A MASKED CRUSADER

The title of the movie is “Batman Begins”, so it surely tells the beginning of Batman. Directed by Christopher Nolan, and played by Christian Bale as the Batman, the movie explores the origins of the legendary dark knight. It is a story about a man who finally chose to become a creature that once he feared most, the bats.

I must say that this is the best and most realistic Batman movie ever, because it manages to capture the whole essence of Batman, as a child, as a human, as a billionaire, as a lover, and as a hero. No ridiculous enemies, no kinky costumes, no weird cars, no funny lines, and no stupid fighting moves.

Many people said that Batman is a funny hero. He has wings but cannot fly, wears a mask because not confident to show his face, wears underwear outside his tight hot pants, and he even looks funny when he fights. This movie is able to correct all of those old beliefs. Batman even got himself a great car. Hey, even though he’s a batman, doesn’t mean he has to ride a car that looks like a bat!

We all know that the person behind Batman is a man named Bruce Wayne. The story begins with little Bruce living with his parents in a huge mansion. Bruce’s father was a billionaire and a powerful businessman in Gotham city. He owned his own building called Wayne’s. There’s nothing to tell about Bruce’s mother though, except she lived happily with Bruce and her husband.

One day, Bruce was playing outside the mansion and accidentally fell off to a deep hole which leads to a bat cave. Bruce broke his leg and couldn’t get out from the hole. A moment later, he heard strange sounds from inside the dark hole. Suddenly, a flock of bats flew out from inside the hole towards him. He was so scared and terrified at that time, being not able to do anything while surrounded by bats flying all over him.

Luckily, he was playing with a girl who managed to rush and ask for help. Bruce had a trusted butler named Alfred who rushed to the rescue. Finally, the butler and his parents managed to get Bruce out of that hole. Bruce went to a shock and became terrified of falling and bats ever since.

One night, Wayne Family went out to watch an opera show. Bruce was so little at that time, and wasn’t prepared for the next awful things that happened to him. The trauma of falling and bats made him weak and often felt uneasy at certain times. In the middle of the show, he asked his father so that they can all come home early with him. Bruce’s father, who loved him so much, understood that Bruce just need to find fresh air. So, they left the opera and went home.

It was dark and late at night at that time, when Bruce and his parents walked the streets. Suddenly a man pointed a gun towards them, asking to hand over all their money and jewelries. It took a moment for them to realize that they had been robbed by a drunken hobo. The situation went bad when the criminals became panic and accidentally shot and killed Bruce’s parents. Bruce was unharmed but unable to do anything to save his parents. He could still hear his father’s last words before his death, “Don’t be afraid.”

With his parents’ demise, Bruce had nobody but his trusted butler, Alfred, as a family. His trauma of falling, bats and the lost of both of his parents were so unbearable to him. Poor little Bruce went to great mental shock, putting the blame to himself why he asked his parents to go home that night. He felt responsible for his parents’ death and had to face life without someone who can guide him. Not only that, his father left him a very big responsibility. Someone had to take care of Bruce’s father’s legacy of Wayne Enterprise and his wealth.

The board of directors of Wayne Enterprise quickly took over the business empire and waited for young Bruce to take over when he’s ready. Bruce also met detective Jim Gordon who helped him caught his parents’ killer and comforted him through bad times.

It is not only Bruce who had problems. The city of Gotham also had its own problems. The city was so corrupted, filled with many jobless and poor people. The crime was high and the streets were no longer a safe place for most people. Bruce’s father once had a dream to solve the city’s problem by using all his abilities. But unfortunately, the city with its problem itself took him out of this world. The city cried out for a hero.

Bruce decided to face his problems by traveling throughout the world, seeking the means to fight injustice and turn his fear against others. Once he grew up, he felt that his anger was bigger than his guilt. He met people who gave him new insights, and helped him find his ways through hard training, mentally and physically.

The story becomes more exciting as we can watch how Bruce was finally able to face the truth, managed to turn his weakness into his strength, and became a man of a new character. He finally understood what his father always said to him, “Bruce, why do we fall? So we can learn to get up again.” It makes us realize, that a hero is not born from a legacy, but born through a process.

Bruce Wayne finally made his way back to Gotham City as a new character. He became his own trauma, the Batman, who’s able to unleash the power to save his own city from doom. Together with his friends, Alfred the butler, Jim Gordon the detective, and Lucius Fox the loyal employee at Wayne Enterprise, they fought the battle that they couldn’t afford to loose for the sake of their own generations.

Upon returning, Batman also found his childhood friend, Rachel Dawes, who has grown up to be a beautiful girl. She soon played an important role in shaping Bruce’s character and be a part of his love life. He learned his next lesson, “It’s not who you’re underneath, but it’s what you do that defines you.”

What is the outcome of this great adventure? How’s the fate of Gotham City along with its people? What is Batman finally become? How about his love life? Those questions only you can answer by watching this great movie. Unfortunately, Batman is only a symbol. It is not the Bat; it’s the Man behind it that defines him.

Best Scenes:

• Batman jumped and flew from the top of the building after saving Rachel and a kid – He finally flies!
• Bruce Wayne stood in the cave and surrounded by bats
• Batman saved Rachel with his car and brought her to his cave
• Fighting scenes in the train between Batman and his own fighting guru
• Ending scenes - The last conversation between Bruce Wayne and Rachel, between Batman and Lieutenant Jim Gordon

Ivan the Freelancer