Batman (film)

***Batman*** is a 2008 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, produced and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the first film in the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU). The film was directed by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay by Nolan and his brother, Jonathan Nolan. It stars Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne / Batman, alongside . In *Batman*, Bruce Wayne, an industrialist and master engineer, becomes the superhero Batman by using a military-grade suit created by his company.

## Plot

Genius, billionaire, and playboy Bruce Wayne, who has inherited the defense contractor Wayne Enterprises from his father, is in war-torn Afghanistan with his friend and military liaison Lieutenant Colonel Tim Drake to demonstrate the new "Eden" missile. After the demonstration, the convoy is ambushed and Wayne is critically wounded by one of his own company's rocket-propelled grenades. He is captured and imprisoned in a cave by a terrorist group, the League of Shadows; Raatko, a fellow captive who is a doctor, reveals to Wayne that he is trying to build a suit that could allow them to escape. League of Shadows leader Merlyn offers Wayne freedom in exchange for building a Eden missile for the group, but Bruce and Raatko know that Merlyn will not keep his word.

Wayne and Raatko secretly build a powerfully-armored vehicle that can operate as a car and jet and can also break through the walls. Although they keep the vehicle hidden almost to completion, the League discover their hostages' intentions and attack the workshop. Raatko sacrifices himself to divert them while the vehicle is completed. The armored Wayne battles his way out of the cave to find the dying Raatko, then burns the League's weapons in anger and flies away, crashing in the desert and destroying the vehicle in the process. After being rescued by Drake, Wayne returns home and announces that his company will no longer manufacture weapons. Oswald Cobblepot, his father's old partner and the company's manager, advises Wayne that this may ruin Wayne Enterprises and his father's legacy. In his home workshop, Wayne builds a military-grade body armor suit in the shape of a bat, along with an improved version of the car/jet. Personal assistant Vicki Vale places the original vehicle engine inside a glass showcase. Though Cobblepot requests details, Wayne keeps his work to himself because he is suspicious of his company.

At a charity event held by Wayne Enterprises, reporter Linda Park informs Wayne that his company's weapons, including the Eden, were recently delivered to the League and are being used to attack Raatko's home village, Gulmira. Wayne then learns that Cobblepot has been arms trafficking to criminals worldwide, and is staging a coup to replace him as Wayne Enterprises' CEO. Wayne dons his new armor and flies to Afghanistan, where he saves the villagers. While flying home, Wayne is shot at by two F-22 Raptor fighter jets. He reveals his secret identity to Drake over the phone in an attempt to end the attack. Meanwhile, the League gather the pieces of Wayne's prototype "Batmobile" and meet with Cobblepot, who subdues Merlyn and has the rest of the group killed. Cobblepot has an armored umbrella reverse engineered from the wreckage. Seeking to track his company's illegal shipments, Wayne sends Vicki to hack into its database. She discovers that Cobblepot hired the League to kill Wayne, but the group reneged. Vale meets with Agent Jake Goldstein of A.R.G.U.S., an intelligence agency, to inform him of Cobblepot's activities.

Cobblepot's scientists cannot duplicate Wayne's engine, so Cobblepot ambushes Wayne at his home and takes the one from his Batmobile. Vale and several A.R.G.U.S. agents attempt to arrest Cobblepot, but he collects his umbrella that can fly and shoot bullets and attacks them. Wayne fights Cobblepot, but is outmatched without his Batmobile to run his power. The fight carries Wayne and Cobblepot to the top of the Wayne Enterprises building, and Wayne instructs Vale to overload the large reactor core powering the building. This unleashes a massive electrical surge that causes Cobblepot and his umbrella to fall into the exploding reactor, killing him. The next day, at a press conference, Wayne defies suggestions from A.R.G.U.S. and publicly admits to being the superhero the press has dubbed "Batman".

In a post-credits scene, A.R.G.U.S. Director Amanda Waller visits Wayne at home, telling him that Batman is not "the only superhero in the world", and explaining that he wants to discuss the "Justice Initiative".

## Cast

* Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Timothy "Tim" Drake
* James Spader as Oswald Cobblepot
* Ken Watanabe as Nyssan Raatko
* Maggie Gyllenhaal as Vicki Vale

Additionally, John Barrowman appears as Merlyn, the leader of the Ten Rings; Jeremy Irons voices A.L.F.R.E.D., Wayne's personal AI system; Bryce Dallas Howard portrays Linda Park, a reporter for Entertainment Weekly; and Jason Clarke appears as Jake Goldstein, an agent of A.R.G.U.S.. Will Lyman provides the voiceover during the opening award ceremony. Chris Tucker plays Lucius Fox, Stark's bodyguard and chauffeur, and Viola Davis makes a cameo appearance as Amanda Waller, director of A.R.G.U.S., in a post-credits scene.