Holy Batgoodness!

Rating: 9/10 (20 June 2005)

As a kid, I enjoyed comic books. Whenever I had the money, I would go to the corner store and pick up my favorites. But, unlike many comic book readers, I never really connected with Superman or Spiderman. For me it was always "Batman". Something about the gritty realism and dark atmosphere drew me in. I also respected the fact that Bruce Wayne never had to rely on superhuman abilities to get the job done.
Needless to say, my expectations were quite high for this latest installment. And I was not disappointed in the least. As much as I adored the two film incarnations brought to the screen by Tim Burton (yes, I truly and completely enjoyed "Batman Returns"), I always felt something was lacking. The films, including the horrendous Joel Schumacher train wrecks, seemed to focus way too much on the villains (Jack Nicholson's Joker remains one of my all time favorite movie bad guys) and not enough on the protagonist, Bruce Wayne.
This new "Batman" fixes this problem with a truly remarkable look at a tortured soul who decides not to turn his back on the city that took his parent's lives.
Christian Bale was made to wear the Batsuit. He looks truly menacing and delivers his lines with growling intensity. The supporting cast is, for the most part, equally up to par. The only exception I have to this is Katie Holmes. She just doesn't seem all that believable in the role she is required to play. She's not really bad, just not that great. Michael Caine, Rutger Hauer, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, and (in a surprising "good guy" role) Gary Oldman add some class to the proceedings.
In regards to the action scenes, a very sensitive part of comic book adaptations, the film was truly remarkable. Part of Batman's strategy of fighting crime is to strike fear into the hearts of criminals, and this is where director Christopher Nolan really hits the mark. The first real scene of Batman taking on some thugs is filmed in such a way that it is difficult to truly see what is going on. This may sound sloppy or cheap, but it actually gives the feel of being attacked by some unknown creature, and the glimpses of the cape only adds to the thugs' terror.
The movie features all the gadgets and gizmos you would expect from a Batman movie as well as a re imagined Batmobile that is quite an impressive vehicle. The dialog is great, as well as the appropriate moments of humor. As difficult as it is for me to admit this, this is the way Batman was meant to be (Sorry, Tim). A dark and gritty masterpiece.