RATING:

*WE INTERRUPT OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM TO BRING YOU THIS SPECIAL SCRIPT REVIEW!*

Hey guys! You may have noticed my regular column wasn’t posted this past Monday, so I want to apologize to my fans. Sorry for the delay, but there is a good reason for it. A big one! A MAJOR SCREENPLAY came into my possession earlier in the week. The minute I received it, time as I know it ceased and I dove right into this incredible story. The timing couldn’t be more perfect, since after all, this is SUPER BOWL WEEK. What screenplay review is worthy of a special Super Bowl Week review?

Drumroll please…

Folks it is with great honor and great pleasure that I present to you the WORLDWIDE exclusive:

SUPER BOWL SPECIAL EDITION SCRIPT REVIEW OF

Yeah baby! Folks, the script is the real deal! Years ago, when Blade came out, I read an interview with David Goyer in which he said that he would love to do a Batman film. Well, he’s done it and he’s gone beyond the call of duty. God bless Warner Brothers. Simply put, Goyer fucking nails it! This movie will definitely reinvigorate the Batman franchise. Warner’s finally got their shit together. They got the best comic book writer working in movies today to lead the charge! I was full of fan boy glee as I read this script because I am a huge fan of the Batman Comics.

To all fanboys out there, this movie will knock you on your ass and will be worth the wait. THE SCRIPT IS THAT GOOD! Plus the fact that Nolan hates CGI and is greatly inspired by BLADE RUNNER? Dios Mio I can’t wait!

I am growing tired of comic book films being done so poorly. Especially the over the top villains we have come to know. Well they’re not in this screenplay. There is serious character development here. The character of Bruce Wayne/Batman, as Goyer has written it, will be the most faithful interpretation of the original Comic character yet.

Before I go on with the review I want to say a big FUCK YOU to the player haters who ENVY my script gathering skills and diss me on my “critical analysis” skills. You know who you are. I’m not some screenwriting guru. I’m not out to be Robert McKee or Michael Hauge. I’m not here to break down beats, plot points, screenplay structure, formatting, etc., The general movie going audience doesn’t give a shit about that stuff. They only want to know if the fucking thing is going to be entertaining. If you screenwriting wannabe’s want an in depth screenwriting analysis, then wait till the film comes out, go get any of the fine screenwriting publications out there, like creative screenwriting or script magazine, who do that sort of thing. While I’m on the subject, I will say this about the Batman screenplay, the structure is laid out well with very strong act breaks. As a matter of fact, it has one of the better structures I have seen in some time.

Anyways, I would like to make a special shout out to Garth at DARK HORIZONS for his support. Earlier this month, a synopsis of the shooting script detailing the story was posted at his site. I am here to CONFIRM that EVERYTHING he mentioned is legit. For purposes of the review, I’m not going to rehash what Garth posted so if you want the story details go HERE.

The bad guy in this movie is Ra’s Al Ghul, who is one of Batman’s smartest and most cunning villains. He is also one of my personal favorite villains along with Bane. In other words, he is a worthy adversary. For those non-comic fans who haven’t followed the Hardcover one shots by comic great Denny O’Neil (Son of the Demon, Bride of the Demon, etc.) here is a breakdown of Ra’s Al Ghul from the comics:

Ra's al Ghul is a megalomaniac who places himself above society's laws and conventions in pursuit of his private vision of a "better world." To that end, he commands a small army of fanatical followers who are adept with both ancient and futuristic weaponry. Despite his great power and lofty goals, however, he will never be successful in taking control of the world...not so long as the Batman has anything to say about it. Very little is known of Ra's al Ghul's background. Ra's al Ghul (which means “the demon's head” in Arabic) is assumed to be an alias, his real name lost to the mists of time. Batman has tirelessly opposed Al Ghul's acts of worldwide terrorism. The job has not been easy; not only is Al Ghul's personal fortune far in excess of even the Batman's, but Ra's is his foe's equal in brilliance. While Ra's Al Ghul possesses no super-human powers, he has remarkable strength and stamina. He is a skilled hand-to-hand combatant and a master swordsman. Whenever Ra's is near death, he can extend his lifespan and renew his vitality through his immersion into the Lazarus Pit, a combination of secret chemicals that roil and bubble in a vat deep within Al Ghul's headquarters. Its only known side effect is the demeanor and strength of a madman that it temporarily induces in Al Ghul once he surfaces.

