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News
Critical Consensus: Does "Batman Begins" Achieve Perfection? Does "The Perfect Man" Soar?
by Senh Duong | June 17, 2005
Discuss Article
It’s the Man-show this week: Christian Bale goes to battle with Gotham City’s bad guys in "Batman Begins," and Hilary Duff goes to battle with her mom’s loneliness in "The Perfect Man." Which is the better “Man?”

As you may have heard, the Caped Crusader is back. Back in black. This Dark Knight is experiencing a dark night of the soul, etc. However you say it, the critics largely agree that "Batman Begins" is one of the best superhero movies yet. Director Christopher Nolan has both revived the Batman series and given emotional heft to one of the most iconic of superheroes. In telling the story of the origin of this particular species of bat, Nolan’s film, currently at 81 percent on the Tomatometer, soars above the other films in the series.

Perfection is pretty hard to come by. Just ask Don Larsen, Nadia Comaneci, and, for opposite reasons, Hilary Duff and Heather Locklear. Like Batman, Duff has an arch-nemesis. No, it’s not Louie the Lilac, the Penguin, or the Riddler, it’s Lindsey Lohan. And the first shot fired in this summer battle of the teen queens turns out to be a blank. Critics say "The Perfect Man," the story of a teenage girl who contrives a secret admirer for her lonely mom is both preposterous and creepy at its core. At 10 percent on the Tomatometer, this one’s a bummer, man. It currently ranks as the 8th worst reviewed film of the year so far.

The 10 Worst Reviewed Films of the Year So Far:
(based on movies with 20 or more reviews)

1. 0% - King's Ransom
2. 1% - Alone in the Dark
3. 4% - Son of the Mask
4. 5% - Harry and Max
5. 5% - Fascination
6. 7% - Elecktra
7. 9% - White Noise
8. 10% - The Perfect Man
9. 11% - The Wedding Date
10. 11% - House of D

Related Items
Movie: Batman Begins
Celeb: Christian Bale
Katie Holmes
Michael Caine
Morgan Freeman
Gary Oldman
Hilary Duff
Heather Locklear
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Comments (1-20 of 24 posts) | Reply
dylan21484nj
dylan21484nj writes:
on Jun 17 2005 06:04 PM

too bad there are plenty of little mindless teeny-boppers who will go see "The Perfect Man" because " oh ma gawsh, Hillary Duff is like, so cool!" so this movie will unfortunately make a considerable amount of money. ugh...

(Reply to this)
arpeggio191
arpeggio191 writes:
on Jun 17 2005 06:58 PM

In reply to this comment (#823302)
[b]sadly...[/b]
you're probably right. Batman ruled! As i've posted about 30 times, it completely rules. i want to go see it tomorrow at like the 1pm showing, but i think there are going to be a ton of little kids there to see the movie, and that would just piss me off. Anyone that talks during the feature film should be forced to leave the theater. and then maybe shot.

Maybe sunday would be better... hmmm...

and once again... Batman Begins ruled!!!


(Reply to this)
dylan21484nj
dylan21484nj writes:
on Jun 17 2005 07:49 PM

it's like counter-programming on TV. since Batman Begins is decidedly a "guy film," studios release "chick flicks" like "The Perfect Man" to attract the alternate audience.

(Reply to this)
Denton56
Denton56 writes:
on Jun 17 2005 08:14 PM

"Anyone that talks during the feature film should be forced to leave the theater. and then maybe shot."

If you ran for president on this platform, you'd have my vote.

I've already lost faith in humanity so many times when it comes to taste in movies. So if the perfect man does outgross it, it wouldn't shock me a bit.


(Reply to this)
VML
VML writes:
on Jun 17 2005 09:51 PM

I wouldn't be surprised if a Hilary Duff movie flops.

(Reply to this)
darcko
darcko writes:
on Jun 17 2005 11:20 PM

actually, i don't see older girls wanting to see "the perfect man". even though it seems like it might be aiming for a more mature female audience, i see it only having an alternate audience composed of 8-12 year old girls and their moms.

(Reply to this)
MrJillis
MrJillis writes:
on Jun 17 2005 11:49 PM

[b]I have a bad feeling about this[/b]
Firstly speaking for the people in OZ Batman absolutly rocked, by far the best Batman movie and dare I say best Comic to film attempt? However I have my reservations about the box office take of this movie, I don't think the box office will justify how good a movie this is. Don't get me wrong I think it will be fairly significant, I just hope it is enough so the studio won't put constraints on Nolans vision and the budget for the next two. Its good to see that there is some thoughtful planning already going into the sequels. In a world where sequels are a given I think that we should be thankful they are not going to stumble through it like the first four movies. So I guess the only answers to my queries is to wait and see.


