The Movie That Answers: "Why Do We Fall?"

Thanks to a local critic friend, Curt Holman, I was able to see an advance screening of Batman Begins on Monday afternoon. The film, which opens June 15, 2005, is directed by Christopher Nolan, who co-wrote the screenplay with film and comics veteran David S. Goyer.

Now many of you are going to laugh, but I had no knowledge of this film before watching it. How little did I know? Not to spoil anything but I honestly thought Liam Neeson was playing Alfred when I saw his first scene.

Nolan and Goyer are ambitious in this film, which spends a great deal of time focusing on the Wayne legacy and the city of Gotham, before giving folks the men in tights fix. Longtime comic fans appreciate the impact of Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father, but this is the first film (of the myriad Batman TV and film adaptations) that captures the connection father and son share. And with one simple line: "Why do we fall, Bruce?" Nolan and Goyer are able to connect father. son and ultimately Alfred (Michael Caine--I was so hoping at some point someone would call him Alfie though).

Through the Wayne family legacy, filmgoers will be able to appreciate what Gotham means to Bruce Wayne. So much of this film is not about Batman...and yet it is. I hope that more mainstream audiences will seek the film out, once the word of mouth grows about it. I daresay, while it has weak moments and could have used some tighter editing (one long bit felt like it should have been in Smokey & the Bandit...), this is not your typical superhero film fare. Best of all, Gary Oldman nails the essence of Jim Gordon.

Warning to friends and family of Alex Segura Jr.: The film has a character named Loeb.