Bad Ass Motherfucker don’t you think? In his script, Goyer remains faithful to the Ra’s Al Ghul’s comic origins with the only exception being there is no Lazarus Pits. Though, the script is so good it’s not even necessary.

As always, I’m going to keep this thing as SPOLIER FREE as I possibly can out of respect for the fans but more importantly out of respect for the studio, the filmmakers, and their process. This is not just some other screenplay here, this is the REINTRODUCTION of A POP CULTURE ICON. It deserves an audience who will surrender themselves completely to this movie without knowing beforehand what to expect. Kelvin and I were going back and forth on this specific review since the beginning of the week. That is the MAGNITUDE of this project. There is a lot at stake here. My position is that if we don’t do the review or the preview, someone else will do the review and reveal more than what has been shown already.

Onto the review.

In the gardens of Wayne Manor, we meet the YOUNG BRUCE WAYNE (aged 8) chasing RACHEL DODSON (aged 10), daughter of the housekeeper of Wayne Manor. Young Bruce plummets thirty feet into an old well. He hears SQUEALING. He freezes, peering into the darkness of an opening between rocks… bats explode from the darkness, filling the air. He screams and curls against their flapping, fluttering BLACKNESS.

A JOLT: OLDER GREEN EYES FLICK OPEN, WALKING ….IN DARKNESS and we are in a Bhutanese jail. We meet an older Bruce Wayne, age 28. He is now in the Prison courtyard where goons pick a fight with him. He whoops their asses and he is thrown into solitary. While in solitary he meets a MAN who steps out of the darkness and into the light. Powerfully built and distinguished, he is in a well-cut SUIT & TIE. DUCARD, an agent of Ra’s Al Ghul.

Ducard tries to recruit Bruce Wayne to join the League of Shadows.

Cut back to Bruce trapped in the well. His father, THOMAS WAYNE, rescues him, He takes young Bruce back to the house where we meet ALFRED. The loyal Butler character just might steal this movie.

Cut to an exquisite double-bloomed BLUE POPPY. Pull back and we are in the HIMALAYAN FOOTHILLS. A weakened Bruce Wayne is crossing over a field of blue poppies. He struggles through the icy snow (which could be why they may be shooting in ICELAND) and makes his way to a FORTIFIED MONASTERY. He goes inside and enters a great hall. He meets RA’S AL GHUL. ARMED WARRIORS of various races emerge from the SHADOWS: BOWS, TAUT, SWORDS DRAWN…NINJAS. Bruce freezes. He goes through more trials, which I won’t spoil what they are, but the trials are very cool.

We cut back to Bruce as a kid with his dad, they hop onto the Wayne Monorail, which was built by Bruce’s Great Grandfather. The Wayne family is headed to the Gotham Opera House. Now we all know what will happen to Thomas and Martha Wayne. It’s no secret. Now, so far, the makings for a kick ass movie are in itself, and I’m only on page 13.

We meet a young beat cop named JIM GORDON (age 29) who’s attending to a shaken young Bruce. There is a funeral at Wayne manor. We meet corporate prick EARLE (age 47). He reassures Bruce that the empire is in good hands. Wayne is having dinner in his bedroom with Alfred (no freaky Michael Jackson shit here). We are back at the Monastery. We see more training with Ducard. Cut back to Wayne Manor. Bruce is now 20 and not wanting to go back to Princeton. Alfred is frustrated.

We meet up with Rachel Dodson, who is now 23 and is an assistant District Attorney. We learn that the guy who murdered Bruce’s parents, has cut a Sammy “The Bull” Gravano like-deal. In exchange for ratting out CARMINE FALCON he’ll get and early parole. An obviously upset Bruce does not want this to happen. Bruce and Rachel are in the courtroom for the proceedings. Some shit happens which I won’t spoil for you.

Bruce goes to Falcone’s basement club on the docks to confront him. Bruce gets his ass kicked. Bruce then switches clothes with a homeless man and he leaves Gotham on a ship. Bruce bounces because he needs to go on an inner journey. He needs to understand the thoughts and feelings of those who stand in the shadows. We see Bruce in an African Port Town, Eastern Europe, Shanghai and then back at the Monastery. More trials. Bruce becomes a hardened warrior. Ra’s Al Ghul wants Bruce to join the League of Shadows. Shit goes down.

