Film: Batman Begins

I've always had a soft spot for Batman. His was the first comic book I bought, and the only comic book I ever bought consistently. Tim Burton's Batman was the first blockbuster I remember being genuinely excited about (with the exception of Return of the Jedi, maybe). But the thing about Batman on film is he always seems to be a little bit of a let-down: a pastel Joker who dances to Prince in the first film; a greasy and cartoonishly silly Penguin in the second; a disgracefully misused Two-Face and an increasing cheese factor in the third; and I don't even want to bring up the final film. It's been an increasingly disappointing series that was never quite what it should be to begin with.

Until now.

With Batman Begins, director Christoper Nolan has nailed exactly what a Batman movie should be--jumpstarting the previously dead franchise and, fortunately, paving the way for a new series of films that can overwrite the 90s versions. Batman--at least since Frank Miller reinvented the comic book series in the late 80s--is not fluffy CGI and a hero who Learns Important Lessons while spouting off clever one-liners. Batman is dark, conflicted, damaged inside. The death of his parents scarred Bruce Wayne for life, and in this film Nolan doesn't just gloss over the details and force the viewer to make the jump from childhood trauma to costume-wearing adult as Burton and others did. Instead, he delves into Bruce's wounds, both psychological and physical. He hints at other paths Wayne could have taken, making his eventual evolution into Batman both meaningful and logical. It's genuinely fun to see first iterations of his costume, or the discovery of the batcave, in part because you know what it will eventually become. And heck, they even explain how Batman does some of the things he does.

Christian Bale nails both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and, importantly, the differences between the two. Though Wayne may be spoiled and self-centered, Bale clearly conveys the mental transformation that occurs when the cowel goes on: Batman speaks lower, shouts more, grimaces harder--all to great effect. Batman grows out of Wayne's pain, but he takes on a life of his own.

The supporting cast to this film is wonderful. The villains here are genuinely scary--for a variety of reasons--and the actors give them life and character. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman provide solid support, and Gary Oldman's Sergeant Gordon is easy to root for as one of the last good cops in Gotham. Even Katie Holmes was fine, though not as commanding as the actors she shares the screen with.

Though Nolan has trouble correctly framing a fight sequence (usually the camera is too close to the action to really see what's happening) for the most part the film is visually engaging. The bigger action sequences--car chases, bat invasions, and so on--are exciting and intense. Though not a CGI fest, like most superhero movies, the computer effects are impressive when used. The Scarecrow's . . . shall we say, powers . . . are genuinely intense and frightening. But why wouldn't they be? This is, after all, a movie that wants to approach fear head on and see what's on the other side of that emotion. Its ride into and through darkness is invigorating.

There are those who will say that Spiderman 2 is still the best superhero film yet, but after this film I'm not sure I fully agree. In a way, the two films are impossible to compare: different tones, different aged heroes--heck, Batman doesn't even have any super powers. Maybe it's just that soft spot for Batman I've got, but Batman Begins had me pinned to my seat for the full two hours and twenty minutes. I liked the journey the characters took, and I liked where they ended up. Once again, I'm excited for the Batman franchise. I can't wait to see where they go next--even if the film does a nice job hinting where that will be.

Final Score: 4.5 cents.