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w/e 26.07.08 |
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July 25 2008
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Dan Owen reviewsBatman: The Frightening (screenplay)I had the great pleasure recently in reading a leaked screenplay for the potential fifth Batman movie, Batman: The Frightening. The film reads like a darker continuation of the Tim Burton movies, particularly his 1989 original, mixed with the verve of the acclaimed Animated Series. Indeed, Tim Burton parallels continue with nods to The Legend Of Sleep Hollow throughout. The script utilizes perhaps the last villain untapped by the Batman films: Jonathan Crane (a.k.a The Scarecrow). Interestingly, it takes 53 pages for The Scarecrow to finally make his full-blown entrance! Before then, the script is a deadly serious crime investigation that puts heavy emphasis on the Bruce Wayne/Commissioner Gordon relationship merely hinted at in previous movies. The Batman/Gordon scenes are strong and believable; as is the gentle humour of the Bruce Wayne/Alfred relationship (please recast Michael Gough!). These brief flashes of humour are welcome in a story that, to do it justice, will hardly be a film McDonald's can sell Happy Meals with! This is perhaps a good thing for all those people still ruffled by the Batman & Robin debacle, but I can't help thinking 'Warner Brothers' will insist on rewrites to excise the more frightening aspects and ambience.
The target demographic for a Batman movie is undoubtedly the under 15s, and I'm sure there will be uproar amongst parents if they are unable, or unwilling, to let this kids see a more adult-themed entry in the franchise. Concern would be justified, as the script contains: an autopsy, various horrific hallucinations and even scythe impaling. Different countries have different classification rules, but I know this will be of great concern for British parents if the studio decides to film this screenplay without revision. I found the screenplay to be well-written, nicely paced and with some good set-pieces around Arkham Asylum, Gotham Aquarium, a Chemical Factory, etc. All of these action moments are strong and quite ballsy. I particularly enjoyed the fantastic updating of Batman's arsenal; his instantly-drying Batsuit (which can also administer CPR!), the Batmobile's ability to hide behind fake holograms of scenery, the return of the Batboat and the Batwing, plus a new entry... The Batski!
So what of the characters themselves? Batman, Alfred and Commissioner Gordon are the leads, and all dependable realized characters. It's only natural you think of previous actors in their roles, but the script definitely nudges your thinking towards a return for Michael Keaton - particularly because of a surely crowd-pleasing "resurrection" of The Joker (in flashback, using shots from Tim Burton's Batman). Sadly, The Scarecrow is the weakest link. He's a wimpy stereotype, bullied for his rakish physique as a child, who is fired from his job in Gotham University for "irrational methods" and his "request for human test subjects". Naturally he decides to wreak revenge using a gas that instils hallucinatory fear on people.
CRANE
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain..."
The fear angle is a good device for the movie, but I just didn't invest much belief in The Scarecrow's motives or "performance". He comes across as a mix of The Joker (psychotic/gas attacks), The Riddler (intellectual/fired from his job) and The Green Goblin from Spider-Man At best he just gets some nice lines occasionally: "He will not die, why will he not die?" when Batman evades death yet again, and the following exchange with a henchman:
BROCK
THE SCARECROW
The Great, not The King, just Batman."
But it's not enough. By the time The Scarecrow becomes an effectively pro-active villain in the latter stages, the script it almost finished and ends on a fairly low-key finale compared with previous big-bang film endings. Another potential problem the studio should grasp upon is the total absence of a romantic interest. No Vicki Vale, Selena Kyle or Chase Meridian here. This absence of a female lead certainly sucks the screenplay dry of the sexual frisson that helped Batman and Batman Returns between the stunts, and will it alienate female moviegoers? Overall though, I did enjoy reading Batman: The Frightening, despite its faults. It shows great promise, invention, pace and spark... but will it get made? The use of potentially confusing multiple flashbacks, coupled with the generally dark theme replete with gruesome moments, seem to suggest it will definitely face rewrites so 'Warners' can sell the merchandise to children. The piece fits the style of director Christopher Nolan (whose name has been attached to this recently), but it will be a brave studio indeed that releases the movie written here word-for-word. Can you honestly see a certificate 15 Batman movie being released...?
Review copyright © Dan Owen, 2003.E-mail Dan Owen
DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TXW32R4 32" widescreen TV connected to either a Creative Dxr2 DVD-ROM player or Microsoft Xbox and played through a Sony STR-DB930 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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