Deserves all the praise and accolades

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2005)

I admit, Batman Begins is not without its weaknesses. For instance, the first act, which details Bruce's training in Asia, is shot like one long trailer. It alternates between flashbacks from Bruce's childhood and quick training lessons from Bruce's mentor, the mysterious Ducard (Liam Neeson). I found myself wondering when the film would settle into the real narrative. Another weakness is Katie Holmes, who is not quite believable (seems too young, perhaps?) as an idealistic Assistant D.A.
However, its strengths are so many and so great that I consider this the best Batman film to date. Aside from Holmes' mail-in, the acting is top-notch across the board. These big-name stars were not hired simply to sell tickets, but because they translate their comic-book counterparts to the big screen with honesty and authenticity.
A buffed-up, post-Machinist Christian Bale is hands-down the best Batman/Bruce Wayne yet. Severely buffing up after that 120-pound role, he communicates Wayne's inner complexity appropriately (yet we understand that Wayne is no saint himself), while still landing a few appropriate one-liners with dead-on timing. And, most importantly, he doesn't over-cheese the Dark Knight as previous actors have. Michael Caine resonates as a compassionate Alfred; Morgan Freeman's grinning turn as Lucius Fox makes for a great ally for whom the audience can root; Tom Wilkinson is an apt, slightly over-the-top Carmine Falcone. Cillian Murphy is a real treat--it's impossible to imagine that he auditioned for the Batman role, since he seems to revel in the sinister Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow. And rounding out the long list of major players, Gary Oldman tries his hand as good-cop James Gordon so convincingly that, for two hours, we forget the dastardly villains he's expertly portrayed before. While none of these roles are bit parts, I found myself wanting to see more development and simply more acting from these guys.
Supported by a faithful, dramatic story (with some nice twists), a fast pace, and some wonderful conceptual imagery by director Christopher Nolan (his personification of fear is simply masterful), Batman Begins is a spot-on hit even aside from all the action. Some have cited the fight sequences as a major weakness because of the quick edits and gritty fast pace. Nolan's tactics, however, succeed in allowing the fight sequences to actually develop the Batman character. More than in the previous Bat-films, the audience finally understands just how Batman uses fear as his greatest weapon.
Finally, the Batman tradition is restored to its mythological status. Our hero is still misunderstood, untrusted, and fearsome. His world, his adventures and his evolution are made so that we can believe they someday could happen, even though they never would. Most moviegoers should find everything they want here. Like Bale, a summer blockbuster can achieve great things if it has some meat on its bones.