Animated,
Release Date: July 27, 2010
Running Time: 75 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Amazing action scenes, Near perfect ending, Mostly strong voice cast,

The Bad:

Note: Although Under the Red Hood is animated, it is rated PG-13 for violence, and language.




Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
At a manor in Sarajevo, Ra's al Ghul ruefully realizes his mistake in allying himself with the Joker, while his assistant informs him that the Joker has captured Robin (Jason Todd). In a warehouse, the Joker brutally beats Jason with a crowbar while Batman races there. Joker then leaves the warehouse and traps a half-dead Jason inside. Although he attempts to escape, a planted explosive destroys the building, taking Jason with it as Batman arrives too late to save him.
Five years later in Gotham City, a masked man known as Red Hood takes command of the drug trade, assuring eight prominent heads of the business protection from Batman and the crime lord Black Mask in return. The heads initially decline, but Red Hood tosses them a bag full of the heads of their lieutenants, easily changing their minds. Elsewhere, Batman intercepts a stolen truck carrying Amazo, an android weapon, and Nightwing arrives to help take it down. The drivers reveal they were under Red Hood’s orders before being assassinated by their employer. Batman gives chase and eventually ends up at the chemical plant that created the Joker, where Red Hood confronts him and comments that it is the place where Batman made his first great failure. Red Hood then escapes. Afterward, Batman and Nightwing interrogate Joker at Arkham Asylum for information; the clown merely taunts them with Jason’s death and denies involvement.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.




Plot: 9.5/10- Despite a few areas were Under the Red Hood could have improved (noted above), the pace was unrelenting and the serious moments worked perfectly. However, some of the more comedic parts did not blend well with the rest of the movie. Also themes worked very well and the ending was great.

Action: 9.9/10- Although of the action could have been slightly more believable, it is by far the best animated action I have seen. The scenes are very impressive and the use of weapons is very inventive. If you are an action movie fan, it is worth for the action. Additionally the references to The Matrix during some scenes were great.

Voice Acting: 9.2/10- Overall the voice cast is strong including some familiar stars like Jason Isaacs (The Patriot, Harry Potter series), and Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother). Except that Bruce Greenwood as Bruce Wayne / Batman was not a great Batman, although it is hard to match Kevin Conroy's superior performance. Jensen Ackles as the Red Hood was excellent in the role and one of the strongest aspects of the film. Also John DiMaggio as The Joker was a good mix of Mark Hamill, Jack Nicholson, and Heath Ledger. His laugh almost sounded exactly like Hamill's iconic laugh.

Art Style: 9.3/10- While the 2D animation style is fantastic, the 3D rendered objects occasionally added with the 2D did not blend well and it looked unfinished, although it was really only in one scene of the movie. Despite that small complaint, the animation was portrayed brilliantly and fluently during the action scene.

Soundtrack: 7.4/10- A few of the tracks were memorable and overall it complemented the film well enough.

Comedy: 6.9/10- Some of the humor was out of place and was a little corny but Black Mask and The Joker did deliver some humorous lines.

Would I Watch This Again: Definitely, one of the best animated movies ever made.

Note: The scoring of the film is relative to other animated movies, not live-action films.

Overall: 9.5/10- Overall Batman: Under the Red Hood is action packed, yet has depth and a suspenseful ending.

Closing Comments: Batman: Under the Red Hood is a must see for any Batman or animation fan.


Recommended for: Batman fans, Animation fans, Action fans, Comic Book fans,

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Top 25 Batman Movie Moments Part 3: 7-1.

If you have not seen Part 1 or Part 2 please click on the links and comment.

At Number 7: Good Cop, Bat Cop

"The good cop, bad cop routine?", "Not exactly". Another one of Ledger's many great scenes. It is hard to describe it, but this just works so well.

At Number 6: I'm Batman

Although the action in this scene was not framed very well, the menacing "I'm Batman." part at the end is just perfect.

At Number 5: The Joker vs. Batman

The final dual between Batman and The Joker ends and I love The Joker's speech at the end of the fight. Possibly the most quotable scene in the entire movie. I have seen this scene at least 20 times and I could watch it all day long.

