A new beginning that delivers.

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2016)

Before the release of Batman Begins in 2005, there was a preconceived notion that comic book movies were undemanding entertainment. Few movies before challenged that (The Crow, Spiderman 2). But Christopher Nolan; fresh from Following, Memento, and Insomnia, started to break the mold with this film.
Batman Begins lays the foundation for the trilogy; establishing Bruce Wayne's story, meaningful arcs for supporting characters such as Alfred Pennyworth and Sergeant James Gordon, and Batman's role in Gotham City which is further explored in the sequels. It works as an opening act and a contained story of it's own, which is where many other big budget franchises nowadays fall short.
Warner Brothers and the creative team behind The Dark Knight Trilogy appear to have had a stable relationship, allowing enough creative energy while not completely alienating mainstream audiences.
The whole cast of The Dark Knight Trilogy is magnificent. The highlights of Begins are Christian Bale; the best on screen Batman/Bruce Wayne, Liam Neeson; who channels his wisdom and anti-hero dark side as Henri Ducard, Michael Caine as Alfred Pennyworth, Morgan Freeman as Luscious Fox, Gary Oldman as Gordon, Cillian Murphy as Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow; who is efficiently reincorporated into the two sequels. As for Katie Holmes as Rachael Dawes, she's easily replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal but is fairly solid considering her other credentials are not on par with the material here.
Some of the shaky camera style can be haphazard during the climax, but the rest of the action is useful in the narrative, and is supplemented by use of miniatures and practical effects.
Batman Begins grossing 374 million dollars worldwide was enough to warrant a sequel and gradually a whole monster of it's own. This is complimentary considering the superhero genre was in a farce in the early 2000s, aside from hits such as X-Men and the first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man films.
Being somewhat overlooked compared to it's sequels; this is also the most comic book style of the trilogy, with a Gotham City as grim as Blade Runner (which inspired Nolan during the making of the film). There's also echoes of Richard Donner's 1978 Superman, as both films perfected the hero's origin story on screen.
For many, Batman Begins reminds of why we care about Batman. A hero that is reinterpreted throughout history but always stays human. An ordinary man who stands up for everything he holds dearly which includes the good people and salvation of Gotham City.
Grade-A+