The Best Batman Film Ever: Period

Rating: 8/10 (5 June 2007)

How did you do it, Christopher Nolan? How in the world did you assemble such a phenomenal cast, such a fantastic crew, and such a good story? "Batman Begins" brings us back to the beginning of Bruce Wayne's alternate identity, chronicling the early events in the "life" of Batman.
The acting in "Begins" is superb. Christian Bale looks like Batman should in the suit. He is not too old and slick like George Clooney was, nor is he too gangly and un-cool like the original Batman, Michael Keaton. Still, he is even better at portraying Bruce Wayne. He doesn't play the part over-the-top. Instead, he comes off as a millionaire playboy with not a care in the world, which is what Bruce Wayne really is. He is complimented nicely by Katie Holmes, who is not your typical damsel-in-distress. Michael Caine is brilliant, as usual, as a more likable Alfred than his predecessor. Also worth mentioning is Morgan Freeman, who plays an aging, but still cool helper to Bruce. Still, the show-stealers in this film are the villains.
Cillian Murphy is one of the best younger actors in the business, and he hands in an enormously creepy and venomous performance as "Scarecrow." He plays the role so well that the audience can almost feel his evil menace pouring out of the screen.
At the heart of "Batman Begins" is what is easily the best plot in the series so far. The film's story is really a two-part storyline, consisting of the "birth of Batman" and his first major crisis in Gotham. Instead of ridiculous and impossible story lines, this newest film deals a lot with the mind, never actually delving into the impossible. I won't give the highly unpredictable plot away, but I will say that it involves psychological and physical terror, and is somewhat plausible in a way so that there are no moments when one feels inclined to say, "Oh, come on!" Overall, "Batman Begins" is really the first step in bringing the series back, better than ever. It is also a great film, and I would recommend it to anyone above the age of 11 or 12, being that it is very creepy at times and has a good deal of violence.
8/10