At Number 4: The Dark Knight Ending

The epic conclusion to The Dark Knight and every time I watch this scene, it makes me even more excited to watch The Dark Knight Rises. This is such an awesome scene, and Gary Oldman as Gordon's speech sums up the film very well.

At Number 3: Phantasm Identity Revealed

I will not spoil the shocking reveal at the end of Mask of the Phantasm but you must watch the movie if you have any interest in Batman, mysteries, comic book movies or animation.

At Number 2: Why So Serious?

"You want to how I got these scars?" The score builds tension, and the famous "Why So Serious?" line is perfect for The Joker's character.

At Number 1: Pencil Trick

Yes, I had to with the "Pencil Trick" but this also includes what comes afterwards about with "Kill the Batman" proposal. This perfectly shows The Joker's statistic insanity and it is so entertaining to watch. Also this is one my of Top 25 Favorite Movie Moments as well.

I know I could not have included every great scene from the movies and there are a few scenes I know had a good case for making the list. So what are some of your favorite scenes from the Batman movies? Please do not include any from the recent Dark Knight Rises because I have not seen it yet but I might write the list again after I buy The Dark Knight Rises on Blu-Ray. Also if everything goes as planed, unlike last week, I should be going to see The Dark Knight Rises Wednesday and post the review Thursday and tomorrow I will be posting "The Dark Knight Plot Hole" so look for that tomorrow as well.

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Top 25 Batman Movie Moments Part 2: 16-8.

Here is Part 2 of the Top 25 Batman Movie Moments.

At Number 16: Train Fight

"I won't kill you. But I don't have to save you." Although the camera work during the fight was done poorly, this was an epic end to Ra's al Ghul.

At Number 15: Batman vs. The Joker

The surprisingly brutal and violent fight between Batman and The Joker at the end of Mask of the Phantasm, which pushs the boundaries of the PG rating. There really could not be a better finish to such a great movie.

At Number 14: Agent of Chaos

Note: This video was edited to mostly show the Hospital parts.

"I took your little plan and turn it on its self.", this is hilarious in a very twisted kind of way and the exchange between Harvey and The Joker is brilliant. Interest fact was that the scene with the building exploding was improvised Ledger and when the explosives did not work Ledger continued to act in character.

At Number 13: "Swear to Me!"

This is another one of those scenes that is just really cool and awesome to watch. "Swear to Me!"

At Number 12: Party Crashing

I love the story about the scars, which is never the same and we never know what was the real story or why he is insane. There are so many quotable lines in just a few minutes of film, Ledger steals the scene as usual. "You know, you remind me of my father. I HATED my father!", "A little fight in you, I like that" "Then you going to love me!"

At Number 11: Batman Begins Ending Scene

This set up The Dark Knight perfectly by introducing the card at the end of movie. Also if you look closely at the officer's name who found the card, it is "J. Kerr", which is similar to one of Joker's aliases "Joe Kerr" like "Joker".

At Number 10: Rachel's Death

Although I did not find Rachel's death all too compelling, it was used as a major plot device very well and setup Harvey's tranformation into, Two-Face.

At Number 9: The Birth of Batman

This scene is so bone chilling and effective with the incredible score and animation.

At Number 8: Bank Heist Opening

Another one of The Dark Knight's many iconic scenes is the Bank Heist. It was pulled off perfectly and introduces The Joker. "I believe what ever doesn't kill you, simply makes you stranger."

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Top 25 Batman Movie Moments Part 1: 25-18.

Because The Dark Knight Rises has recently been released in theaters, it seemed like a good time to make a Top 25 Batman Movie Moments. A moment can last any were from 1 or 2 minutes to around 10 minutes. Also because not every video that I need has been posted on YouTube, some of what I consider a "Moment" can be longer than the what the shows. I am including any scene that was in any of the Batman theatrically released films however, I do not like the Tim Burton much so do not expect any scenes from those movies. Also there is going to be a lot of Joker clips from The Dark Knight.

Because this includes the best moments from the movies, there will be spoilers for The Dark Knight and Batman Begins but I will not spoil "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm" because so few people have actually seen the movie.

Warning: Spoilers for The Dark Knight and Batman Begins.

