An enjoyably revived Batman in a new old traditional style

Rating: 7/10 (2 July 2005)

Yes, this film is definitely an advance to the Schumacher's Batman films. One can enjoy the myth of Batman again, thanks to Nolan and Bale, though it was not a perfect film to me...
The good aspect: For the first time, a Batman film consequently shows Bruce Wayne's development into the black knight. This part is also the best of the film, Bale perfectly illustrates Bruce Wayne's fear as well as his lust for revenge.
In addition shows the film a comprehensible reason of the villain for destroying Gotham City. We get to know why the city shall be destroyed, the explanation isn't only "pure evil" as in the early Batman films. Good news is that Nolan has returned to the very dark optics of the original Batman comics. The scenes when Bruce Wayne is trained in the mountains and when he discovers the secret cave under his property are very stylish and brilliantly pictured.
Another advantage of the film compared to Schumacher's and Burton's films is that Nolan combines realism with comic style. Schumacher's as well as Burton's Batman films were lacking realism. Batman and the villains had some supernatural powers that were never explained, and the Batman's arms were a bit too exaggerated and strange.
But this time Batman is no supernatural hero, the will for revenge and justice pushes him on and his abilities are all acquired and trained and his weapons and the Batmobil are rejected military project from the armament production of the Wayne corporation.
But the despite all the realism, when Bruce Wayne slips his Batmann dress over for the first time and beats up the first villains the well-known and satisfying hero-movie and comic feeling comes back.
Christian Bale is definitely the best cast for Bruce Wayne up to now. He illustrates Bruce Wayne's dark side and his inner conflict as great as his role as the heir of millions.
Unfortunately the last quarter of the film loses the realism and the darkness that made it so great up to this point. The final action sequences get lost in familiar Hollywood stereotypes. It has huge crashes, massive explosions and the usual action film humor, everything that Nolan was able to abandon before. But the biggest disappointment to me was, that Nolan couldn't even do without the Hollywood-usual kiss at the end.
These facts regrettably bedim the previously excellent impression.
But nevertheless the bottom line is, that Christopher Nolan and his excellent cast have adequately brought the myth of Batman back to screen and have awoken the appetite for more tales from Gotham City.