There's nothing to fear but fear itself...

Rating: 10/10 (5 May 2009)

It took me a second viewing to truly appreciate "Batman Begins". Unlike most superhero movies, it isn't stuffed with non-stop action sequences and jaw-dropping stunts. That doesn't mean there's no action, but there is considerably less than in a typical action film. The first time I saw it, I thought it was O.K. The second time, I realized just how good it was.
Yes, the movie can be somewhat slow at times. But it is Batman's first adventure after all. If he were to face his greatest challenge first (as he did in 1989 movie), then each film after that would progressively feel not as good. Starting with the villains they did, the ones who aren't as well-known, was a brilliant choice.
Batman is no longer Arnold Schwarzenegger without an accent— gone are the days of lifting guys off a roof with a single hand. Gone is the "Bat Credit Card", the convenient Bat-(insert weapon of choice here). The film goes for a more realistic touch than most superhero movies do, and that's what makes it really good.
The casting was positively first rate. Everyone fit their roles perfectly, especially Cillian Murphy as the villainous Scarecrow (he would play another sociopath in the 2005 thriller "Red Eye"), Christian Bale as Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Gordon heck, let's not continue this list: everyone was positively brilliant! Hans Zimmer's score sets the background for all this. Gone is Danny Elfman's great-to-hum, heroic-sounding theme. As much as I liked it, Elfman's music wouldn't have worked for this movie. Zimmer's is positively brilliant, though.
"Batman Begins" is one of the greatest superhero movies to ever be made. I hail it as a great movie.