At Number 25: Escaping the League of Shadows

Note: This is the only video I could find and it is in a different language.

Although Bruce did refuse to kill the murder, he did end up most likely killing him and most of the League of Shadows anyway. 

At Number 24: The Doctor Isn't In

Cillian Murphy's underrated performance as Dr. Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow is perfect for the role and the way his fear gas is used is very well done. 

At Number 23: First Crime Fighting Attempt

This scene from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm obviously influenced the scene in Batman Begins were Bruce wears the ski mask and tries to fight crime. Although it was not exactly the most successful in the his first attempt.

At Number 22: The Bats

Although very implausible, it is just a very cool and memorable scene from Batman Begins.

At Number 21: "You either die a hero or live enough to see your self become the villain."

"You either die a hero or live enough to see your self become the villain." One of the many great quotes from The Dark Knight and one that would later have a deeper meaning.

At Number 20: "Hit Me!"/Chase

Note: This also includes the chase scene.

This scene is intense and ends with a hilarious line from The Joker "Can you please just give me a minute." and the revealed of that Gordon has not died.

At Number 19: Parents Death

One of the most iconic plot points in Batman's origin, the death of his parents. Which would give him the drive to become what he needed to be to stop injustice.

At Number 18: Training

Liam Neeson's is always perfect in the mentor role and Batman Begins is no exception. Watching Bruce becoming more than a man, but a symbol.

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Holy Reboot Batman!

In the words of the 60s TV series Robin, "Holy Reboot Batman, does this sound like a bad idea!"

I have been hearing a lot about the reboot for the last year. The idea of rebooting is crazy from a film making stand point but from a money making stand point Warner Brothers is doing just what you would expect.

There is almost no direction to go with the Batman franchise after the Nolan movies. I do not think it is a good idea to reboot the franchise but if they do reboot the franchise this is where I want them to go with the franchise. It would be safe in assuming that it would lead into a Justice League movie or as some reports claim, the Justice League movie would come first and then the Batman reboot, which sounds really crazy. Also Christopher Nolan is not going to produce the movie as previously stated and he will have nothing to do with the Justice League movie.

Since Nolan has already made a dark, gritty and realistic version of Batman. It needs to go for a more comic book style like the Batman: Arkham City video game but it should still be dark and gritty. Or it should try to have a similar style as the up-coming Superman: Man of Steel because it is set in the same universe.

Batman Beyond Route

Although it is nearly impossible, I would like them to go with a Batman Beyond movie based on the awesome TV by Bruce Timm and company. They could cast Clint Eastwood or someone similar as the aging Bruce Wayne and find some young actor to play Terry. The futuristic dystopian setting would be dark and edgy yet new and fresh. Although I have just started the series again, I think it would work great as a movie, especially considering that the animated Batman Beyond was so good.

The Setup

As much as I would like to see a Batman Beyond movie, most likely the movie would have Bruce Wayne suit up for the 6th time in live action movie not including the 40s serials. The movie would really need to have Robin as his side-kick, although many would probably hate this idea, he was actually a good character in Batman: The Animated Series and the comics. They would definitely need to cast a young actor and not make the mistake that the Joel Schumacher did in his Batman movies by casting 30 year old to play the part.

The Villian

They really cannot go with The Joker again or any other character that was used in the Nolan films because fans would rip it apart or at least hold The Joker for the last film in the new series. Mr. Freeze should be the villain in the movie. He already has a very tragic past in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Heart of Ice" and everyone would like to forget about Arnold Schwarzenegger. Another character I would like to see is Harley Quinn, although it would be highly unlikely without The Joker being in the movie.

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for part 1 of the Top 25 Batman Movie Moments.

Also Here is a link to Edessa at HoloNet Entertainment Daily's post about the Batman reboot.

Note: This infomation is a little out dated because Nolan will have nothing to do with the reboot.

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The Dark Knight Review.

