BATMAN BEGINS (2005)

directed by Christopher Nolan

I remember being in a bar in my hometown right after BATMAN BEGINS was released. I hadn't had a chance to see it yet, and a lot of these guys were already making plans to see it again. First chance I got, I was there. And I wasn't disappointed.

Nolan's BATMAN is a different breed altogether. It shrouds itself in a modicum of realism, which is to say it's not realistic at all, but it certainly makes a good effort at pretending to be. Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) actually has a relationship with his father, actually trains to become a ninja (though he appears quite talented before he ever gets there... how he goes from millionaire playboy fuck-up to prison-nightmare is beyond me), and actually puts together all the separate elements to become Gotham's dark knight.

The film doesn't jump from origin to climax either, which is nice. Origin stories have a tendency to do that. As soon as the superhero comes to fruition, he kills off the main baddie and the credits begin rolling. It makes the entire film feel like a 2-hour long preview. BATMAN BEGINS feels like a complete film. And the final scene, a rooftop conversation between Batman and Gordon (Gary Oldman) almost makes you wish a sequel hadn't been in the works (though now that THE DARK KNIGHT is out, I'm glad they made one).

8.33/10