I am a sucker for Batman because not only is his character the most compelling, it's the most relevant. He shows what can happen when a person truly finds a sense of conviction and drive, like King and Gandhi, but in a different way. I see in Batman a truly human struggle between passiveness and breaking out. Maybe I read into it too much. If I am, then the fact remains: Batman is a badass. He wears an epically low key but fierce suit. He drives the greatest vehicle of all time. He is a gadget man. And when someone, out of fear of him, says "I swear to God...," he responds with "Swear to ME." Heh.
And you can't forget the villains. Batman has the most compelling, layered villains as well.
Scarecrow's villainy isn't one sourced in magical powers, but rather by some psychological passion to make people's worst fears come true. Batman Begins tied Wayne's struggle with that perfectly. The entire movie is about Wayne overcoming the greatest inhibition humans have, which is fear. Fear of failure or of some evil or of the very act of doing something. He had to overcome all of this fear in order for him to start acting for the good of Gotham.
The Riddler is brilliant in the way he plays with your mind. I can't wait for this one to come in the movies.
Two-Face is an ode to the fact that no man is entirely good or entirely evil. It's not a matter of dichotomy of this man and that. Sometimes, men will act in good, and other times, because circumstances are different and these circumstances appeal to different aspects of their minds or because their mental state is weaker, they will give in to evil. Even Bruce Wayne gives in and has to fight to pull away. I believe in Harvey Dent.
And then The Joker. Diabolical, sick, purely human in base form. He garners a following based on his enigmatic essence. There's just something powerful, yet black, about him.
And all of these guys send chills down your spine.
Posted on: 02-04-2008, 12:29 PM
And you can't forget the villains. Batman has the most compelling, layered villains as well.
Scarecrow's villainy isn't one sourced in magical powers, but rather by some psychological passion to make people's worst fears come true. Batman Begins tied Wayne's struggle with that perfectly. The entire movie is about Wayne overcoming the greatest inhibition humans have, which is fear. Fear of failure or of some evil or of the very act of doing something. He had to overcome all of this fear in order for him to start acting for the good of Gotham.
The Riddler is brilliant in the way he plays with your mind. I can't wait for this one to come in the movies.
Two-Face is an ode to the fact that no man is entirely good or entirely evil. It's not a matter of dichotomy of this man and that. Sometimes, men will act in good, and other times, because circumstances are different and these circumstances appeal to different aspects of their minds or because their mental state is weaker, they will give in to evil. Even Bruce Wayne gives in and has to fight to pull away. I believe in Harvey Dent.
And then The Joker. Diabolical, sick, purely human in base form. He garners a following based on his enigmatic essence. There's just something powerful, yet black, about him.
And all of these guys send chills down your spine.




