"Batman Begins": Echos of a post-9/11 world?

Movie Gazette ^ | 6-8-2005 | Anton Bitel

[Bratch]

'Batman Begins' is emphatically concerned with retributive justice and the politics of fear - themes which have an inescapable geopolitical resonance in a post-9/11 context. Yet after the disappointingly simplistic takes on the dynamics of revenge offered by recent films like The Punisher and Man on Fire, it is gratifying to see that Nolan's film depicts the morality of justice in a manner that is anything but cartoonish.

As Wayne struggles to do what is right, he is informed as much by the values of the judicial system, of law enforcement and of patriarchal philanthropy (values embodied respectively by Rachel, Gordon and, through Alfred, Wayne's own father) as he is by anger, fear and a desire for vengeance (an ideology represented by the fascistic 'League') - and so the film's dialogue, scripted by David S. ('Dark City') Goyer, weaves an ongoing, highly nuanced argument about crime, punishment, and the uses and and abuses of terror. It is inevitable that Wayne become an extra-judicial vigilante - for that is the very core of his legend - but the film ends not on a celebratory note, but rather with dark mutterings about 'escalation', and a suggestion (fulfilled by the films to which this stands as a prequel) that the beginnings of Batman also mark the beginnings of a new, more dangerous sort of criminal, modeled on Batman's own underground methods.

From this it is not difficult to unmask a multi-faceted commentary on America's current flouting (however well-intentioned, or even necessary) of international law in its War on Terror, and a subtle warning about what the consequences may be. Such serious and intelligent engagement with the issues that darken our own times make 'Batman Begins' more than merely an entertaining blockbuster about a man in a cape.

[NeoCaveman]

Oh don't tell me they screwed up a Batman movie.

I was hoping after they screwed it up last time with the multiple cartoon villians that they'd get it right this time.

[Bratch]

I'm sorry. I was interested in other people's opinions of this review. I didn't realize it was customary to provide a commentary when posting.

It appears many reviewers of this year's "blockbusters" are trying to apply 9/11 themes. I saw it in Revenge of the Sith reviews (and the director also referenced it), and it's appearing in more than one of the "Batman Begins" recaps.

I'm not sure how much of it is the intent of the film makers or the perception of the folks doing the reviewing....

[LAURENTIJ]

Batman is supposed to be a vigilante, and a good guy. He's cool.

[Bratch]

Here's another review that uses a 9/11 comparison.

---

More than appreciably darker, Batman Begins tackles the story's essential Freudian/Jungian mooring, returning over and over to the dank, vaginal tunnel that a young Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has tied inextricably to the death of his parents until the moment that a grown Bruce, after a self-imposed exile of seven years, penetrates the black pit of his divorce from his parents to find himself reborn, as it were, underground.

Throughout, Bruce is compared against his philanthropist father to the point where the lead villain confesses that the fate of Gotham was postponed for a time by daddy's example and eventual martyrdom. They're comparisons that inspire Bruce, in billionaire playboy mode, to ruin his family's name with unpleasant drunken outbursts, high profile stunts with supermodels, and general strutting and preening in the American Psycho mold.

Heady stuff, to be sure, made brilliant as it's married to a narrative about a group of moral absolutists seeking to impose their version of morality on thousands, nay, millions of innocent souls that is as topical as it is loaded.

The film works as a commentary on not only Osama Bin Laden's crusade against the West, but also Bush Jr.'s crusade against the Middle East. It's all about fear and loathing, this high profile, big-budget product of a post-millennial United States--and it's about as good as it gets

---

Film Freak Central

[LAURENTIJ]

"The film works as a commentary on not only Osama Bin Laden's crusade against the West, but also Bush Jr.'s crusade against the Middle East"

Wow I hate talk like that. How stupid can people get. Rhetorical question.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

So....

1. You knew enough to post this thread in General/Chat.

2. You know how html works in this forum.

3. You finally came up with an opinion long after you were asked for one.

4. You showed up today.

5. Your knowledge of how things work on FR is fairly solid and you had NO idea that posters that originate threads usually comment on what they bring to this place.

??

[Bratch]

I have seen countless threads started on Free Republic with little or no commentary initially by the poster.

I realize I'm a newbie, and as such, will be looked upon with suspicion until I get my feet wet. But I assure you I have no agenda other than to promote intelligent debate on one of my favorite websites.

As to the tardiness of my replies, I am a moderator on another message board and I need to keep at least one eye over there.

And, FWIW, I know just enough about HTML to get myself in all kinds of trouble.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

That's good! You've a cover story for any possible challenge.

6. NOBODY puts together a profile page as soon as they register.

Bravo. Sierra.

[Bratch]

I have NO idea how that got on my profile....unless it was automatically picked up from the Message Board I moderate.

That's exactly what's listed on my profile page over there.

My "handle" is kybobcat

[Bratch]

BTW, here's a neat chase seen involving the new Batmobile.

It looks like a hummer on steroids.

"To the Batmobile!"

[stands2reason]

Gimmeabreak.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

My first stalker.

I'm speechless.

[Brett66]

Looking forward to this movie.

[Slings and Arrows]

ZOT 'em all, let MODS sort 'em out!

[stands2reason]

I hope you don't think I'm stalking you.

Because then you'd be positively loony-tunes.

[Bratch]

---

ZOT 'em all, let MODS sort 'em out!

---

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Nice tagline.


Ok, I'm just a bit cranky tonight. Sorry if I'm taking it out on anyone here. I never should have turned this damned computer on.

I recently lost my Dad and now I'm looking at suing the funeral home and hiring a lawyer to keep one of my sisters from stealing my Mother blind.

I apologize and good night.

BTLD

[stands2reason]

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Bratch]

Quote:

---

I recently lost my Dad and now I'm looking at suing the funeral home and hiring a lawyer to keep one of my sisters from stealing my Mother blind.

---

FWIW, my father-in-law has been battling throat cancer since January 2000. And my parents (88 and 87) have both went through open-heart surgeries and suffer from various ailments connected with ageing.

Hope everything works out.

[DTogo]

Rejecting the group's merciless brand of vigilantism, Wayne returns to Gotham, where the judiciary and constabulary are corrupt, and crime boss Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson) now operates with impunity. Determined to put his new skills to good use, Wayne becomes the masked crimefighter Batman. Aided directly by his trusted family butler Alfred (Michael Caine), and less directly by the head of Wayne Enterprises' Applied Sciences division, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), by old childhood friend turned Assistant DA Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), and by honest cop Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Wayne soon uncovers a far more catastrophic threat to the city than Falcone and his thugs. In a plot involving Arkham Asylum's chief psychiatrist Dr Jonathan Crane (Cillian Murphy), his mysterious backers and a panic-inducing hallucinogen, Gotham is about to be visited by some very rough justice.

Plenty of comparisons to a post-9/11 world, but having seen and enjoyed Revenge of the Sith with no thoughts on Earthly geopolitics, I'm sure I'll simply enjoy this film, too.