Batman Begins is the only Batman movie. This movie had everything in the world going against it, yet manages to overcome the odds. Erasing the bitter memory of Burton and Schumacher was not an easy task to accomplish. With a plethora of successful comic book source material, cartoon series with cult followings, live-action TV series, cameos and merchandise, Batman is perhaps the most popular hero of all time and has never left the eye of America. Since his creation, there has never been a time without Batman. Whether the story changes, like Batman Beyond, or he becomes part of a larger picture, such as the Justice League, Batman remains a significant part of modern lore. All the more reason for a decent live-action movie that faithfully pays homage to the psychology fueling the Dark Knight.

Initially, the movie begins slowly and deliberately. The lengthy explanation of Bruce's past might wear thin for some viewers, but I appreciated the attention to detail. The overwhelming guilt of losing his parents weighs heavily on his conscious and it's important for the audience to appreciate the level of obsession. Bruce removes himself from the modern world by running away. He resolutely becomes a petty criminal in a never named Asian country. He is arrested and willingly engages in full fisted brawls with fellow inmates. This filthy, apathetic Bruce Wayne is a new and unexpected side to expose to the audience. Typically, (the movie version) Batman/Bruce Wayne is treated with a superficial hand. Seeing him reduced to a capricious animal reveals there is more than just a playboy facade. There is a hurting human being inside, desperate for purpose.

After the perhaps creeping introduction, Bruce returns to Gotham City, now much different 10 years later. He must struggle to discover who he is and what he wants to do in life. The character comes to several forks in his path, where he must make decisions that will define him. He must unequivocally choose the path of justice, over the temptation of revenge and brutality. Bruce is trained by criminals and learns how they think. But he becomes much more aware of what makes him different. The only thing separating Batman and the villain is moderate compassion.

Christian Bale is absolutely Batman. He is the obsessive, tortured, gritty man inside the Bat suit. However, his portrayal of Bruce Wayne never overlaps. You never see a playboy Batman, kissing girls and firing quippy one liners. Likewise, you never see an embarrassingly awkward Bruce Wayne as Michael Keaton often depicted. Bruce Wayne eventually masks himself as the carefree billion, which is fortified by Bale's summoning of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. No two actors could even have nailed the alter egos like Bale. Bale genuinely occupies two distinct personas. Another criteria for the Batman mythos to work cinematically. Furthermore, Bale adopts a voice of a lower octave when delivering lines as Batman. This principle is present in the comics as specific diction choices but is more apparent in Kevin Conroy's brilliant rendition as Batman in all animated forms. Bale is positively frightening as Batman and we catch a glimpse of the monster hiding within the man.

Some people complained the plot twist concerning Ra's Al Ghul (Arabic for "The Demon's Head") was too predictable. Anyone who has read the comics or even seen the cartoon series knows instantly that Liam Neeson's verbal inflection and poise are every bit Ra's. I reveal this "spoiler" only because you really should know better. The extent of his true powers are not revealed, possibly due to a future re-appearance. Nonetheless, the notion of Bruce being trained by the leader of the League of Assassins (also known as Brotherhood of the Demon and League of Shadows) is both believable and unique. This exhaustive experience thoroughly explains how Bruce Wayne was disciplined and directed into the Batman. His extensive knowledge of combat, weaponry and stealth illustrate to the audience Batman is not just a rich man relying on a powerful suit (a la Iron Man) but a deftly skilled fighter with no super powers. Basically, "everything you wanted to know about Batman but was afraid to ask" is answered and then some. Bruce suffers considerably to become Batman and we experience every sweaty minute.

