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Created Mar 06, 2008 10:28AM PST • Edited Mar 06, 2008 10:28AM PST

1. Quality

2. Summary

   Perfect 5.0

   Forget tim Burton’s “Batman”, this is the greatest story of Batman told thus far. Batman’s legacy had been going downhill ever since, yet Christopher Nolan’s newer tale of The Dark Knight brings the franchise full circle to become the best Batman film yet. From Christian Bale’s acting (as both Bruce Wayne and as Batman, almost two completely different characters) to the set design, from the casting of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Ken Watanabe, Cillian Murphy, and Gary Oldman to the fantastic direction, Batman Begins is a comic book lovers dream come true. Batman Begins may arguably be the greatest comic book movie made yet.

4. Acting

   Really Great 4.5

   There isn’t a whole lot that can be said about Christian Bale, he is a miraculous performer. Starting from the origins of Bruce Wayne’s turn into the darker side of his soul and evolution into Batman, Bale soars as perhaps the best Wayne/Batman yet. Cillian Murphy is suitably creepy and psychotic as Scarecrow, Liam Neeson owns every scene as Henri Ducard, Ken Watanabe intimidates briefly as Ra’s Al Ghul, Gary Oldman is great as a young Jim Gordon, and Michael Caine is terrific casting for a younger Alfred. Morgan Freeman also brings a special something to the small role of Lucius Fox. The only weaker link would be Katie Holmes, but even she does a good job with her role.

5. Male Stars Perfect 5.0

   Christian Bale delivers a performance that can only be described as the best Bruce Wayne on film yet. He brings th echaracter on all fronts, allowing you to see just how complicated he really is. On the flip side of the coin, his Batman is ferocious (complete with a slight voice change) and intimidating, a force of nature that could strike fear into anyone. Michael hits every note perfectly as Wayne’s butler/assistant/guardian, Alfred. He brings a subtle performance filled with care and love but also of understanding. Cillian Murphy is downright eerie looking as Jonathon Crane but even moreso as his alter ego, The Scarecrow. He is truly menacing to behold the first time you see him. Liam Neeson is an incredibly gifted actor and proves so again as Henri Ducard, making you think that at every turn Batman is in over his head. Ducard is quite an intimidating presence.

6. Female Stars Really Great 4.5

   The true notable female star is Katie, Holmes, and I am particularly not much of a fan but she truly impresses me with this role. The role essentially calls for her to be the Bruce Wayne love interest, but her role requires much more than that. she is Wayn’e humanity, she has known him since he was young and she is viewing what he has become with a sadness. Katie Holmes turns Rachel Dawes into a real person, not another cardboard cutout love interest and for that she deserves accolades.

7. Female Costars Really Great 4.5

   There are no real female costars to speak of, save for perhaps the young Rachel Dawes. Being that this is a heavily male-centralized cast, it is impossible to say other than to simply rate the young Rachel, and she did a great job with her brief role in the film.

8. Male Costars Perfect 5.0

   Ken Watanabe as Ra’s Al Ghul, Gary oldman as Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Rutger Hauer as Earle, Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone, and Linus Roache as Thomas Wayne all make up the principle supporting cast. These men are all well know, well trained actors that bring A-Game to the table all of the way. Simply seeing a cast like this in a movie is enough to tell you that the acting is going to great, but seeing them playing such iconic roles is even better. Not one star shines above the other moreso than necessary (no old-school batman movie hamming for the camera), this is about the legacy of Batman, after all.

10. Film

    Really Great 4.5

    Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige) directs a fantastic script from David Goyer ( The Blade Series, Dark City) and brings Batman fully to life for the first time in ages, possibly ever. The set design is fantastic, bringing a realistic looking Gotham to the front of the film for the very first time, the special effects are amazing to behold, the acting is well above standards, the action is incredible, the dialogue is crisp and felt, the direction is top notch; this is Batman the way it should be told.

11. Direction Perfect 5.0

    Christopher Nolan’s background should say it all (Following, Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, the upcoming The Dark Knight) about his prowess as a director. Mr. Nolan has a style all of his own, utilizing flashbacks and brief snippets of altered timelines to tell a tale, to weave a story to your brain, and leave you gaping for breath looking for more. Batman Begins is no exception, creating what many consider to be the best comic book adaptation to date and bringing many characters to life without is getting too clunky (cough cough ‘Batman and Robin’).

12. Play Perfect 5.0

    David Goyer knows how to write a script for a comic book movie, he has proven it by creating an entire world for the Blade Trilogy and now for the backstory of Batman. the dialogue is crisp and well done, evoking a smirky sense of humor as the comic would while also bringing a sense of forboding to even the most average of scenes. The actors obviously brought the words to life, but the words come from Mr. Goyer’s pen, and they tell the story wonderfully, allowing Bruce Wayne to become Batman slowly instead of suddenly.

13. Music Really Great 4.5

    the music was created by James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer and increase the movie tenfold into what it is; a feast for the senses. the score sweeps and turns as necesary for the story and never overwhelms the tremendous story being told. the music instead accentuates the scenes and becomes part of the story and bringing the viewer an even greater sense of rush.

14. Visuals Perfect 5.0

    It wouldn’t be a Batman movie without some jaw-dropping visuals and this film delivers the goods. the batmobile’s new design put me off originally, but I see now how perfect the machine is as an assault vehicle. Batman’s gadgetry is geniusly constructed by Wayne and Fox but seeing it in action is the greater fun. The look and effect of the scarecrow may be one of the biggest moves of the special effects team and boy does it provide scares. The Scarecrow delivers a very trippy “fear” effect that the viewer sees firsthand and it really throws the balance off, while also looking very good. All in all, the effects were used very well and only as needed, which is perfect for a film like this.

15. Content

16. Edge

    Horrid 3.6

    Well Ducard and Ra’s Al Ghul put Wayne through a rigorous training regimen, there are mild themes of violence spoken while strong themes of comic book violence travel throughout the picture, Wayne’s parents are killed, there are scary elements stemming from the Scarecrow and Ra’s Al Ghul, and Batman himself is considered one of the darker superheroes in the comic book realm. Batman is quite an violent figure and the story shows that in its entirety. this is a violent and adult Batman, but not one that exceeds the boundaries of the comic book.

17. Sex Titillating 2.4

18. Violence Monstrous 4.7

19. Rudeness Nasty 3.8

21. Reality

    Supernatural 3.7

    This is based off of a comic book, which automatically means there are going to fantasy elements, because it already doesn’t exist in our world. that being said, this Batman appears to exist in our world, with a more realistic approach being taken with Gotham City especially…it finally looks like a real city. Batman’s evolution is explained and picked apart for scrutinty, so you can see the human being inside Batman. Everything operates within the bounds of realism yet also operates in its own world as well. The Scarecrow is obviously a work of the supernatural, the idea of the Caped Crusader is cloaked in fantasy, etc. This is not too comic book nor too realistic in any one place, it treads the line and does so perfectly.

22. Circumstantial Fantasy 4.1

23. Biological Supernatural 3.9

24. Physical Surreal 3.0