I've always been a big comic-book fan. Ever since I was a kid, I enjoyed the adventures of Superman, Batman, the Flash, and Green Lantern. I've been more into DC than Marvel---Nothing against Marvel; I just always got more into the DC characters. Having said that, I am forced to admit that Marvel makes better movies. They stick closer to the character, and stay much more accurate to the story than DC ever does. This is largely because of Stan Lee, who cares enough about his characters to review the scripts, and even appear in each movie, Hitchcock-style.
When a DC movie is made, however, the directors show no ability to stay close to the actual story. And Batman is the worst offender; not once have they made a Batman movie that truly portrayed Batman without screwing up the story. I'm not talking about tiny details; I'll be the last one to sit in a theater and scream,"Hey, that stapler belongs on the other side of Detective Montoya's desk!" But I don't think it's too much to ask that Robin the Boy Wonder be portrayed as, you know, a boy? Rather than a retired police officer.
The Christopher Nolan movies are fine movies, taken on their own. But the problem is that they really can't---Or shouldn't---Be taken on their own; they're part of a legacy that has existed since the 1930s. When you're telling a Batman story, you're contributing to the legacy, and I feel you should respect that legacy, instead of trashing it to put your own spin on it. Christopher Nolan hasn't made Batman movies so much as he's made Bat-flavored mash-ups.
I once had a friend (A female---This is important) say to me that you can't view them that way; you have to take them on their own, without comparing each movie to the whole legacy. To that female friend, I have to ask....How did you like the "Dirty Dancing" remake? Was it good, on its own? Or did you sit there shrieking,"That's not Patrick Swayze!"
Aaaand so much for taking a movie by itself.
Regarding the Robin problem, I've been told that Christian Bale has refused to appear in a movie that features Robin, because he hates the character. To which I say....So what? He's an actor. He'll read the lines, or we'll give the paycheck to someone who will. If he doesn't like Robin, then find someone else to play the part----And don't tell me nobody else could play Batman. Michael Keaton played Batman. Once they shoveled Mr. Mom into that costume, they pretty much established that Batman is played entirely by the costume. It could be John Cleese in there, it wouldn't matter. So I'd suggest telling Christian Bale to shut up and read the lines already.
And as for the lines....Make them shorter. Please. I've noticed that in all three movies, the heroes have lines that leave me thinking,"Yeah, great, Batman, but like fifteen people just died while you were finishing that sentence." They give huge flowery speeches at the worst possible moment. At the end of the second movie, when asked by his son why Batman is running, instead of saying something comprehensible to a child, Commissioner Gordon explains,"Because we have to chase him. He's the hero Gotham needs, but not the one it deserves. He's a noble hero, a dark knight...." Jesus, Jim, the kid is seven! No wonder your wife took him when she left.
Batman outdoes himself this way in the final movie. About to fly a nuclear bomb away from the city, and save everyone, he is held up by Gordon, who is apparently the only person in Gotham who hasn't yet figured out Batman's secret identity. When Gordon asks who Batman is, instead of saying the sensible thing ("Bruce Wayne! Bye!") he goes into a long speech: "Anyone can be a hero....Even for something as simple as putting a jacket around a little boy's shoulders to show him that the world didn't end...."
All of which is very dramatic and all. But it leaves the audience pointing at their watches and shouting,"Hello! Nuclear bomb! Two minutes! Bruce!"
(At least Adam West wasn't giving a huge speech, that day he just couldn't get rid of a bomb.)
Bruce Wayne is inadvertently shown as the biggest threat to Gotham. In the majority of Nolan's movies, the bad guys are attacking Gotham City with weapons stolen from Wayne Enterprises. In the final one, Bane takes over the city using Batman's own stuff. It's enough to make you wish a millionaire orphan had gone into toothbrush manufacture or something.
I want Batman back. The real Batman, the one who was good for Gotham and didn't take forever to finish a sentence. The Batman who cared about his kid sidekick. The one who kept track of his stuff.
But I did get to see Anne Hathaway in a skintight Catwoman outfit, so there was a redeeming feature there.
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