Batman: darker and more interesting than ever before

Rating: 8/10 (14 August 2008)

In the 5th Batman film, director Christopher Nolan brings a very dark side out of the superhero and explores how Bruce Wayne became Batman in this wonderful fantasy, and my personal favourite Batman thus far.
Nolan uses a very sophisticated choice of direction to bring out the traumas of Wayne's past in a great use of flashbacks, so unexpected and diverse which is what the franchise needed, not to mention the writing is top notch by going darker than all other films in the series created.
The direction fits beautifully alongside a consistent plot. Though I was lost at a couple of turns with the involvement of many characters, the plot is solid and fits the genre beautifully with the use of the escapism of realism, such are the action sequences and the use of the cool gadgets, and though I have never read the comics, am sure are great justice to them.
The performances are excellent as well. Bale (American Psycho), in his first role as the superhero, delivers on a whole new level compared to previous performances by Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney, and is by far, the darkest and most interesting. Excellent support is given by Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Katie Holmes, and the performances cannot be faulted, and these performances in particular give the film more depth, and make the film very character driven, none more so than the driving force that is bale's portrayal of the lonely and troubled Bruce Wayne.
Seeing the creation of the hero was very interesting, as I have never read any comics, I didn't have much idea as to how Batman came about, and this was a great showcase to demonstrate how he did, and is very strong and emotional, and does explain why batman acts like he does in other films, the loneliness and the sentimental issues are evident by the troubled past clearly effective in this film, which answers so much.
Though there is a few flaws in the characters and occasionally the plot, it is by far the best Batman made thus far, and I wait impatiently to go and see The Dark Knight.