Thoughts: My opinion of of The Dark Knight has changed many times and I believe I have finally come to a consensus. The Dark Knight is a fantastic movie. For the record, I take back most of my negative comments about The Dark Knight in the past and I have given up on criticizing the movie. Although it will never be my favorite comic book movie, it is still one of the best and I am very much looking forward to The Dark Knight Rises.
There is a lot to be said about The Dark Knight, and I liked it a lot more on this viewing.
The Dark Knight opened with the famous Bank Heist scene, which set the tone for the movie and introduced The Joker well. Unlike the previous Batman Begins, the look and atmosphere has changed because the movie mostly focuses on the main city and not the slums of Gotham. Also there are a few new characters introduced into the movie like Harvey Dent played by Aaron Eckhart and The Joker played by Heath Ledger (more on him later). The Dark Knight is one of those sequels that is far better than the original, yet stays true to the original. Although Batman Begins is a very good movie, The Dark Knight is a phenomenal movie. The movie plays more like a terrorism thriller than a standard comic book movie, which worked very well. Christopher Nolan's direction and camera was mostly well done.
Batman's new costume actually looks functional unlike the one in Batman Begins. However, the one thing that I have always found ridiculous is Christian Bale's voice as Batman. Although he is trying to sound menacing, it comes off as really unnecessary, especially when he is wearing the Batman suit in his "Batcave" and talking to someone who knows his identity. His voice in Batman Begins was just fine for the character, he was still menacing and you could clearly understand what he was saying. But when he is wearing the costume, you can hardly even tell that it is Bale be-hind the mask.


The Joker: There is a lot to say about Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. He was a sadistic psychopath that kills people just because he enjoys creating chaos. This version of The Joker is a good match for Batman to battle wits and The Joker is always one step ahead of Batman. Although The Joker is less of a character with dimension and depth than a force that cannot be reasoned with. Heath Ledger's performance was in some ways a mix of the various versions of The Joker yet brought something new to the table. Surprisingly, there was some humor to the character in a very dark and twisted way but it did not feel cheap and some would not even find it humorous. Despite Heath Ledger's performance being over hyped by his unfortunate death, he was definitely deserving of his Oscar, it is unfortunate that other comic book movies of equal or better quality have not received such praise. “You want to see a magic trick?”

There are a few thing that are often said about The Dark Knight, which I really do not see in the movie but it has no effect on the quality of the movie. One of them being the violence. Many have said that The Dark Knight is a very violent for a PG-13 movie, but really do not see why someone would say. Although there is a lot of implied violence and death, there is little to no blood. Compared to a movie like The Amazing Spider-Man were was some a good deal of blood, The Dark Knight is not pushing the boundaries of the PG-13 rating. Only that the context and tension makes it seem more violent to some than other. Another thing that is often said is that The Dark Knight is a "scary" movie to some degree, while there are some unexpected thrills, the movie is not frightening to me in that sense but I guess some might be. These do not effect the quality of the movie in any way but are observations.



Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Action, Comic Book, Action Thriller, Crime Thriller,
Release date: July 18, 2008
Running Time: 152 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13


The Good: Strong cast, Superb performances, Complex plot and themes, Brilliant performance by Heath Ledger, Surprisingly thought provoking, Unexpected plot twists, Memorable quotes, Fantastic soundtrack,


The Bad:





Plot: In Gotham City, the Joker and his accomplices rob a bank used by the local mob as a front for money laundering. Batman and Lieutenant James Gordon decide to include new district attorney Harvey Dent, who is dating Bruce Wayne's childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes, in their plan to eradicate the mob. Bruce later meets Dent and offers him a fundraiser after realizing his sincerity. Mob bosses Sal Maroni, Gambol, and the Chechen meet to discuss the new pressure on their crime operations. Lau, a Chinese mafia accountant, informs them that he has hidden their money and fled to Hong Kong in an attempt to preempt Gordon's plan to seize their funds and hide from Dent's jurisdiction. The Joker barges into the meeting, warning that Batman will come after Lau, and instead offers to kill Batman for half of the funds. They flatly refuse, and Gambol places a bounty on the Joker's head. Not long after, the Joker kills Gambol and takes control of his gang.
Batman captures Lau in Hong Kong and delivers him to the Gotham City police; he agrees to testify, allowing Dent and Gordon to arrest the mobsters en masse. In retaliation, the Joker issues an ultimatum to Gotham that people will die each day unless Batman reveals his identity. Watch the movie to see what happens next.



