Excellent Way To Begin A New Franchise

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2005)

Going into the theater I had a lot of high expectations for Batman Begins. I am a die hard fan of the Batman movie franchise that started with Michael Keaton, and I was hoping that Christopher Nolan would breathe life back into the lungs of a fading dynasty. Keaton's Batman, was a very dark films, yet Bale's depiction takes it to an even darker level. This Batman is more of a man than an impervious superhero. Batman Begins depicts not only Batman the hero, but also the man who is trapped behind the mask. Christian Bale's Batman is the most intense and ruthless Batman yet. He seems to be the Batman straight out of Arthur Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns". He is more violent, more angry, and seemingly more vengeful than any Batman of his time. It was a real treat to see a Batman movie that deals directly with Bruce Wayne's transformation into Batman, as opposed to flirting around the premise of simply being out for justice. This movie was less focusing on the action sequences (which were exhilarating) and more on the character development, which is the true heart of the Batman legacy. Batman Begins was a beautifully made movie, with powerful dialogs and excellent acting. It was so worth the ticket price that I wouldn't have minded having to pay for a few guests. Can't wait for a sequel!