Movie Review: "Batman Begins" (2005)

I'll get to the point. Batman Begins is easily the best movie adaptation of the DC Comics character to date...by miles.
I won't waste your time with a cheesy synopsis and get to the good stuff.
Christian Bale is the perfect Batman, he is also the perfect Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine shines as the loyalbut quick-tongued butler Alfred. My personal British favorite Cillian Murphy was sublty eerie as Scarecrow. And we see Liam Neeson, in true Qui-Gonn/mentor fashion as Henri Ducard. I was especially pleased to see Rutger Hauer in a supporting role. Having seen him in 2 great movies straight (Sin City and Batman Begins) means his career is picking up a second time.

It's a pity we have to remember the four previous Batman movies because, if things were to be set right, we should get every copy and burn them (when I say burn, I don't mean digital copying, I mean set on fire!).

But major props go to Memento director Christopher Nolan. His unique non-linear storytelling technique was perfect for telling the origin story and his treatment of previously minor characters, like Bruce's father Tom Wayne provided depth and complexity to the origins of Bruce Wayne's fears and anger. I especially enjoy the fact that Batman was held out until halfway through and concentrated on the "whys" and the "hows" like the origin of the batcave, the black suit and the batmobile, rather than getting a flash of the black cape and eponymous logo in the beginning. Gary Oldman as a young Jim Gordon adds to the coolness factor and adding the future Comissioner as a major character definitely gets high points for the director for staying true to the original comic book storyline. Oh and Katie Homes was ok too (don't you get sick of hearing about her all the time?).

If you missed the Sith, I forgive you. If you miss Batman Begins. I will become the one you most fear.

Check out some of these reviews from retrocrush, Roger Ebert and Twitch.

Rocketboy's Rating: ***** (5 out of 5)