Batman Begins

I had posed a question: “What does it take to raise a high performance child?” in Einstein’s Mother. Batman Begins answers some portions of that question, and qualifies surprisingly well, as a successful Edutainment product that resonates with the Affluenza crowd.

A review by Roger Ebert highlights the storyline and the human aspect. To me, the most exciting phenomena in the film are the following:

The film is smack in the middle of the Affluenza target audience. However, Bruce Wayne’s willingness to renounce Affluenza and seek a greater destiny serves as an excellent role-model. Wayne, the seeker, pursues gutsy life experiences, ventures into the unknown and way out of his comfort zone, all the way to the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. Chris Nolan, the Director, offers a testimonial to the Asian Martial Arts that include precise, robust mind-training, conquering fear, and learning to focus. Read, Discipline.

I found it deeply reassuring that finally a blockbuster action film has come about that unambiguously captures the imagination of the Affluenza generation, but also resonates an essential message: Being a superhero is hard work! And Bruce Wayne, indeed is the icon of that message – a role model – inspiring, smart, thoughtful, intellectual, and extremely hard working.