Holy Great Movie, Batman!

Last night, the BF and I ran out to see "Batman Begins." Me thinks the BF is a bigger fan than I, if you could believe it. He was virtually jumping up and down at the prospect of seeing the movie, insisting that we arrive über-early to ensure a good seat.

The movie is a contemporary interpretation of the origin of Batman. All the previous movies touched on the basic origin elements, Bruce Wayne's encounter with the bats in what is to be, the future batcave and the killing of his parents. The events leading to these milestones are slightly different in "Begins" and unless you're a stickler, are forgivable. The gist is there.

What makes this movie better than the last debacle "Batman and Robin" is the subtlety and that "Batman Begins" is wholly Batman centric much like the original "Batman." However, the villains aren't mugging for screen time or grotesquely gregarious as they were in the "B&R." They've been relegated to the shadows as they should be, where they thrive and keep you guessing. Scarecrow and Rahs are both imposing and effective.

Character actors, Gary Oldman, Rutger Hauer, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are all understated but impactful. If I dare say there was a weakness in the entire movie, it was Katie Holmes. I didn't give a crap about her.

The story paced well and the movie was shot very dark which made for the perfect feel.

Being a tech guy, let's talk about the gadgets. They rocked. They certainly went out of the way to rationalize and explain the gadgets, making them all feasible with today's technology. The body armor was awesome. I want me some. I was iffy about the new Batmobile as it was a bit blocky. But this machine was not about finesse as it was about brute strength.

All in all, I highly recommend "Batman Begins." It's well made, action packed and fun, even if I'd like to slap Katie's side-talking mouth straight.