It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.

Batman Begins
Rating: 5 out of 5.

I am not a Batman Scholar. I’m not even the assistant to the assistant to a Batman Scholar. A majority of my knowledge of Batman comes from the following mediums: Syndicated reruns of the 1960s “Batman” television show, the first three feature films, the occasional viewing of Batman: The Animated Series on the WB and a small period in my life when I felt it was necessary to invest in several Batman Comics with no set continuity whatsoever. The latter came to an abrupt end when I realized that DC Comics were out to take every last penny of mine by having Batman storyline arcs jump from one comic to another (Detective Comics, Batman, Legends of The Dark Knight, Shadow of the Bat and even Robin), having to invest in five issues a month rather than one or two.

Needless to say, what I know of Batman would seem somewhat limited. This does not, however, keep me from knowing a great film when I see one. Batman Begins is a fantastic tour de force of comic book heroics, brilliant storytelling and gritty realism. This is the best movie of the Batman franchise, though Tim Burton’s Batman will always hold a special place in my heart (give me a break, I was 13 when it hit the theaters). Unlike Burton’s Batman, with its over-the-top theatrics and incredible but unrealistic sets, Batman Begins grounds itself first and foremost in a realistic setting.

Everything about this film is believable. Not once when watching this film did I not believe that the city of Gotham actually existed (it helps when you film city exteriors in an actual city). You feel the pain and loss of Bruce Wayne when his parent’s are gunned down in the streets. You understand why he disappears for a great length of time. You see Bruce Wayne’s character truly defined when he chooses not to become an “executioner” knowing that there are some, if not many, still worth saving. The believability of Batman and his “wonderful toys” seems to make that much more sense once you know how he went about acquiring them.

Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) finally brings back credibility to the Batman franchise, leaving behind the rubber-nippled, giant cod-pieced bat suits, whining sidekicks, and ever-increasing number of over-the-top super-villains (I could easily make more remarks at Joel Schumacher’s version of Batman, but I’ll save that for another time). David S. Goyer, whose checkered screenwriting résumé (Dark City, Blade, The Crow: City of Angels) could have been called into question, delivers a solid story with minimal cheese. I’m sure this was also due, in part, to the fact that Nolan co-wrote the screenplay.

There aren’t very many “one-liners” in this film like Burton’s, and Batman doesn’t really have his own theme song. The score simply adds to the essence of the film without becoming its own character. His gadgets make sense, his purpose is justified and his goals are easily obtainable with his company being secure (What does a billionaire do with his free time? Whatever he wants).

Batman Begins, unlike its predecessors, comes off with a level of intelligence that none of the other films were able to obtain. The cast is phenomenal, with almost all of the actors hailing from the British Isles, including Christian Bale (Wales), Liam Neeson (Ireland), Michael Caine (England), Gary Oldman (England) Cillian Murphy (Ireland) and Tom Wilkinson (England). Rounding out the rest of the cast are: Morgan Freeman (playing, for the most part, but in a good way, Morgan Freeman), Katie Holmes (playing, for the most part, Joey Potter from “Dawson’s Creek” with a law degree), Ken Wantanabe and Rutger Hauer.

Christian Bale perfectly embodies Bruce Wayne, billionaire playboy and Batman, slightly psychotic vigilante madman out to clean up the streets (and his ability to change from one character to another with the “flick” of a light switch). Gary Oldman brilliantly portrays Lieutenant James Gordon (so much so that Nazlan had no idea it was Oldman until the credits rolled), and is incredibly reminiscent of Gordon in Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. These two play well together. They’re unlikely allies in a city full of corruption from the streets all the way up to city hall.

The film is dark, menacing and disturbing… and every bit of it is enjoyable. Batman Begins successfully reboots the once mistreated franchise by giving the story and characters the respect they deserve. “Gotham isn’t beyond saving,” Bruce Wayne said. Christopher Nolan took the franchise by the horns and made a similar statement: “Batman isn’t beyond saving.” I would have to agree with him.

[Title Quote From: Batman Begins]