Kim Gentes

Over the years, we have enjoyed family movie after movie in which animation experts have amazed us with visuals that rivet the edge of expectations, and dialog that engages young and old alike. The Lion King, Toy Story (and the sequel), Bugs Life, The Emporers New Groove, Shrek (and 2, too), Chicken Run, Find Nemo and the Incredibles are the highlights of a list of animation films that have took aim at its duel composition audience of children and their parents. Creating stimulating visuals that amaze and captivate the children, along with slapstick and catch-word humor for the kids, Disney, Pixar & Dreamworks have found a way to make the children laugh. All the while, another layer of dialog and action (through puns and nuance) began to immerse the parents with funny sitcom-esque humor. This has been done successfully so many times now (siting my list of movies above as proof), the expectation of the families going to heavy-hyped animated films today is very high. Enter "Madagascar".

This new feature length cartoon by Dreamworks is just that, a cartoon. Intentionally flattening the visuals for a more "cartoon" look, the film is not as stunning as other 3D wonders like Shrek, Finding Nemo or even Toy Story, and aims at a retro feel to comfort parents with the subtle change back to a more 2D world. The problem is, it didn't work. Not because of the visual change, but because the film not only acquired the "cartoon" look, its writing also harkened back to one-level dialog and action. Even this would have worked, if the directors and writers knew which audience they were targeting, but as the movie rolls on, its apparant they don't.

Some scenes are pure eye candy, with lots of hitting and falling down, laughing and child-like chuckling. It is fun, but clearly meant for the kids. The next scene is completely adult level dialog with the little ones in the theatre looking like they are listening to a lecture on quantum physics. And the jaunt continues through the entire film. Really in no part of the film does the writing manage to speak to both the kids and children at the same time. And this is dissappointing, because the story is actually quite good. I went to this movie with my kids and they clearly liked the slapstick and catch-phrase humor. But with just days later, the usual mimicking of key scenes, and trailer phrases are all but gone from their memories. They liked the moment, but weren't rivetted by it, which is unusual for a top hyped animation film in a summer.

With equal ambivalence, my wife and I enjoyed the film, but were not sad to see it end. In the end, this film needed better writing to be a blockbuster kids/family movie. It failed to grab and hold our attention with an engaging story (such as and epic like Lion King). It failed to amuse much longer than a few seconds. The visuals while a nice reprieve to simpler dimensions, didn't hold the film. And the music was pretty much non existant save a single song of humor by the forest of leaping lemurs on the namesake island of the film, Madagascar.

While no one in your family will hate you for going to this movie, none of you will remember much of it in a week either. While still the best children/family film yet to release this summer, that is not saying much since this is in a category with not much other attractions coming this season. My advice- wait for DVD or rental on this one. If you are having a simply boring Saturday and want to go to a movie, be sure to go to the matinee showing, so at least you will save a little on the entry fees. I am sure I will be hated by many for dissing a good kids animation film, but this flick is simply mediocre- nothing more, nothing less.

Batman. A true representation of him has been as illusive on the silver screen as the the darknight detective was the criminals and crime lords of Gotham. Previous movies lacked the subtle power, humanity or vigilant nature of the Batman character that is the lore of comic book fame for decades. I grew up a DC comic buff, and Batman was the one "Marvel-esque" character that fit that unique space between reality and myth- a character that had not special powers, but reached beyond his humanity to become something more than a man. A legend.

And this is the way this movie begins, with the history and ideology clearly explained. Instead of rushing into battle against one mindless idiodic foe after another, this Batman is a true character with a real story to tell. And if you are steeped in Batman lore, then what can I say? Welcome Home!

Christopher Nolan directs a near perfect rendition of Gotham's caped crusader, faulting only with a slight misgiving on the villian portrayals that take rise in the last 1/3 of the movie. But that is small err when you look at the complete treatment that this Batman gets.

Batman himself is played by Christian Bale, who is the perfect balance of human and revenge. Not nearly as cold and empty as previous attempts, he outlasts even Michael Keaton as the best Batman & Bruce Wayne yet put to film. Batman was, at the core, a person conflicted by the desire to avenge his parents death to the a vast criminal plague in the city of Gotham and his own personal desire to see justice and not vengence have its reign in bringing evil to halt. The past attempts at his character have made him to cold or too untormented and emotionally lackluster. Bale balances the two souls of Batman and Bruce Wayne with his own sense of balance, and it works perfectly.

Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Katie Holmes make the perfect supporting cast for the Batman. The criminals were also presented with much more humanity than previous super-psycho larks that had neither realism or escapism for the moviegoer. The crime lord boss, the psychotic psychiatrist and the ninja master all have actually human-like qualities here, and one actually feels compelled to geniunely believe and dislike them. The only thing that weighed slightly less than the rest was the league of shadow characters, who really become slightly over-the-top with a "destroy the city for the good of mankind mantra". It's not a big deal, but it betrays the true Batman story and isn't what you look for when cannon is going to screen.

The action itself is excellent. Effects don't overload the scenes, but tension holds the mystery of Batman in concise sway. You feel like this is a Batman battle, with fear and surprise lurking around every corner. Sure there are great martial arts scenes once the Darknight detective has opened up the battle, but the nuances of his arrival and dismantling of the enemy is enjoyable and genuine.

Thankfully, we aren't treated to a smattering of useless romance in this film. It is a comic book hero film, about the birthing of a legend, not a romance novel. This is where far too many action movies go awry- inserting the obligatory love interest to keep the ladies watching the film. While miss Holmes does well as the love interest for sure, they don't play to that, and the protagonist isn't twisted and forced to deciding between his dedication to his role as Batman and his hope of relationship with the lady. Now that the Batman Begins has played the important role of defining the character, later movies would do well to build on the theme, and then romance is a reasonable outgrowth of the plot.

The movie will be too dark and violent for children under 13, but there is not an huge amount of scare tactics on this film. The few scenes of drug induced psychosis, where people appear demonized to the viewers will be too frightful for children under 13, but save those scenes you have a violent, but viewable movie for ages 10 and up.

If you have never seen a Batman movie, this is the one! If you are you true Batman fan and have been waiting for someone to finally get it right, then welcome home my friend, because here: Batman Begins!

Mathew McConnahey or whatever... he kinda bugs me as an actor.. he just seems weird to me.. anyways.. I was thinking I would not like this film. In fact, I wasn't planning on seeing it, but got to theatre and our date night needed a film. It was all that was available. So we saw it.

The film actually turned out to be quite a fun little jaunt through Africa. It was surprising to me that the story had some cool worldwide "outbreak" sickness groove in it. And, it actually included some cool action scenes and detective work.

Well, you will enjoy the humor in this one as much as the action. None of it was memorable, but all of it was reasonable and watchable. Good DVD rental for sure. But don't bank this for anything close to an epic.