The Bat Is Back!

Rating: 10/10 (22 June 2005)

After many years in limbo The Batman has finally returned. Far from the neon lights and bat nipples brought to the series by Joel Schumacher we get to finally see the character as he should be...dark. Like most people I had my reservations about another Bat movie; and with the bad taste left from Batman & Robin I think that's a valid reaction. Fortunately Chris Nolan has more then proved himself as a competent and creative director. But of course all the credit cannot go to Nolan; David Goyer's fantastic script managed to breathe new life into a once dead character. Such a superbly written story not only focusing on the emotional story of Bruce Wayne but also the psychological. For once we get to see beyond the Batsuit and delve into the troubled life of the Dark Knight. In previous incarnations of this character Batman is the central focus. Stories have been compromised in order to show Batman in action. However in this case it is about the man behind the mask and deep fear and anger he feels. It is not a story of Batman but rather a story of Bruce Wayne. What cannot go without mention is the outstanding cast that has been brought together. Ordinarily such a star studded cast is a sign of compensation for a weak movie; but this is far from the truth. Every actor pulls their weight no matter how little screen time they may have. This works marvelously as it shows the characters as real people without dramatizing their personalities. These characters are not larger then life but rather people coping with their bleak surroundings. Christian Bale is perfectly placed as Bruce Wayne. His performance is serious yet can still act the part of the playboy billionaire. He also has that slightly psychotic look in his eye that made Michael Keaton such a pleasure to watch. This is by far the best comic-book movie to date. It doesn't go way over the top and it knows how to have fun. While it has flaws it can be forgiven since it is still a movie about a guy dressed as a bat. Defiantly the most enjoyable film of the year. 10/10