Plot: 9.7/10- The plot is complex but not so complex that it would confuss the general audience. With most of the characters have enough screen time to fully flesh their character arc and the longer run time than most really helps give the movie more time enough to wrap up the plot.


Action:8.3/10- After the complete lack of well filmed action in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight does vastly improve in that area. The amount of action great and mostly well done. The car chase was mostly well made and the hand-to-hand fighting was solid.

Acting: 9.8/10- The Dark Knight has a phenomenal cast full of all-star performances. Although Heath Ledger is the stand out performance in the movie as The Joker (more on him above), the entire cast gave top notch performances. The only real weak link is Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes. Sometimes it is hard to remember that she is the same character as the one in the previous movie.

Special effects: 8.5/10- The explosions and other effects looked very good and one CGI effect worked very well.

Soundtrack: 9.7/10- Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard improved upon the their previous score in Batman Begins with a more powerful theme and a Alfred Hitchcock like suspense theme for The Joker.


Comedy: 7.5/10- Surprisingly there was some good humor to lighten up the movie, mostly from Morgan Freeman's and Michael Caine's characters.

Would I Watch This Again: This is my 4th or 5th viewing of The Dark Knight and I plan to watch a least a few times more.


Overall: 9.7/10- The Dark Knight is an excellent movie that spans many genres and can appeal to many audiences.


Closing comments: Will The Dark Knight Rises match the greatness of The Dark Knight? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Recommended for: Action movie fans, Comic book movie fans, Batman fans, Action Thriller fans, Crime Thriller fans, Crime movie fans,


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Batman Begins Review.

Thoughts: My opinion of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies have changed many times after my three viewing of the movie. I have liked the movie more each time I have watched it and I have finally have come to a opinion of the movie.
Batman Begins obviously starts from the beginning of Batman's origin. His origin is well told and entertaining to watch. The cast is excellent including some my favorite actors like Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson and Michael Caine just to name few. The look and atmosphere of Gotham city is great, it looks realistic and gritty. However, in the sequel The Dark Knight the look of Gotham is a little different. Another thing that I did really like is how Batman used stealth to out his enemies in one scene, it was done very, I just wish that there was more of it in the movie.
Batman Begins is just what the Batman franchise needed at the time after the complete epic fail of the one of the worst movies of all-time "Batman and Robin". It revived the franchise with a good new take on the character. Although Batman is more of a ninja than a detective, which is not my favorite take on the character but I watched this version before Batman: The Animated Series version of the character. There is one major flaw in the movie that cannot be ignored. Most of the fight scenes are so poorly choreographed and edited you cannot see what is happening. There is absolutely no excuse for this in a modern action movie. One scene in particular were he first becomes Batman and fights crime is a poor excuse for an action scene, there is not reason for it. Some of the early action scenes are choreographed and edited decently but still could have better. The only good action sequence is the car chase.
After reading Drury at Banon's Roar!'s review for Batman Begins, which you can Click Here to read, he pointed out some valid flaws with the movie that I would like to mention in the reviews. He also agreed that the action scenes were not edited well. But one of his most interesting points in his review was that the plot unnecessarily explained multiple times to the audience. After this third viewing, I agree that it was a little unnecessary to question the audience's intellect, which Christopher Nolan would not do in his later movie Inception.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Genre: Action, Comic Book, Crime,
Release date: June 15, 2005 (2005-06-15)
Running Time: 140 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Great cast, Darker more realistic version of Batman, Very good performances, Excellent score, Perfect casting of Gray Oldman as Sgt. James Gordon,

