BATMAN BEGINS (2005) - ♦♦♦♦
Directed by - Christopher Nolan
Written by - David S. Goyer, Christopher Nolan (based on the characters by Bob Kane)
Starring - Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Kate Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
"Much like Tim Burton did in 1989 with his film - though very differently in style - Christopher Nolan hit refresh on the Batman franchise, starting with the first of what would become one of the most critically and commercially acclaimed trilogies in the history of superhero films. In fact, to classify the dark knight trilogy as superhero films, is almost unsuited.
Batman Begins is already far too sophisticated and meticulously constructed to blend in with the vast majority of the formulaic works of this particular blockbuster subgenre. Most of the reason why that is, is because Christopher Nolan is very interested in the psychological aspects of his story and the motives behind each of the characters' wider goals, whether it is the heroes or the villains of the story.
Batman Begins kicks off with a Bruce Wayne in child form, and traces his training and his beginnings as the masked vigilante, who wages a war on the crime world of a crime ridden Gotham city, beginning with the dismantlement of the dangerous alliance between a corrupt and sinister individual known as the Scarecrow and the League of Shadows.
The film clearly distances itself from the cartoonish outrageousness of any of the previous incarnations.
The star studded cast, which includes Christian Bale in the role of the dark knight, and others such as Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson and Michael Caine, are tremendous and only occasionally does the story stumble upon the introductory aspects of the story, that aim to set up a strong backbone for the rest of the trilogy.
The dark, noir like visuals are stunning and excellent, some of its downright poetic, shaped around the vision of graphic novelist Frank Miller. And in the end, there is no question that the intensity of the feature and the many teasers and question thrown at the audience during the course of its duration will leave the viewer wanting more."
Action, USA/UK
