Batman. One of the most famous comic book characters in the world. Arch rival of some of the best comic book villains of all time, such as The Joker. I don't think any other comic book character has had so many movies created about him/her. From that one with George Clooney (which many say nearly ruined the Batman franchise for good) to the one with Heath Leadger (which, partly thanks to the tragic nature of one of the main character's death, is now one of the highest grossing movies of all time, and earned an oscar for the performance of Ledger as the Joker), Batman is no doubt a popular subject for film makers, not to mention the various video games, TV shows, and action figures based on this popular pop culture icon.
In class I had the privilege (I guess) of watching Batman Begins, as well as reading Batman Year 1, which is the official graphic novel chronicalling Batman's early days, which the movie is based on. We watched and compared the two, which were very similar.
Batman Begins is obviously more action-packed than a comic would be. One thing I did not like about it was that Bruce Wayne didn't have to undergo much training to perfect his Batman skills. He tripped once during a getaway, but other than that he was mostly the smooth Batman we all know and love, while in the comic he was clumsy and nearly died during his first few outings as the black-clad vigilante.
One thing the comic was missing was a totally unrealistic but high octane car chase involving the Bat-Mobile, a.k.a. the coolest car ever. Guess what? The movie just so happens to include a rooftop car chase. How nifty!
The comic had a relatively quick start, with the first few pages documenting Bruce's return to Gotham. The movie, apart from the tragic death of Bruce's parents, had a very slow start. I was bored, actually.
Which one do I think was better? I honestly can't say. The comic was more realistic, but it did lack a car chase, which is vital in any comic book themed anything. Would I watch the movie again? Only if I skipped the first few scenes. Would I read the comic again? Yes. Hmmm, I guess I answered my own question. I guess I liked the comic better than the film.
Then again, I have always been more of a Spiderman girl myself.
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