Batman Begins (2005)

director: Christopher Nolan

writers: Christopher Nolan, David Goyer

starring: Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine

genre: Comics, Crime

Before there was the masterpiece "The Dark Knight" (2008), "Batman Begins" had begun Batman's great run on the big screen. People saw how that a Batman and comic book films can be done perfectly not just correctly. With Begins away were the goth influences, campy characters and nipple suits. Batman was a dark person with heavy guilt over his parents death and not the backseat character that was featured in the previous films.

It all begins for Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale) when he was a child and the two most important events that changed him forever. His fall into a well that created his fear of bats and the murder of his parents at the hands of Gotham's filth. From then on young Bruce will be lost from his path in life until he finds the courage in him to fight for justice. While in a prison in Asia a member of the League of Shadows Ducard (Liam Neeson) invites him to join him and train and be something larger than a man or vigilante and become something greater than a hero, a legend. On his return to Gotham with help from his trusty butler Alfred (Micheal Caine) he will become the that legend, the hero known as Batman.

When talking about this film it's hard to not to mention the previous films and their many mistakes and how Nolan managed to overcome them all. For the first time in a Batman film is their a origin story which is very important. His training, lessons learned and obstacles he overcame to become this dark personality and figure called Batman are all shown. Also the difference in how the dialogue plays out within the story. The emotions, feelings and meanings can all be felt through the characters. It might be preachy and very philosophical for some the way the characters talk, but it's just right to get you in on the idea of what it truly is to be a hero and to fully understand the world of crime around you.

One of the great things that the film does is the use of a more dark and realistic tone for Batman. Tim Burton's Batman (1988) was gothic and odd and then Joel Schumacher's Batman films "Batman Forever" (1995) and Batman and Robin (1997) were campy and one dimensional. Instead Nolan's Batman is all about what drives Bruce into his path. It's the city of Gotham and it's dark history that lead to his parents death and his rise to Gotham's greatest savior.

Last thing to mention is the level of talent that is tied to this film. This was one of the films that showed how serious acting talent can make a difference to a comic book film. Bale in my opinion is a perfect Bruce Wayne and a great Batman. And I really have no problem at all with his Batman voice. It seems absolutely logical for his voice to be like that as he tries to hide his identity so nobody knows he's Bruce Wayne and to instill fear on his villains. After Bale there comes a long list with Oldman, Caine, Neeson, and others that all bring a sense of realism and sophistication to the film. And last is the choice of Nolan which on the studios part was risky but proved to be the most inspiring choice of all.

No matter what you believe you have to give credit where it's due to Nolan and his team for creating a more realistic and updated version of Batman for our time. Batman Begins is one the best comic book films ever created and shows how easily a origin story can be integrated into the main plot, how superhero films can be dark and that for a change they can also be intelligent.

Personal Rating:

Review by Paul