Some background first…… I think I saw the original Batman on TV at some point, but currently own and saw in the theatre, Batman Begins. It is one of my favorite movies. Batman fans will probably agree that I was foolish to buy the original 4 movies having really enjoyed Batman Begins. I tend to like more believable movies and not really into cartoons or animation.
After seeing Indiana Jones at a sold out Saturday showing at the AMC Uptown in Cleveland Park, I knew that Batman, if it came to the Uptown, being a single screen theatre decisions by management are necessary, would be another one to see on the huge screen. In fact, the IMAX theatre at the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, VA is and has been sold out since opening with only 11 PM showings available this week. There is a sold out showing at 5:30 PM on Sunday! Perhaps that is because tickets are only $12.50, or that the 5 story movie screen is a little bigger than the screen at the local Regal Cinema.
Oh, but best part about the Uptown…..people are actually courteous? WOW, no cell phone conversations or rude patrons talking throughout the show. I was totally amazed and happy. The Uptown is definitely the movie theatre to go to!
Here come the spoilers……
Apparently Wayne mansion is not completed yet and Wayne tower seems to have a new look. Gotham has been cleaned up with no graffiti to be found. The new base for Batman is lacking bats, but the new toys are cool. The coolest was probably a cell phone sonar device which allows them to listen in on calls and actually see through walls to locate people.
Most of the main characters exist in the movie with their original actors and actresses. I thought that Rachael Dawes had packed on a few pounds in her face, but it was actually a different actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal instead of Katie Holmes. Heath Ledger did a great job as the Joker. I have seen him in a few movies, and he is an amazing actor. I had no idea he had a dark side to him. Jack Nicholson on the other hand, I could see as the Joker. He definitely as a mean streak as I saw in A Few Good Men.
I was a little surprised to see that Rachael had a boyfriend and was not holding out for Bruce. She probably thought that Bruce would always be needed as Batman and that would keep them apart. Hmm…sounds like Spiderman, Superman. Why cannot people be superheros and have wives? LOL.
When it came down to splitting up and saving Rachael and the new Commissioner, I was a little shocked that Batman chose to save the Commissioner. This was probably because the Commissioner was the good guy that Gotham needed to replace Batman so that Bruce could live a normal life and get the girl 🙂 I am glad that Alfred burned up the note which was to be given to Bruce that she had decided to stay with the Commissioner and was hurtful by stating that Bruce would always need Batman. Ouch. I think that was just way to say that she liked Aaron Eckhart more than Christian Bale.
Amazing CGI
Did I mention that the CGI was amazing?! Unlike the Mummy where the “being’ is regenerating as he is eating up those who woke him which I actually could stomach to look at, the CGI on Two Face was almost sickening! Getting his face half burned while being rescued by Batman while Rachael dies in the other building, he refused skin grafts and basically you see his eyeball and teeth and inside his closed mouth. The liquid spilling out. I am glad that was brief!
The Sequel
Just when you think Batman is ready to hang up the towel, by burning any and all evidence in the wall furnace…hmm..a little odd to have one of those in there along with all the modern technology I would have suspected a quadruple pass diamond cut shredder or some kind of particle demoleculizer since charred paper is still readable. Guess the effect would not be the same.
With the Batmobile destroyed…what will be next? Perhaps a flying vehicle? For now the motorcycle should suffice, but seems to be a little more dangerous and less armored than his previous mode of transport.
With Two Face dead, I was half suspecting him to be the villain in the next movie, and the Joker potentially in custody, what is next? Hmm…guess we will just have to wait for a copy of the script to leak out.
Impression
While I do think that Batman Begins is still my favorite of the 2, this movie was excellent. I did think the movie was over before it was which means my ADHD attention span was exhausted, but Titanic still has me for that. Checking my watch every few minutes to see if it was over yet! At 2.5 hours, it was long, but was very engaging the entire time and did not give me a chance to get that beverage refill or go to the boys room for fear I would miss an integral part in the movie.
Waiting inline for 2 hours in front of the smelly dumpster was worth it. After the first few breezes past the dumpster, either the smell went away, or my nose got used to it. I am hoping it was the first. Mind you, my nose is usually plugged from allergies, so my ability to smell the dumpster meant it was really a BAD smell.