Batman Begins Again

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2006)

I don't like to argue with other users, but anyone who gave this movie a low score didn't see what I saw. Rubbishing "Batman Begins" because it wasn't directed by Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher, or it wasn't like the animated or live action TV series (or even the comic books) is pointless. If you want more of your own personal idealised vision of Batman, go and buy the relevant DVDs and leave this film alone.
Some people call the action scenes jumbled and confusing. I've not been involved in many fights but I'd say that the director has captured the feeling of hand-to-hand combat pretty well. As a director of at least one borderline Art House film ("Memento"), Christopher Nolan has taken surprisingly well to the mainstream.
Casting-wise, the only bum note in the ensemble is Katie Holmes. She's punching way above her weight in the company of actors like Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale and even relative newcomer Cillian Murphy. Admittedly, her character isn't much more than eye-candy in peril for most of the film but she fails to convince as a professional prosecutor or as a credible love interest for Bale's Bruce Wayne. The only adjective that I can find to describe her character is "Wet".
Yes, "Batman Begins" goes over ground already covered in preceding "Batman" movies, but if viewed as a separate entity it establishes the main character's background and motivation, answering many questions about the origin of the BatCave, the costume and all those wonderful utility belt gadgets that we wanted when we were kids. Nolan has effectively directed a new beginning to another Batman film franchise.
A special mention has to go to The Tumbler, the basis for the new BatMobile. Never have I wanted a car more than I want one of those! After the patently flimsy creations (all wobbly tail fins and neon lights, like over-sized toys) of the Schumacher era, the design of the new Batmobile is convincingly solid and purposeful. It's a credit to Nolan and the stunt crew that there's very little obvious CGI in the vehicle sequences, and a credit to the people who took the frankly mad design of the Tumbler and turned it into something that could handle so much stunt work.
"Batman Begins" has captured my idealised view of "The Dark Knight". I didn't even realise that I had such view until I saw this movie and now I'm really looking forward to the sequel...