Bats All Over the Belfrey.

Rating: Null/10 (16 June 2005)

Dark, disturbing and demoralizing take on the "Batman" series as director Christopher Nolan (best known for "Memento" and "Insomnia") resurrects a series that seemingly limped away in 1997. The title says it all as we get a prequel to the four new age installments that started in 1989. Bruce Wayne (the very moody Christian Bale) has been an international recluse after his parents were killed in a botched robbery while he was a youngster. He finds himself in Asia of all places and in trouble with police authorities. Soon Bale is being taught the ways of revenge and vengeance with the help of a very shady ninja cult led by Liam Neeson and Ken Watanabe. Meanwhile, things are chaotic and crazed in a bleak Gotham City as childhood friend/current assistant district attorney Katie Holmes appears to be the only beacon of light. A ruthless crime boss (Tom Wilkinson) and a demented psycho-analyst (the excellent Cillian Murphy) are the key characters in an exact landscape spinning out of control. Bale's return to the city sends shock-waves to Holmes and Rutger Hauer (who is running Bale's rightful business affairs). Also along for the ride are butler Michael Caine and exiled technological genius Morgan Freeman who assist Bale as he starts his transformation to his alter ego. Seemingly only one good cop (Gary Oldman) within the city is also featured in the dizzying mix. Graphically violent and pitch black take on the material as we have social and psychological commentaries that mesh with layering story lines of complex characters, intense situations and a demented would-be outcome that involves biblical undertones and even military germ warfare. With all the difficulty and depth that "Batman Begins" has, it still does not necessarily set itself apart from the better superhero films produced. No doubt, Nolan's vision is likely the finest product of the five in the series ("Batman" from 1989 would be the only other in the group that could compete) but we might almost get too much data as the film leaves a lot to swallow as the numerous characters and background end up getting in the way of confusing action sequences and schizophrenic pacing. Though far from perfect, I think that "Batman Begins" stands very tall within its genre and represents a real highlight for the cinema in 2005. 4 stars out of 5.