*snorks* I like your thread title, Tooky.
For the record, I myself have only so much experience with DC and am pretty okay with keeping it that way. I have been given very little reason to explore the DC universe in general (two exceptions listed below) because I don't much care for the characters and movie/tv show trailers have done nothing to convince me to try.
But like I said, there are two exceptions. A gal on fanfiction.net (not affiliated with TLC) did a good job convincing me to check out the Young Justice cartoon. Her recommendation appealed to my two big factors of really liking anything: well-done characters (and the development thereof) and good plots. Young Justice quickly became my favourite tv show (so excited for season three!!!!).
Second exception: I did watch Batman Begins for the first time last night (and I'll relocate my thoughts on it from the general movie thread to here), which I finally got around to watching after having been told for the past few years that I might enjoy it. My decision to watch it now, though, was fueled by how much I liked The Prestige, also directed by Christopher Nolan, so my motivators in this case were the director and the promise of a superhero movie that does more for me than most of the ones I've seen.
So here are my thoughts from Batman Begins last night:
In some areas, it shows how superhero movies have since advanced (pacing, for one; and I'd mention the shaky-cam and sometimes too-indistinct action, but some recent superhero flicks have had those too). In others, it's just like any other superhero movie (action and especially lots of mass-destruction). In other ways, it's different from the others I've seen (for example, rather real-world-feeling corruption (but times 10) that in turn gives the movie a different tone, actual interaction with a justice system, and a somewhat more even-looking playing field so far as fight scenes go (yeah, I know he's a trained ninja, but neither his body nor his suit are superpowered)). I did like that Batman Begins feels like it's got a little more point to it than other superhero movies, like exploring motivations and the little nuggets-to-take-home bits, such as "it's not who you are, but what you do that defines you" or "what chance does Gotham have when the good people do nothing?". I kinda have mixed feelings on the way the movie both frowns on and applauds vigilantism. I guess they justify that by pointing out motives and methods of the different people working outside of the established justice system (though they seriously turn a blind eye to Batman's methods).
And now for a couple random tidbits that don't fit into the above paragraph:
- Favourite character is Alfred.
- Favourite scene, I think, is that "final test" one at ninja school. Dock fight would be second.
- I like Cillian Murphy as a smooth-talking, disarming, you'd-(almost)-never-see-him-coming bad guy. I've seen him in that role twice and I like it. (Also, I personally think that he and James McAvoy are cut from the same cloth, even though I've never seen McAvoy as a villain or Murphy as a hero. The characters that I have seen these actors play just feel so similar somehow.)
- Besides cases of shaky-cam and indistinct action, I wasn't a fan of some of the editing choices. Like the part in which Bruce chucks his gun into the water before marching into the bar to talk to Falcone. The environment is
so blue and
open, I thought it was a different scene entirely. Maybe it was and then they just inserted it in before the pat-down in the bar?
- I think I like Christian Bale better in the Batman costume than as Bruce Wayne. Dunno if that's because I've seen him in another movie or because I've seen enough pictures of him in a mask or if I really, truly think he makes for a better Batman than a Bruce Wayne.
- I think all the jokes about London being rainy should be relocated to Gotham.
- Props to the movie for mentioning the playboy billionaire persona and not actually doing much with it. (No Tony Stark problems here!) Granted, they do make it quite clear that Bruce is only keeping up said persona as a front and not because he actually wants it. Still. Props.
- I just have to ask: how in the world is Wayne Enterprises such a successful company when the rest of the city is dealing with a major economic depression?
- His toys and costume design. So. Cool. I loved the parts that showed the process of "becoming a symbol". Even if, at one point, I totally compared him to a die-hard nerd preparing the perfect cosplay.