Dark, gripping, and highly enjoyable!

Rating: 8/10 (27 September 2017)

After the unspeakable things Joel Schumacher did to Batman in the 90s, audiences were looking for a more realistic and gripping Batman and here, I think, they truly found that!
BATMAN BEGINS is a whole new ball game for the super hero genre.
Like the opera that the Wayne family watches at the start of the movie: Batman Begins is dark, brooding and gripping. However, this is definitely a SUPER HERO Origin story, and Batman Begins doesn't shy away from the slightly unrealistic side of the super hero genre, but it keeps it realistic enough so that you don't get bored or think the action is ridiculously naff (unlike Kingsman 2).
Nolan directs superbly and really pulls together a formidable film with Bob Kane and David S. Goyer delivering a gripping and very entertaining script. It takes Batman to places you really don't expect: a Burmese prison, a secret Ninja school in the snowy mountains and it even has Batman contemplating murdering his parents killer...
However, it has a couple of small issues, sometimes, the script can feel a little lagging, sometimes the action can feel a little far-fetched and Tom Wilkinson is not someone I would choose as Carmine Falcone. Seriously, there are times where he just READS the script off the page. But, these are little things in a very strong and enjoyable movie.
As well as directing gripping action scenes and stunning cinematography, Nolan really directs a killer cast that are ALL (but Wilkinson) on top form...
Christian Bale delivers a strong, authentic and charismatic performance as Bruce Wayne/Batman. He plays both egos of the character with real passion and flare. Batman's voice is SPOT-ON!
The rest of the ALL-STAR cast really delivers as well.
Katie Holmes (the heroine) is enjoyable as Rachel but her scenes with Bruce can feel a little predictable in their dialogue and the end of their relationship is a bit of a Romance cliché, with her dumping him weirdly because of him becoming a better person, but over all she's a heroine you really grow fond of.
Liam Neeson is also enjoyable if not a little stale as Ducard but still gives us a very entertaining performance as the movie's main villain.
The other villain rights must of course go to Cillian Murphy's Dr. Jonathan Crane AKA Scarecrow! He, like Heath Ledger in the second movie (The Dark Knight) delivers a brilliant and deeply phsycological performance and plays the part with real zest and fire!
Other enjoyable performances come from actors such as Sir Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer and even Ken Watanabe. Sir Michael really delivers a both funny and authentic performance as Alfred Pennyworth, and is really a joy to watch.
For Ken Watanabe fans, Watanabe's performance is more of a long cameo, but even HE is on top form and delivers a strong performance.
Another, great performance is the great Gary Oldman as Officer Jim Gordon. I was a little shocked and amused to see the man who was one of the NASTIEST villains in movie history (LEON) playing a good guy, but he (like the rest of the cast), delivers a strong performance.
All these GOOD factors: directing, script, action scenes, actors and cinematography create a really strong and enjoyable film but the film is also kept going by the brilliant soundtrack, composed by the great Hans Zimmer. Zimmer's score is SPOT-ON with the film: dark and brooding but also heroic.
The film really creates the Batman myth that we know and love with him gliding through the sky like a Bat out of (forgive the pun)...
The film does have tension, but for REAL tension I'd look to the sequel, for, as I've said this film is a SUPER HERO movie and is sometimes unrealistic, whereas, The Dark Knight is more: a deeply realistic crime thriller than SUPER HERO flick.
However, this is still a both enjoyable and gripping movie, what you want from a Batman movie!