I don't say this often but...

Rating: 9/10 (22 June 2005)

OK, we all do it sometimes: "that was the best movie I've ever seen..." OK, we all do it sometimes: "that was the best movie I've ever seen..." and two days later: "well, it was pretty good, but..." However...
"Batman Begins" is absolutely superb. I saw it in the London Imax and will be back there, without fail, for the sequel. I know that, technically, this is a sequel, but forget the first 4 - this is Batman as we have always wanted to see him: Dark, broody, dangerous and most of all, a central character. Every sequence of this film has been pored over, just like one can imagine Dave McKean pouring over his artwork for the Graphic Novels. The result? "Batman Begins" oozes with style. It represents a true victory of 'real' stagecraft and acting over CGI bargain-basement compromise (YES Mr. Schumacher I am looking at you) This is not to say that it is perfect  and it certainly will not be everyone's cup of tea. To be blunt, if you are a (rare) enthusiast of all 3 Matrix movies, then you will be disappointed by this film: it is NOT a Martial Arts movie. In fact, the fighting is directed so you see very little of the action  but for me, this was strength for the film. I have been in one or two real fights, and watching the opening sequence (Bruce Wayne getting the better of 7 criminals in a tough Chinese jail) I was blown away by the realism. The sequence slightly emulates the war scenes in Braveheart, with rapid staccato cuts giving you the feeling of real and confusing melee, but done with more style  as we would expect of a comic-book hero.
The story hangs together exceptionally well for about 80% of the film. In the 1950s it was somehow marginally more acceptable for people to decide to put on tights and fight crime  these days it is really passé stand-up comic territory. However, Michael Cain's innate decorum and Morgan Freeman's unsurpassable dignity really support the scenes where Bruce Wayne begins developing his Batman persona.
However, the final sequences involve a somewhat tenuous plot regarding Gotham's water supply that, whilst in keeping with the Batman tradition (weren't bad guys always doing this in the Adam West series?), slightly lacks sophistication for a modern audience. Being a true Batman devotee, I was impressed at how well they pulled off such a fundamentally shite doomsday plot and I love the standing set-up for the sequels we are left with (Arkham's inmates released and driven mad a perfect source for future Batman baddies). But we would seriously hope that the sequels resist the temptation to repeat this. In fact, what we really want to see is Batman the detective come out.
Christian Bale's performance is great too  I really noticed how his physicality blended into the Batman persona as the story moved forward. Christian has a quite 'bland' face, which means he actually looks somewhat like Bruce Wayne is often drawn. The support Christian Bale is given by the more experienced Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Cain, Gary Oldman etc. mirrors perfectly the support Bruce Wayne needs from the elder, wiser Ra's Al Gul, Luscious Fox, Alfred and Gordon for his development from frightened boy to hero.
A final word on Gary Oldman  and this is a real spoiler  but he richly deserves the final scene with Bale. Oldman gives a very fine, reserved and understated performance as the frustrated and moralistic Gordon trying to make sense of the Gothic Hell of Gotham. It is a true pleasure to see Oldman play a non-villain. Anyone who has seen 'Rozencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead' (a rare opportunity to see Gary Oldman and Tim Roth pair up in a well acted and clever comedy based on Shakespeare's Hamlet) will be familiar with Oldman's sensitive characterisation, and this is a welcome return for him, demanding that he reach out with his inner actor and let go the conscious psycho (Sorry couldn't resist!)
WARNING  A REAL SPOILER!!! And so Oldman and Bale deliver the final scene with a final touch that rounds out the film to near perfection: the two of them standing by the Bat-signal, saying their farewells, and we are generally wondering where this is going to go next, when Gordon casually mentions some criminal holding up stores with shotguns and leaving this calling card a standard playing card, face down, with a very revealing picture on the card face and Batman's reply? "I'll look into it"
Bloody marvellous!