A return to the real Batman

Rating: 9/10 (21 September 2008)

This is a darker, more realistic Batman movie. For comic book fans who have read the earliest stories, this movie series should be heaven. Christopher Nolan is taking audiences back to how Batman was intended to be: a dark master detective who is HUMAN. His "villains" are crime bosses and mobster, just like in real life. But Batman must also face madmen like Scarecrow. The villains are more realistic (Nolan said you will never see the Penguin in his film series because it is too unbelievable and far feetched to be real). Begins is the beginning (which is refreshing given the slew of poor quality prequels that seem to be coming out lately). We learn how Bruce Wayne altered from poor little rich boy into the vigilante of justice. This film introduces the long standing comic villain of Ra's Al Ghul to film. And Nolan (mistakenly) creates a love interest for Batman/Bruce Wayne in Rachel (played poorly by Katie Holmes). The story and the action are truly inspired. And the direction this series is taking is from the original comic icon, not from the 4+ decades of camp and overacting. It's darker than Burton's, better than Schumacher's (but what isn't?), and true to the original. What more could fans ask for? Highly recommend.