Best Batman Ever? Yep, I'd Have To Agree...

Rating: 8/10 (1 August 2005)

BATMAN BEGINS (4 outta 5 stars) When I first heard about this movie... and saw some of the preliminary designs (big rubber mask, fancy Bat-gear, tank-like Batmobile) I expected the worst... some brainless action movie with lots of noise and explosions and not much else. I thought the world needed another "Batman" movie like it needed another "Rocky". Well, I was wrong. This is definitely the best "Batman" movie ever filmed. Much as I enjoyed the first Tim Burton movie, I have to admit that it's Jack Nicholson's performance that made it memorable. The script had some fun scenes and some good one-liners but it didn't really have a satisfying story. This time around they have a decent script to build their action scenes on. The story and screenplay by David Goyer and director Christopher ("Memento") Nolan deals with the entirety of the Batman legend... telling us in great detail just how he evolved from rich playboy to obsessed crime-fighter. I found it amazing how the movie could pack in so much story and background and not make it all seem rushed and crammed together. They even toss in a completely unnecessary love interest for Bruce Wayne... a childhood sweetheart played by Katie Holmes... but it still works! The movie's elements all come together and even though there are several name actors in small roles (Rutger Hauer, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson, Morgan Freeman... not to mention Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon and Michael Caine as Alfred the butler) none of them seem short-changed on screen time... or good lines. Michael Caine almost walks off with the movie... as probably the definitive Alfred... but Morgan Freeman gives him some fierce competition as the Wayne Foundation science tech who is able to provide Batman with some of his fancy crime-fighting equipment. Christian Bale is probably the best actor who has taken on the role so far. In previous movies the Bat-suit was the star... it didn't really matter much WHO they put in it. This time, Bruce Wayne takes center stage and Bale makes us see him as a man... and not just a secret identity. There are minor flaws (Ken Watanabe could have been used more, the Scarecrow character seemed a bit superfluous) but this still ranks as one of the best superhero movies ever done.