Better in Every Aspect

Rating: 10/10 (18 June 2005)

"Batman Begins" is a story that is completely separate from the first four Batman movies--which, toward it's latest installments, nosedived into the abyss of Hollywood big budget folly. It not only provides the origin of Bruce Wayne's transformation into the legend of Batman, and it does so with such guarded care and attention that one can easily appreciate upon viewing.
But it is more than just a separate movie franchise, but an improved one in every aspect of film-making. Actors are better--Christian Bale is wonderful as both a billionaire "Prince of Gotham" and a crime fighter that strikes fear in the hearts of many. Throw in Michael Caine's rendition, a great performance, as Alfred and--oh why not--Morgan Freeman as a man akin to "Q" in the 007 franchise, and you've got quite an ensemble of polished performers.
It isn't just the acting itself that is a great improvement, but the construct of the characters themselves. Bruce Wayne, as it turns out, is a lot more complicated and vulnerable man than any of the other screen renditions would suggest. I've read some reviewers say that the movie lacks a great villain, perhaps longing for Jack Nicholson's "Joker", but I disagree. The villains in "Batman Begins" are not reduced to simple maniacal monsters nor cartoonish fools (nor Arnold Schwarzenegger--yikes!). Their motivations may be irrational and downright sociopathic, but one is at least presented with a reason for their criminal intent.
And perhaps that is the best part of this version of Batman films: the superb direction by Christopher Nolan. Rightly biding his time and making the full use of the 140 minutes of runtime, Nolan paces the "Batman Begins" with a superior understanding of how great cinemas engage the audience. We are not racking our brains just to catch up to the plot--a technique actually often employed by movie makers when they don't want us to realize the holes in the plot--and we're not bored to submission. The progress is just right, and when the action turns on, it drives us full force in a thrilling joyride.
Better acting, better script, better characters and better directing. Minus the absurd silliness of the last couple of Batman flicks, and you've got the best of the bunch, by far. I've always enjoyed Tim Burton's original work, but this is an improvement by leaps and bounds.
But then again, could you really do any worse than "Batman and Robin"?