Batman Begins

Thank You! Mr. Christopher Noland. Unlike several other directors who are poised to ruin all superheroes, you sir, have saved one of the best. This film does not pick up where the famous line ended (not that there really was a defined ending place in the first place.) Instead, this film takes the perspective of what brought our hero Bruce Wayne into his days as the Dark Knight.

And again, I think one thing that really got me interested in this film in the first place, was the competence of the director. Noland had established his "out of the box" thinking with his creation of Memento, and Insomnia. When I heard that he was going to take on the Batman saga, I was scared, and excited at the same time. When he announced that he was going to start the saga over, that fear fizzled and became anticipation.

This film shows, and something I admire, the true story as to how Bruce Wayne became Batman. Unlike the first film by Tim Burton, the story shows the real murderer of the Wayne family, and the true beginnings to all the nutcases that become arch-enemies. Arkham Asylum is destroyed, and all the creeps escape, becoming the Joker, Riddler, and so on and so forth. It shows that Batman does have fears, and that he does have loves in his life. And I couldn't have picked any other man to play this badass: Christian Bale.

Equaling his performance, was Michael Caine, as Alfred. This pair, along with Morgan Freeman makes up the true cast of the Batman beginning team.

And Ra's Al Ghul, played by Liam Neeson, was a good choice. Demonstrating the upbringing and the reasons for Wayne's decision to save Gotham really drew fans in, more so than CA governors in tights and flashing underwear.

I know I say this a lot, but it's the way I say that films are great. It was solid. The action was tight, and the enemies (the Scarecrow, Ghul) came off as believable threats to the people of Gotham. If you've not had a chance to see this film, I'd say rent it. It's a great way to spend an evening, and come on, after all that's happened with Batman, give him a second chance!

7.25 of 10