Kudos to Christopher Nolan. Not for re-energizing a franchise but for beginning it anew

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2005)

Batman Begins is truly a marvelous piece of art and story telling. This film will definitely draw comparisons to the hyper stylized works of Tim Burton with the faux Gothic Gotham city backdrops and nightmarishly cartoon villains. It's not a bad comparison to Burton's interpretation of Batman which was both very artistic and very fun. But those two movies have unfortunately been followed up by Joel Schumacher's dreadfully mediocre Batman Forever and the train wreck Batman And Robin. Schumacher seemed more obsessed with neon lights, bright colors, and bat-nipples than telling a story or creating a film that could be close to considered artistic expression.
Getting these comparisons out of the way, it is also unfair to compare Batman Begins to Burton or Schumacher's films. In essence, the brilliant Christopher Nolan (responsible for the original and gripping Memento and the numbingly intense Insomnia) resets the "bat-clock" and the series from the start. The title Batman Begins conjures up thoughts that this film might be a prequel of sorts to the previous incantations. I had originally thought that this was to be a prequel, and in essence a film from the young Michael Keaton (err..and Val and George) perspective before the days of the Joker and the rest. Not so! Batman Begins is its own story and its own take on the Batman universe.
I think it might have been a little more daring (and honest) for Nolan to just call this film "Batman." Small quibble aside, I was not impressed by the media blitz this go around, nor was I especially overcome by the Katie Holms hype. My expectations were not especially high for this film (or many films of late.) My expectations were far exceeded. This film is truly brilliant and well done.
I will not go into a story synopsis in this review. I will not spoil anything for those interested in seeing the movie. Nolan has an edgy style in his movies and Batman Begins is no exception. We all know that Bruce Wayne becomes Batman and this time we see the development, the training, and the psychology. But even more so, we see Bruce Wayne become Bruce Wayne, from kid losing parents and traumatized to brooding young adult to billionaire playboy. There are wonderful actors in this film such as Morgan Freeman, the always enjoyable Gary Oldman, Michael Cane, Ken Watanabe, Liam Neeson, Katie Holms, and of course Christain Bale. But there are many other actors to that you will recognize as wonderful character actors and up and comers.
A "Spider-man movie" this is not. There is no bright colors or spandex suits. In fact, there is very little humor in this outing. This is serious psychological thriller on moment, samurai film the next, and drama the next. Batman Begins explores a Batman in "a realistic" world and what real trauma can do to a man with the means to explore his dark fantasies.
Big Kudos to Christopher Nolan. Not for re-energizing a franchise. But for beginning it anew. Batman Begins is an excellent, highly recommended movie.