From a climber’s bar in Bhutan, Bruce calls Alfred to come and get him. By page 38 Bruce is back home in Gotham. A lot has happened in the seven years he has been gone. Corporate prick Earle is trying to petition the board of Wayne Industries to declare Bruce dead.

Wayne goes back to the well in the greenhouse. He climbs down the same spot he fell into as a little boy. He discovers the caverns that will one day become the Bat Cave.

Finally, Bruce is ready to re-emerge and so at Wayne Industries board room he makes his re-appearance. He wants to get a grip on the company. To find out what they do around there from the ground up, one division at a time. He starts with Applied Sciences.

Now comes the cool techie stuff.

Wayne goes to the Applied Sciences Division where we meet LUCUIS FOX (Morgan Freeman hopefully) who gives Bruce a tour. We learn that Fox used to be on the board when Bruce’s father was alive. He even helped build the monorail. As they are walking, they stop at a tall crate. They open it. A BODYSUIT – clear silicone over jointed armor.

Later, back at what will be the Batcave Wayne discovers a small river inside the Bat Cave that leads out to a waterfall.

In an unmarked police sedan, we meet up with Gordon, now 46 and a Detective. He has some issues with his partner FLASS. Bruce, wearing the bodysuit, watches Gordon from the rooftops. Gordon goes into his office, slumps in his chair, and reads a book on Bats. Bruce sneaks up behind Gordon and they meet. Gordon can’t see Bruce, but they talk and Wayne later leaves. A little chase ensues between the spooked out Gordon and an escaping Bruce. Cool.

Back at Earle’s Office, Earle comes up with a plan to make sure that Bruce doesn’t take over the company when he turns thirty.

Later in the Bat Cave, Wayne shows Alfred diagrams. We catch only glimpses but trust me folks, this will be cool.

Afterwards, Wayne goes back to the Applied Sciences Division hooks up with Fox and we see the origins of Batman’s grappling gun and utility belt. Fox takes Wayne over to the loading dock of Applied Sciences to show him a cool glove but something else grabs Wayne’s attention. Some kind of vehicle covered by a tarp, there are HUGE TIRES visible. Wayne asks Fox what it is.

FOX
The Tumbler? Oh, you wouldn’t be interested in that.

Wayne shoots Fox a look, and we –

CUT TO:

INT. TUMBLER ON TEST TRACK – MOMENTS LATER

Wayne pilots using aircraft-like controls sticks. Fox, in the passenger seat, hangs on as Wayne PUSHES the vehicle…

The Tumbler SHOOTS PAST: LOW and WIDE, a cross between a Lamborghini Countach and a Humvee. Sandy Camouflage, stealth-angled paneling and variable-angle flaps across the back.

We see the Tumbler kick some more ass. Super cool.

Back to the Bat Cave where we find Bruce testing all the cool toys for his suit. He’s putting the finishing touches on the batsuit. Bruce is grinding metal at a lathe, the steel carves into a BAT’S
WING.

Later at Falcone’s club on the docks, we meet CRANE who has a meeting with Falcone.

Well folks, we finally arrive at the perfect midpoint of the script, page 58. I will end the review with a bang. Outside Falcone’s club, a corrupt dude and his two chicks (I won’t spoil who) get inside a waiting limo. The Club Manager gestures to the limo driver to pull around into the alley. The limo idles in the alley.

WHAM!!! A BLACK SHAPE LANDS ON THE HOOD – the Driver’s eyes go wide as –

SMASH!! – A BLACK GLOVED FIST SHATTERS THE WINDSCREEN and GRABS
the Driver’s neck…

IN THE BACK: ****** sits BOLT UPRIGHT. The girls look around, ALARMED.

THE PARTITION SLOWLY LOWERS, REVEALING:

BATMAN.

Crouched like a dark animal on the hood – the Girls SCREAM.

There ya have it. Basically, an origin movie and a very dope one at that. The second half of the film is just as good if not better. There is a big Batmobile chase that will knock your socks off. If you want more story details, check out Garth’s site for the story synopsis. This was a fun script to read. I was literally ooing and awing as I read. You bet your ass Warner Brother’s will make serious Cartel Drug Dealer Dollars with this one. I will be first on the geek line to see this flick. A very entertaining read and I tip my hat to David Goyer for a job well done.

Trust me you won’t be disappointed come next year.
Hasta El Proximo Capitulo (Until the next episode!)

El Mayimbe
elmayimbe@latinoreview.com

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