(Reply to this)
andrei_r
andrei_r writes:
on Jun 18 2005 03:16 AM

[b]Sequal?[/b]
I don't understand why they would do a sequal! let alone two!? In my initial opinion i really liked how they ended batman begins, becuase it 'appeared' to set up tim burtons 'Batman' very appropriately! But if they are making sequals, doesn't anyone else think that this is unnecessary and disrespectful to tim burton, and his great batman movies? Has the screenwriter decided he doesn't care about what has been done before, and wants to do it again 'just because'? If he wanted to do his own versions of batman, why did he have to use a villain that was in the original!?!?!


(Reply to this)
Stankton
Stankton writes:
on Jun 18 2005 06:57 AM

King's Ransom has a 0%?! Pure hilarity!

(Reply to this)
poedude
poedude writes:
on Jun 18 2005 07:56 AM

[b]nolan, et al figured out what ron howard and crowe[/b]
batman begins is that mixture of summer time movie fare and art house intensity/ theme; bravo!

free weird fiction:
www.jerryclough.com


(Reply to this)
South_park300
South_park300 writes:
on Jun 18 2005 08:05 AM

Batman was indeed the Batman movie we were all waiting for. I say bring on the sequels, and i'll just forget about the previous Batman movies, so light can be shed on what seems to be a truly great start to a new Batman series.

(Reply to this)
the_NatureBoy_WOOOOO
the_NatureBoy_WOOOOO writes:
on Jun 18 2005 10:31 AM

In reply to this comment (#823305)
Seriously, you are giving hilary duff to much credit. I don't think any of her films grossed over 40 mil. This movie will probably debut at no. 3 or 4. Batman will be #1 and Mr. and Mrs. Smith will be # 2

(Reply to this)
the_NatureBoy_WOOOOO
the_NatureBoy_WOOOOO writes:
on Jun 18 2005 10:34 AM

In reply to this comment (#823309)
[b]Batman Sequels[/b]
Come on, the new batman is 10 million times better than any other Batman. This Batman is how I want to remember the character.


(Reply to this)
dylan21484nj
dylan21484nj writes:
on Jun 18 2005 11:51 AM

andrei_r, you're forgetting that Batman Begins is NOT a prequel to the other films, it is NOT meant to be a setup for the Tim Burton films. Batman Begins is a brand new beginning, in no way attached to the other films. when it comes to Batman Begins, you can completely ignore the other Batman films.

(Reply to this)
Joe Average
Joe Average writes:
on Jun 18 2005 02:17 PM

In reply to this comment (#823309)
Someone really missed the point of this film. I very much liked the original Batman film by Tim Burton, and liked Batman Returns in some ways. Despised Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, etc, etc. But I found Batman Begins to be the best of them all. Now "andrei_r", your majorly missing the point. This is a NEW Batman series. New actor, new director, new series. It did not set up the next Batman film, because obviously the Joker did not kill his parents in this new version...but obviously you did not catch that...and at the end of Batman Begins the Joker is already a villain. Obviously this does not lead into Burton's Batman whatsoever, because at the beginning of that he isn't even Joker yet. Its a new series, and they want to start the joker over again...because even while I thought Jack Nicholson was dead on as Joker...Nolan pointed out that it was a major mistake to kill him off in that film...which I agree with...now I hope you'll finally understand what I'm talking about now.

(Reply to this)
skletonkee
skletonkee writes:
on Jun 18 2005 05:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#823314)
[b]"does staying true to the source equal quality and[/b]
im just really curious about this...all the batman fanboys keep screaming about how "true to the source" this film is and i keep thinking, "so the f*ck what?"....

if a film is well made (like the first two batmans) why crap on it not being faithful to its story....

Do people crap on The Exorcist for changing the sex of the kid?


(Reply to this)
Ophiuchus
Ophiuchus writes:
on Jun 18 2005 11:48 PM

Which is better, out of Batman and Hillary Freaking Duff? Is this some kind of joke?

(Reply to this)
mr_movie_maniac
mr_movie_maniac writes:
on Jun 19 2005 01:14 AM

In reply to this comment (#823318)
Yes, it is a joke, a big joke. Hillary Duff makes me want to vomit. (preferable I would want it to be all over her) She's losing her cute little stigma, and can't act for shit. Some one please shove a microphone back in her face. Please!!!

(Reply to this)
poedude
poedude writes:
on Jun 19 2005 08:17 AM

[b]joker == dead[/b]
i think the joker died cause nicholson likely said 1 movie is all; and without nicholson (in that series) the joker is reduced to a nobody....



www.naturalselectionmovie.com


(Reply to this)
jeremyd4
jeremyd4 writes:
on Jun 19 2005 09:02 AM

In reply to this comment (#823319)
Shove a microphone back in her face?? Nooooo don't encourage her! Let's just hand her a crayon... she'll do less damage.

(Reply to this)
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