Batman Begins - What Do You Fear?"Why do we fall, Bruce?
So we can learn to pick ourselves up." I like Neeson's face, holding that pose during is initial training fight, the way the skin wrinkles just so around the corner of his eye. I wanted to gif this next image, another moment of great composition.
Bruce's dad descending into the well reminded me of the two shots in Skyfall where a major character approaches the screen from the deep background, gaining importance every inch of the way as he emerges from the shadows. I'm already noticing thematic connections to the third film. The well looks similar to Bruce's cell in Dark Knight Rises and his father drops in like an angel. I wonder how many more vertical visuals I'll catch this time.
I can't express how much I appreciate that Michael Caine was cast as Alfred. Casting him created a need to not just use Alfred as wry comic relief. I've always found Alfred to be an important part of the Batman universe, though rarely used as anything more than Bruce Wayne's conscience. Nolan gives Caine an isolated close-up, signaling that the challenge of making Alfred a fully-fleshed out character has been accepted. (It also plays well with the strings on the score here, full of both sadness and comfort.)
This Chapter doesn't have Greatness, but it sets up the background nicely. The one off note is Bruce's dad getting his son's opinion of the pearls he bought for Bruce's mom, Martha. (I can't not type the name. So stupid in BvS) Maybe it's because I was never a billionaire, but I don't understand why the son's opinion matters. If it's meant as a moment of bonding, it's rings false.
Rating: * * * - Good