The man behind the 'Bat'.

Rating: 9/10 (12 May 2008)

My Take: Darker, more menacing than any of the earlier BATMAN films.
After Joel Schumacher brought back the pure camp of the dated 60's Batman series with his painfully annoying BATMAN & ROBIN, brilliant director Christopher Nolan gives us back the Batman we'd wish to come back. Nolan gives Batman a new breath of fresh air, maybe more than what Burton has given in his two brilliant Batman episodes BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS (which still stands out as my favorite Batman movie). BATMAN BEGINS is less about the superhero junkie and more on his human side, which means it devotes more on dialog, character development and gritty action than the usual fantasy that we got to know. This is not the Batman for kids, but any fan of the dark knight will still be rewarded by the overall impact. This is looking through beyond the Bat suit and into the characters past.
Christian Bale makes an ideal Batman, but most of all, he makes an ideal Bruce Wayne. And since the film is more about Bruce's life, his performance is potent and believable. The film also shows us that Bruce isn't exactly the instant heir to the Wayne fortune after his parents untimely murder. We discovered that he first becomes a prisoner due to a hard fight to survive. After which, he is trained by the mysterious League of Shadows, a sacred legion devoting themselves to fight injustice in a vigilante mannerism. After refusing to accept their justice, Bruce goes his own way, taking his deepest, darkest fear (the fear of bats) as his symbol to fight crime and injustice in the crime-drugged streets of Gotham city, ruled by underground drug-lords and crime-boss.
The film is less the fun, and is very serious, but this is pulp fiction at best. The film's change of pace is necessary and appropriate, making it an ideal modernization to the character. Instead of wasting Batman's character credibility like Schumacher's biggest mistake, Nolan brings back the dignity and human spirit of the character. Supporting characters like Alfred (Michael Caine), tough city detective Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes) and others are great real people that surround the Batman's "real" life. The script provides many great and memorable lines and Nolan keeps the characters and story involving while also providing good doses of action all the way.
I'd call BATMAN BEGINS a great prequel/sequel, but it's more of a great restart. It makes a wonderful return to form. Like Alfred said: "Master Wayne, you've been gone a long time. Welcome back!" Yes, welcome back, and, to Warner Bros., forget about the mistake of green-lighting BATMAN & ROBIN, all is forgiven.
Rating: ****1/2 out of 5.