*SPOILERS* Batman Begins

[StevenRichardsRules]

And Ra's is WAY more than the father of the girl Batman marries for a time.  He's one of the best Batman villians, an eco-terrorist who's survived for hundreds of years using the regenerating effects of Lazarus Pits.  He's trained a leauge of asassins and aided Bruce Wayne in his early training as well.  He's more involved in the training in Begins.  He's one of The Batman's villians that can go toe to toe with him, without a squad of henchmen or some elaborate plot.

←

[thuganomic]

No, that was conveniently edited for the first movie. I believe the man who killed his parents in the comics was named Joe Chill.

Anyway, finally saw the movie tonight. Fantastic stuff. Liam Neeson was terrific, and so was Michael Caine. Christian Bale is definitely the best Batman thus far. I can't wait for the sequel.

[Maxx]

Joker killing Batman's parents was made up for the first film, stupidly as Jack looks about 30 when he kills them and then Batman comes along like 20 years later, making Joker 40-50 years old.

Joker's true identity has never been revealed. Its said he was a failing stand up comic who, in order to make a few bucks, took a job with The Red Hood gang. During the heist, he learns his wife and unborn child have died and things go from bad to worse as he then falls into a vat of chemicals during the heist and after seeing the affects is driven insane and becomes the Joker. Thats the origin that is told in "The Killing Joke" but its constantly insinuated that Joker doesn't even know his true identity anymore.

In "Arkham Asylum" one of the doctors says Joker may not be insane at all, but might in fact be "super sane," and have a more evolved and higher level of consciousness. This creates a sort of sensory overload and Joker has to try and make sense and bring order to it all, causing him to come up with a new true identity every day.

[Matthew]

just saw it today and its a great movie.Go See It If U Have Not Yet

[Hailtothechimp]

This is the one of the most well made movies I have seen in a long time as well as well acted. Everybody did great, we have found a man who can play an amazing Batman and great Bruce Wayne (for the time I guess, he is still trying to get used to the double life at this point.)

The reports also sound like they are going to remake the whole Batman Movie series, which I think is great news, especially seeing as this movie has done so well so far.

[Gongsun Zan]

Joker's true identity has never been revealed. Its said he was a failing stand up comic who, in order to make a few bucks, took a job with The Red Hood gang. During the heist, he learns his wife and unborn child have died and things go from bad to worse as he then falls into a vat of chemicals during the heist and after seeing the affects is driven insane and becomes the Joker. Thats the origin that is told in "The Killing Joke" but its constantly insinuated that Joker doesn't even know his true identity anymore.

Edited June 19, 2005 by Gongsun Zan

[Pepsi]

Oh yeah, shouldn't the people of Gotham have been more...violent after getting drugged? I mean, they made it seem like you become scared shitless of everything, but instead you had whole mobs of people working together in zombie style packs that seem to be only attacking the uninfected. Geez, they might as well have made the T-Virus vesion 2.0. dry.gif

[Gongsun Zan]

*Spoilers*

Its not the fact that they weren't violent, that bothered me, it's the fact that they were all working together. I mean, they kept going on about how Gotham was going to turn on itself from fear, yet they all seemed to be getting along fine with each other, save the exception of batman and rachel >_<

[Vilge Duin]

*Spoilers*

Most if not all of those in that particular scene with Rachel and the boy were either criminals or those who had escaped/been released from Arkham Asylum. And what they saw before them was a woman. Two and two go together with psychotics.

Also the drug wouldn't have had enough time to fully take effect. Every time someone (Batman, Rachel, Crane himself, etc.) were subjected to it the effects weren't an immediate and complete loss of control and desire to destroy everything around them. It would take more than a few minutes or maybe even an hour (from drug release until the end of the movie couldn't have even been that long).

Those who weren't in that scene with Rachel and the boy seemed pretty fucking freaked out, especially when the Batman was gliding overhead.

[Hugar Twriker Eats Spam]

But wouldn't it act faster considering that the people already drank the water? What I didn't get was why was the boy not scared of Rachel? Something that I found amazing though is the only two people that you are sure died in the movie is the parents and Chill. Everyone else might be alive.

Edited June 21, 2005 by Hugar

[Mongrel]

Early look at the Joker possibly? Not sure if it is a fake or not, but I like the look lots.

[Pepsi]

That can't be real because they haven't cast The Joker yet.

[Maxx]

Yes but holy crap that looks awesome

[Mongrel]

That can't be real because they haven't cast The Joker yet.

←

[livid]

That can't be real because they haven't cast The Joker yet.

←

Artist's impression?

←

[Mongrel]

Everybody is signed up for a new one.

From IMDB.com

"Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman have signed to star in a second Batman movie, but love interest Katie Holmes has been dropped. Movie bosses are thrilled with the response to Batman Begins - it took $46.9 million in its first weekend at the US box office - and have snapped up the film's stars for a sequel. Bale as Batman was the first to put pen to paper, followed by Caine as butler Alfred and Freeman as Bruce Wayne's business associate Lucius Fox. But Holmes won't reprise her role as district attorney Rachel Dawes - reportedly because Warner Bros is angry her engagement to Tom Cruise has stolen media attention away from the movie. A source tells Pagesix.Com, "Everyone is in agreement that the movie's strength is with Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman." Adding of Holmes, "She won't be in the sequel... the next romantic interest will be a much stronger actress. Warner is happy that people are now focusing on who'll be playing the Joker rather than Katie and Tom."

[ROC]

Everybody is signed up for a new one.

From IMDB.com

"Christian Bale, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman have signed to star in a second Batman movie, but love interest Katie Holmes has been dropped. Adding of Holmes, "She won't be in the sequel... the next romantic interest will be a much stronger actress. Warner is happy that people are now focusing on who'll be playing the Joker rather than Katie and Tom."

←

[Guest Bluesman]

I liked the actions scenes, I thought it added a lot to Batman's mystique. I can understand how it would be a pain in the ass, as it can be almost impossible to figure out what is going on.

With Holmes not coming back, I hope they find a different female character, instead of merely replacing her for the same character.

I like what it sounds like they're looking at doing with the trilogy, going with a type of roll-over plot lines like seen in LOTR. I think this would work well, especially given the ending.

I'm interested in reading up on some early Batman, about his origins and such. I would prefer it to be something that has been re-drawn, as I'm not a huge fan of the early era comic artwork. Anyone know of any good ideas? I should mention that I picked up one graphic novel which has early issues of Ra Gul (I'm at the point where he passes the "test" and Gul's daughter says she wants to marry him).

[Stevie B]

I thought it was good, but not something i would really wanna see again.

Thing what bugged me was that Batman was trying to save Gotham City, yet in the process they more or less destroyed it by blowing the monorail up, which would of destroyed the majority of the city.

[Maxx]

Well Batman year one is the standard, artwork isn't spectacular but the writing is. Batman's origin is pretty well understood so its not touched upon much.

Frank Miller is writing All Star Batman and Robin though which will retell the events surrounding Dick Grayson becoming Robin.

See what you can find in Legends of The Dark Knight, my dad used to collected it and while mulling through the box of them I find alot of the stories in the earlier issues are set in the early stages of batman's career.

Batman Year Two and Batman Year Three are also possibilities.