Dignity and integrity returns to the franchise!

Rating: 9/10 (15 June 2005)

Finally, a group of filmmakers return some dignity and integrity to the Warner Brothers "Batman" franchise. Both Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have made a very ballsy move in creating this film. First of all, they show an origin story for a superhero, and the first half of the film plays unlike most action/superhero films out there. Furthermore, this is an origin story that is not as easy to portray as others out there; Bruce Wayne is not simply bitten by a spider or born with mutant powers. No, he is a dark hero born from emotional turmoil, and the film does a fantastic job of weaving several details from the comics and graphic novels together, explaining quite clearly how and why Bruce Wayne takes on his alter-ego. As a final pat on the proverbial back to Nolan and Bale, the end of the film speaks to the sure-to-be-released sequel, showing viewers that they really are beginning the franchise again: We are shown that there is a new villain in town, and his calling card is, of course, the Joker. What an immodest move! Not only is Burton's first Bat-film a favorite among fans, but the "Batman Begins" folks are kinda saying, "Look, forget those first four films. Oh, and we're gonna do the first film . . . BETTER!" I personally believe this to be the best of the Batman franchise, and I wholeheartedly expect that the sequel--with its ever-popular villain--will blow even Burton's film out of the water. Wonderful :)