[4cr shall now be known as the Chris Nolan Fansite]

To most people, the original Tim Burton Batman movie is the mold by which you judge all other comic book movies. Well, I hate to break it you to Timmy boy, but Chris Nolan has just taken your mold, scared the pants off of it, beat the living hell out of it and then drove the Tumbler right over it.

Yes, Batman Begins is that good.

To classify this as a ‘comic book movie’ would be a huge disservice to the brilliance that is Batman Begins.

Lets start with the fact that in just over two hours, Nolan and Goyer take us to a world that lives and breathes. From icy moutains to a Gotham City that falls from grace, the world of Batman Begins will capture you. Like my favorite movies, Batman Begins feel like an adventure that could go on forever. I could sit in the theatre and watch Batmans escapades for years. The world is so alive and so fleshed out that I felt like I was part of something larger than life.

As for Batman himself…wow, what to say. We finally have an on screen Batman that is a fully fleshed out character. Christian Bale manages to portray a character with so much depth that people will be shocked this is a ‘comic book’ movie. Bruce Wayne is a man looking for something more. When everything he cares about is taken from him, he decides to discover himself…to become something else entirely. Such torment and fear, yet so much determination and resolve. It isnt really Batman that Gotham City needs, its Bruce Wayne.

That said, Batman is the theatricality that allows Bruce to accomplish his goals and better his world. And damn is he sweet! Youve never seen an on screen Batman like this. Whereas the previous movie versions, and even the cartoon versions, of Batman were agile and acrobatic, this Batman is a real fighter. He gets right into the thick of it. This Batman takes just as many knocks as the bad guys do.

Nolans Batman also fully realizes the element of Batman that is so important to his success; fear. The entire movie is about fear. Fear of yourself, fear of the past, fear for the future. Batman uses fear as his deadliest weapon. The choice to have the Scarecrow as the villain of the movie was a brilliant one. And luckily, whereas the previous movies have been more about the villains, this movie keeps us firmly focused on Batman.

But, let me digress and talk about the supporting characters in this movie. Every single one of them is amazing. Every single one of them, from Alfred to Ras Al Guhl, Rachel Dawes to Falcone, Lucius Fox to Thomas Wayne every character is perfect. Even the young Bruce Wayne is amazing. Each of the wonderful actors who play these parts play them so well that you will never once see the hinges behind the movie. Like Bruce, each character has an incredible amount of depth.

Most of that comes from the fact that none of these actors are showboating. They all play their part. Each character has their own internal dialog that is driving them. And they all play off of each other so well that its shows the caliber of these actors.

Id also like to give a special mention to Jim Gordon, who sadly has been overlooked in the previous movies. Not so here. He may not have a lot of screen time, but he is a very important character and Gary Oldman portrays him with the integrity and spirit of the comic book Gordon. Its going to be awesome to watch him develop more as he moves his way up to Commissioner.

So, the plot is strong and the characters stronger, but this is a ‘comic book’ movie. How about those action scenes? Are they cool? Oh baby, you dont even know. Think the Tumbler looks strange in still shots? Wait until you see this bad boy tearing through the streets. Literally. Wait until you see Batman taking out six guys at a time where every single blow feels painful. Wait until you see the subtle yet effective results of the creepy Scarecrow toxin. Believe me, this movie has plenty of comic book action.

Without going into specifics there isnt much more I can say about the movie. Its amazing. From the back story on training with Ninjas, the seedy world of Falcone, the anger of Bruce Wayne, the insanity of Arkham Asylum and the hope for the future, Batman Begins is a masterpiece. Go see this movie. See it for its plot. See it for its character development. See it for its pacing. See it for its beautiful cinematography. See it for its action.

And then see it again. And then again. And them maybe in IMAX. Batman is back and you dont want to miss this one.