The best Batman film so far

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2008)

This is the best Batman film so far. I enjoy for the fact that it was psychological and takes the most realistic approach possible. This was because the director Chris Nolan is known for making psychological thrillers, and he also only used CGI when needed, he made the film using stunts and keeping the action down to earth.
The film focuses on Bruce Wayne becoming Batman and looks at the psychology of the man. It showed his personal angst and fears and how he used it to fight crime. The starts with a flashback of Bruce and his friend Rachel Dawes as children before seeing Bruce in a Chinese prison, aiming to understand the mind of criminals. Fear was a major theme. Bruce Wayne as Batman wanted to cause fear within criminals in Gotham, whilst the Scarecrow used fear as a weapon. Bruce's relationships are also looked at. In the film he is emotionally stunted because of the murder of his parents. It shows that he has few friends, Alfred, he was a father figure to him, Lucius Fox, who helps Bruce become Batman, Sgt. Gordon who is one of the few good cops in Gotham and Rachel, Bruce's love interest.
As well as showing Bruce/Batman as a more realistic human, Nolan takes great care to show how it was possible for someone to become Batman. The equipment used in the film is down to earth and not out the realms of possibility and the Batmobile looks like a real vehicle. I hated the 1960s programme of Batman, I really disliked the camp in it and I hated the silliness. I didn't like Batman Forever or Batman and Robin (that one was laughably bad). The Tim Burton version was better, but I still felt like a cartoon. However Batman Returns is a good film in it's own right. I liked that fact that Gotham looked like a city, namely because it was filmed in Chicago, but I felt it was just right for the film.
The film also had an excellent case, and I personally enjoyed the British/Irish favour to it. Christian Bale was brilliant as Batman, Michael Caine was good as Alfred. Gary Oldman, an actor I've always liked played Gordon who grows as a character in the film. Tom Wilkinson, Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy were good as the villains. Morgan Freeman, one of the felt Americans to have a major part was also had a fine performance as Fox. The only person I had a problem with was Katie Holmes, but it was only because I thought she was too young to be playing a Deputy DA, not because she was a bad actress. I think Maggie Gyllenhaal should be more suited for the role in the next film.
The film also has the feeling of it being like Batman: Year One by Frank Miller. It is not a carbon copy of the Graphic Novel, but it is very similar and the ending is lifted from the Graphic Novel. Year One also set out to show Batman's origins and show how it could have been possible. Batman Begins in my opinion was also influenced by the first two X-Men films which tried to take the most realistic approach possible. They is also a trend in Hollywood for taken the realistic approach, such as Casino Royale, Lord of the Rings (as in the battle scenes) and the Bourne Trilogy.
I can't wait for The Dark Knight to come out in the cinema.