The Bad: Very poorly edited and choreographed fight scenes,

Plot: A young Bruce Wayne falls down a well, and is attacked by bats. Bruce then awakens from this nightmare of his past, and is revealed to be a prisoner in Bhutan. He is approached by Henri Ducard, who speaks for Ra's al Ghul, leader of the League of Shadows, and invites him to train with the elite vigilante group. The narrative returns to Bruce's childhood, to the fateful night he witnessed his parents' murder by a mugger named Joe Chill. Chill is later arrested, and Bruce is taken home and raised by the family butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Fourteen years later, Bruce returns to Gotham City from Princeton University, intent on killing Chill, whose prison sentence is being suspended in exchange for testifying against crime boss Carmine Falcone. Before he can act, however, one of Falcone's female assassins posing as a reporter kills Chill. Rachel Dawes, Bruce's childhood friend and now an assistant district attorney, is disgusted with Bruce's intent, telling him his father would be ashamed of him. That night, Bruce confronts Falcone, who tells the young man that his criminal empire is invincible because it runs on fear and Bruce, being the "Prince of Gotham", would never understand this because he has never felt real pain and suffering. Inspired, Bruce decides to travel the world for several years, learning the various ways of the criminal underworld, before himself becoming a criminal and being arrested. After Bruce's training in the League of Shadows, Ra's and Ducard tell Bruce his purpose: He must lead the League to destroy Gotham, which they believe is corrupt beyond saving. Bruce refuses to become a murderer and battles Ra's, burning the temple in the process, before making his escape. Ra's is killed by falling debris, but Bruce saves an unconscious Ducard and returns to Gotham. Watch the movie to see what happens next.

Plot: 9.4/10- This is an excellent version of Batman's origin while it still incorporates characters like Ra's Al Ghul and Scarecrow into plot with feeling over stuffed like previous Batman movies.

  

Action: 5.9/10- As I stated above, the fight scenes were very poorly made. It almost would have made the movie better to not have a few of the poorly filmed action scenes. The camera work was not well directed and the sets were not well lit. The fight scenes may be due to Batman's costume that makes it nearly impossible to actually performance much real action, but there is no excuse for it in a movie. Unfortunately, it would not be until Inception that Christopher Nolan would truly figure out how to direct action scenes.

Acting: 9.6/10- Batman Begins has an excellent cast and the actors are perfectly casted for their respective roles. Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard gave his usual great performance, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox added good dry humor to them movie to keep the entertaining, and Cillian Murphy as Dr. Crane/Scarecrow gave a very chilling presence to the character. Also Gary Oldman as Sgt. James Gordon was the perfect choice for the character, he looks almost exactly like his comic book counter-part. Although Christian Bale's performance was very good, he cannot match Kevin Connroy's version from Batman: The Animated Series, fortunately at this point his voice is not ridiculously over played. The only subpar actor is Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, she gives a solid performance but she become annoying after a while.

Special effects:7.9/10- The special effects were used well where needed. Although it might not be considered a special effect, Batman's "Tumbler" (Batmobile) looked great on screen.

  

Soundtrack: 9.3/10- Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard's score added to the overall theme of the movie well.

Comedy: 7.3/10- Surprising amount of dry humor, mostly Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine's characters.

Would I Watch This Again: Yes, this movie has a surprising amount of re-watchablity.

Overall: 9.2/10- Despite its flaws, Batman Begins is a great start to the Batman trilogy.

Closing comments: Batman Begins is exactly what the Batman needed to revive the franchise.

Recommended for: Action movie fans, Comic book movie fans, Batman fans.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

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Batman in Film.

There have been many movie adaptations of Batman throughout the years and this is a look at his many movies, be it live-action or animation. Also I will not be including the 1940s movie serials, however I will include the many direct-to-DVD/VHS/Blu-Ray movies that were released. This is in roughly chronological order. For some of the movies I do not have a lot say because I have not seen every direct-to-DVD movie or I have not seen them recently enough to give an accurate opinion so I have posted a link to Ian Drury at Banon's Roar!'s reviews of the movies he has reviewed.

Batman 1966

Based on the ridiclously campy 60s Batman TV series starting Adam West. This is more of a parody than a movie, I have not watched this since I was a little kid. Although there are still a few who actually like this movie and the old series, it is not a good movie but still better than "Batman and Robin".

Batman (1989)

With Tim Burton movies you either love them or hate them and I cannot stand them, this is his only movie that I find watchable. The movie is decent and it started a new wave of comic book movies but I would not really recommend watching it. This and the other 90s Batman movies were the first comic book movies I watched when I was a kid but I do not like them now. There are still some fan of the movie who like it because of their sentimental attachment or that they are Tim Burton fan.

