Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins (2005)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer

Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, Morgan Freeman, Mark Boone Junior

It can sound like hyperbole when comic fans describe their heroes as the mythology of the modern age, but in the hands of a skilled storyteller, we can see that there is more than a little truth to it. 

Director/screenwriter Christopher Nolan and co-screenwriter David Goyer play up the mythic elements of the Batman legend, presenting Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as a figure driven to combat the evil that destroyed his childhood and warped his personality. 

Along the way, we also get a plausible explanation for just why a young billionaire might be obsessed with bats and how he might come up with a Batmobile, a bat suit, and an array of advanced weaponry.

The real strength of this film is its emphasis on atmosphere and character, so much so that I didn't mind that Batman didn't appear until roughly an hour into the film. 

When he does finally show up, it's great.