I started this off by rewatching Batman Begins, and full-disclosure: this is the first time I've watched the movie since I saw it in theatres. I know my initial thoughts on the movie were that I liked it, but I remember having some reservations about it.
Overall Feelings
I definitely liked this movie more the second time. Taking this in as part of the trilogy really makes this movie stronger. I really think they established how Bruce Wayne became Batman well in this movie, making you understand all the elements that led to this. I liked the movie a lot, so let's look at the elements that worked and didn't.
What Works
Michael Caine gives a tremendous performance as Alfred, really showing a true compassion that helps keep both Bruce Wayne and the audience grounded. He basically is the moral compass, and you can feel the influence from his character even when he's not on screen.
Christian Bale does a great job in both roles, and you can see that he becomes more comfortable with the Batman role throughout the movies, which makes sense.
The story is very well paced and easy to follow, despite having four different points in time that are part of the movie (Bruce's childhood, his confrontation with the mob, his self-imposed exile, his return.) Nolan also uses each scene to help build towards many of the character-defining moments for Bruce Wayne/Batman.
Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox works really well, as he and Christian Bale both play off each other really well. To be fair, Morgan Freeman is awesome in almost everything.
Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard/Ra's Al Ghul actually works really well with how they establish the League of Shadows in Nolan's Batman-verse. The League consists of members recruited from many difference cultures and societies, ever growing as the world changes. Also, the statement about Ra's Al Ghul's immortality is handled differently. Where in the comic books, Ra's was actually immortal, in Nolan's world it is a title held by whomever the leader of the League of Shadows is. As I said, this works quite well.
Cillian Murphy as Dr. Johnathan Crane/the Scarecrow is an excellent choice. The way they actually made the Scarecrow work in a realistic environment is awesome and is legitimately freaky. Also, Murphy is just a blast to watch as he plays this role.
Gotham's populace is very much a part of this movie. You constantly see the people everywhere, and you see them interacting with the movie in a variety of ways. It makes the city feel like... well, a city.
Tom Wilkinson as Carmine Falcone is another great casting choice, as his speech he gave to Bruce Wayne in the restaurant was a great example of how to set up the way a character will develop. He clearly enjoyed playing the character, which made it all the more fun.
Gary Oldman as Jim Gordan is fantastic. The way he plays a good cop in the middle of corruption makes his performance feel very genuine. He comes across as an incorruptible good guy who isn't afraid to be unconventional. He also has some great interactions with Christian Bale's Batman throughout, and you can tell they work well together.
The third act is phenomenal. The way everything comes together in the end, the way every plot point actually has an effect on the conclusion, it is exceptional writing from Nolan. There was plenty of tension, the stakes felt high, and everything felt like it was really building up to the confrontation between Batman and Al Ghul.
The revelation of the Joker as the next villain really helped build excitement for the next movie right away, and obviously the pay off was great, but I'll save that for the next movie.
What Doesn't Work
Katie Holmes as Rachael Dawes. She really doesn't have any chemistry with anyone, and she really doesn't seem to be invested in the character. The lines she has are pretty good, but her delivery falls flat in most cases.
The end of the Scarecrow was one of the weaker ends to a supervillian. I get that they established that Rachel carries a taser and I get that Scarecrow isn't a fighter. But, one of the most intimidating and psychological villains in the Batman universe was taken out by being shot in the face by a taser. That's... kind of anticlimactic.
Finch, Rachel's boss and someone they hint might have a romantic attachment (or at least a fatherly attachment) to Rachel is dropped without resolution. Yes, we see him get killed, but it still feels like a dropped (and therefore, unnecessary) plot point. You could just as easily had a generic cop that was checking the manifest get killed off, it would've had the same impact. Minor gripe.
Final Thoughts
As I said, Batman Begins is a really good way to launch into Batman, especially if you've never really seen a Batman movie before. I could get into all kinds of debates about weather Christian Bale was better than Michael Keaton, was Nolan's Batman Begins better than Tim Burton's Batman, but ultimately that's not what I'm focusing on. If you want a really good Batman origin story and a great way to kick off a trilogy, you could sure do a helluva lot worse than this. Solid thumbs up.
We will be back tomorrow looking at The Dark Knight. I'm really looking forward to rewatching it again, so stay tuned!
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