Batman Begins

Rating: 10/10 (3 July 2005)

Batman Begins, is based upon the Batman comic books and is a prequel to the previous Batman films made. The film takes place when Bruce Wayne (Batman) is an eight year old child who lives with his rich parents in Gotham City. His father Thomas Wayne, owns the Wayne building and and tries to do good for the city. One day after leaving an opera Bruce's parents are killed by a robber and Bruce is raised by the family butler Alfred. When he gets older Bruce travels and on the way is taught martial arts and several years later returns home when he was presumed dead. Bruce gets a job working at his father's company which was left to him and he sees how the city is run with corruption and violence so he plans to use his martial arts skills for good. Bruce meets Lucius Fox, a scientist at the Wayne building who he has discovered has made several weapons and a suit which was meant for the army. Bruce takes the equipment and alters it a bit and soon becomes Batman and tries to right the wrong in Gotham City by bringing down the various evils. Batman currently has to take down a drug lord and a doctor who is releasing his toxic drug in the water supply of the city. Batman Begins, has good direction, a good script, good performances by everyone involved, good original music, good cinematography, good film editing, good production design, good art direction and good set decoration. I was a big fan of Batman and Batman Returns, and I remember liking Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm and the animated Batman series as well. I however did not like Batman Forever or Batman And Robin, so I wasn't quite sure if I would like this film or not. One reason I liked Batman and Batman Returns so much was because of the dark atmosphere and setting provided by director Tim Burton for both films which was sorely missed in Batman Forever and Batman And Robin. I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised with Batman Begins. The film has a great story that at times is serious and at other times very entertaining and original. The film is also engaging, stylish, well acted and well made, is entertaining with a lot of action, it is fun and unique. Actor Christian Bale makes a good Bruce Wayne/Batman and I liked how the film's director Christopher Nolan didn't use a lot of CGI for some of the effects. The film is good looking and has a nice dark futuristic type atmosphere and the film as some good art and set decoration. Batman Begins is the first real surprise I have had with a movie in theaters this year so far. I really thought the film would just be a dumb action film that would be quickly forgotten but I was sure wrong. There is a lot more to this movie than the action and it is very thought provoking and engaging. And then we get the action and the film is very entertaining. This film works on many levels and hits all the right keys to being a perfect superhero film and is just as good as the original Batman from 1989 by Tim Burton. One of the best action films I have seen in years and a true masterpiece. One of the best films of the year.