Justice vs. Revenge

Rating: 8/10 (30 October 2005)

The frenetic pacing of the first act of Batman Begins takes place before he became Batman. Much of the alienation and solitary repose of Batman was borne from the early death of Bruce Wayne's parents. Henry DuChamp(Liam Neeson) would give direction to the rage that young Wayne felt - the need to balance justice vs. revenge and to channel his anger into a great power.
Michael Caine portrays a dignified Alfred Pennyworth, who is determined to keep the Wayne Manor alive. One minor issue with the plot detail begs the question; Did Jack Napier kill the Wayne parents or was it another character, and the Joker would evolve differently from the original Tim Burton Batman film? The justice vs. revenge theme is illustrated early in the film, and Carmine Falcone (played brilliantly by Tom Wilkinson) was able to antagonize the young Wayne into going on his sabbatical to find some kind of test of his will. The set design of the film hearkens to machine Teutonic and a hurried pace toward the end of the film climaxed into a pulse-pounding ending.
"Its not who I am underneath, its what I do that defines me", was an apt quote for the Dark Knight. Hence, 8 out of 10. A great return for the franchise.