My Reivew for Tim Burton's Batman

Batman Returns (1992)

There are many differing opinion of Batman Returns, Tim Burton fans really like it because it is basically a Tim Burton fantasy movie with the same name as Batman characters. For some odd reason some character that have no real powers in the comics are given powers of some kind. For example Catwoman is thrown out a window is bitten by ramdom cats in a alley and then he she has nine lives for no reason at all. If you are a fan of the movie you need to watch this video below were it deconstructs and analyze it.

Banon's Roar!: Batman Returns (1992)

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

As you have hopefully read in my review for Mask of the Phantasm yesterday, this is a phenomenal movie. Not only is it the best animated movie ever created, it is my second favorite Batman movie after The Dark Knight. Unfortunately, Mask of the Phantasm did not perform well at the box office because of poor marketing but this is a true classic.

Banon's Roar!: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)

Batman Forever (1995)

This is was one of my little borther's favorite movies when he was like 4 or 5 years old, although we both hate it now. This was Joel Schumacher's first Batman and unfortunately not his last. This a terrible movie and it is sometimes hard to watch but this is not the worst the Batman franchise would reach.

Batman and Robin (1997)

Batman and Robin, also known as the Batman: The Death of a Franchise. OK, here we go with one of the worst comic book movies ever made, right down there with Catwoman. It is hard to describe how truly awful this movie is, it is even a stretch to call this a movie. Joel Schumacher has even apologized for how bad the movie was. George Clooney has even refuned fans that he was meet for the ticket price if they watched the movie in theaters.

Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998)

It has been a very long time since I have seen it but this is generally considered a good spin-off of the Batman: The Animated Series.

Banon's Roar!: Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero (1998)

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker was a direct-to-VHS/DVD based on the futuristic Batman Beyond TV series. Although it has been a years since I have seen Return of the Joker, it considered one of the best direct-to-DVD animated movies.

Banon's Roar!: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)

Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

Another spin-off of from the Batman: The Animated Series team. The mystery is good and it on par with some of the other Batman animated movies.

Banon's Roar!: Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman (2003)

The Batman vs. Dracula (2005)

Based off the some what disappointing "The Batman" TV series, pits Batman vs. Dracula and from what I remember it was OK.

Batman Begins (2005)

The beginning of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. This revived the Batman franchise and is still one of the best Batman adaptations. More on Batman Begins in my review Wedsday.

 Banon's Roar!: Batman Begins (2005)

Justice League: The New Frontier (2008)

One of the first DC direct-to-DVD movies not to be in the same continuity as Batman: The Animated Series and it is one of first of DC in a new wave of good quality PG-13 animated movies. Although I have not seen it since 2008, it was an overall good movie.

Batman: Gotham Knight (2008)

Gotham Knight is a series of short films set between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight but it is unofficially connected to the Nolan films.

The Dark Knight (2008)

Considered by many to the quote "Best Comic Book Movie of All-Time" and until the Avengers it was the highest grossing Comic Book movie. I will have more detail about The Dark Knight my review Thursday.

Banon's Roar!: The Dark Knight (2008)

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

Another another one of DC PG-13 animated movies featuring Batman and Superman. I have not seen this one yet but the critical reviews are mostly positive.

Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths (2010)

Another Justice League animated movie, I have yet to see either.

Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

Batman: Under the Red Hood, is generally considered one of the Batman's best animated films after The Mask of the Phantasm. Although Kevin Conroy does not reprise his role as Batman un this movie.

Banon's Roar!: Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)

Superman/Batman: Apocalypse (2010)

The sequel to Superman/Batman: Public Enemies focusing more on Supergirl than just Superman and Batman.

Batman: Year One (2011)

Based on the Frank Miller graphic novel of the same, Batman Year One was highly anticipated but fell short with less than steller reviews like the previous DC animated movies. 

Banon's Roar!: Batman: Year One (2011)

Justice League: Doom

 Loosely based on Mark Waid's JLA story arc, "JLA: Tower of Babel", Justice League: Doom is yet another one of DC's animated movies featuring The Dark Knight himself.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

3 days until The Dark Knight Rises and the hype is building. From one of the early reviews by IGN.com, it does not live up to The Dark Knight but it still recivied a rating of 9.0/10.

If you want to contact us or have any question please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

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