"Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up"  A metaphor for the Batman franchise

Rating: 10/10 (26 April 2008)

"Batman Begins" directed by Christopher Nolan, is a cinematic work of genius that is only beaten in the genre of comic book films by its successor: "The Dark Knight". One of the best all star casts of the new millennium is involved including Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe and Morgan Freeman as the film redefines both the comic book and the action genres and establishes the possibility of a motion picture within these genres to contain so much heart and meaning.
At the age of 8, when his parents are murdered, Bruce Wayne (Bale) vows to seek revenge; however, he commences to ask himself about the difference between revenge and justice. As he gets older he meets Henri Ducard (Neeson) and Ra's Al Ghul (Watanabe); two members of a vigilante group known as the 'League of Shadows' which sparks Bruce's interest and allows him to train with the group. Subsequent to his training, he is told that he must execute a criminal in order to become a member of the League of Shadows, however, Bruce declines and finds himself fighting to the death with Ra's Al Ghul which results in Ghul's death. He returns to Gotham City and finds that the city has become a "breeding ground for suffering and injustice", due to this he decides to use a symbol to frighten criminals and bring justice back to Gotham. He decides that the symbol must be terrifying and formidable and that he should use his one fear: bats, as he explains "as a man, I can be destroyed, I can be ignored. But as a symbol, I can be incorruptible." With the help of his trusty companions Alfred Pennyworth (Caine), Sgt. Jim Gordon (Oldman) and Lucius Fox (Freeman) he does his best to become a nocturnal vigilante, determined to fight against evil.
The realistic and grim tone that Nolan creates in this film is one that has not been seen in a comic book film ever before. Although it does not contain popular and somewhat admired villains as previous Batman films has shown, it manages to grasp the true essence and meaning of Batman and his love for Gotham. It is also done this way for a reason; because Batman is not meant to meet villains like The Joker, Two-Face or The Riddler when he is first practising as the masked vigilante. For this is not a story of an experienced and heavily skilled Batman, this is a story of how Batman begins.
10/10.