Gary Oldman is the man of a thousand faces. He can be anyone and look like anything. Honestly, Jim Gordon comes to life in this movie. Straight out of the comics, no one else in the movie looks exactly like their character quite like Gary Oldman does as Jim Gordon. Chris Cooper, Kurt Russell and Dennis Quaid would never fit the role as Oldman does. All previous Batman movies reduced the crucial role of Gordon to no more than a puffy headed, know-nothing cop. Batman Begins gives more airtime to Jim Gordon than all of the previous movies combined. Unfortunately, this is still not enough. However, I suspect that, as Jim climbs police ranks, he will grow to be an important character in this new Batman franchise. You have to remember, Batman is a young man and Jim is a detective who only becomes Lieutenant at the end of the movie.

The mere presence of the crime boss Carmine "The Roman" Falcone is an intentional nod to Batman's beginnings in the comics. Falcone was Gotham City's last original, old time gangster. He was killed, and his empire wiped out, when Batman's more familiar villains came into prominence. These events and the significance of Arkham Asylum are essential to setting the stage for future developments.

The Bat Tank steals the show. Previous Batmobiles were unmovable bricks, barely able to accelerate and certainly unable to turn. A decent chase scene with the Batmobile has been a long time coming. And this movie definitely delivers. I really could not get enough of the Bat Tank. It was an unstoppable juggernaut (able to go from 0 to 60 MPH in 6 seconds) and I just loved it to death. Additionally, the fact the Tank could leap reasonably illustrated why no one could find the Bat Cave entrance. In reality, the tank design was unique and not based on any existing vehicle. However, the military basis for all of Batman's equipment is logical and modern. With technology such as GPS and memory metal, the explanations in Batman Begins are rational and won't leave the audience scratching their heads. The explications are purposive and never insult your intelligence

Batman feels like a real hero living in our world. Gotham City is not some gothic fabrication with obtuse statues and 50's era vehicles. It's modern, it's dirty, it's real. A paradigm of all major cities, Gotham is a crime filled world the audience can relate to rather than an idyllic fantasy land. Every aspect of Batman - the man, the suit, the car - is plausible and corporeal.

Now, for the problems. The fight scene between Bruce Wayne and the Asian prisoners at the beginning of the movie is, unfortunately, the only well filmed sequence. It's primal and authentic: everyone gangs up on Bruce at once instead of waiting their respective turns. Later fight scenes involving Batman and thugs are filmed too shaky, details are completely obscured. I suppose Christopher Nolan attempted to make the action feel like a flock of bats, a theme carried throughout the movie. Batman moved and fought like a beast but this type of action was disorienting and distracting. The money shots are seeing Batman fight. Allow the audience to enjoy Batman in action, considering he's been out of commission for 8 years. You should not feel yourself tilting your head or squinting to see the action. The choreography was rather formulaic, further negating the wild camera movements. Something simple and clear would have worked much better. Don't begrudge the audience decent fight scenes. Before the shooting began, Nolan invited the entire crew to a private screening of "Blade Runner," afterwards he said: "This is how we're going to make Batman." This might also explain why the action scenes were murky and amateurish. Blade Runner was not an action movie and Batman Begins echoes that methodology in many ways. This is certainly a smart Batman movie, but well planned fight scenes are a necessary component as well. Maybe Nolan should have also watched Kill Bill vol.1 for more balance in the action department.

The childhood romance between Rachel Dawes and Bruce Wayne was too similar to The Saint, but it did serve an overlooked purpose: symbolism and metaphor, if you so choose to read it that way. While Katie Holmes brought nothing to the movie, she also took nothing away. She is merely there, like a bump on a log. The romance, thankfully, took a backseat because the film focused on the creation of Batman and not his potential love life. However, Rachel Dawes is the last shred of what Bruce Wayne was before everything went wrong. With her departure and ultimate rejection of both Batman and Bruce Wayne, we witness the final death of Bruce's innocence. We know, as Rachel knows, the young boy she knew growing up died the day his parents were murdered, never to return. The modern woman would never accept the baggage of Batman. The outmoded stereotype of "loving the bad boy" is realistically abandoned in this film. Previous Batman movies depicted the hero as a lovable guy who the ladies simply couldn't resist. But, in actuality, Batman is not a fun person to be around. He is a psychotic nut job occupied by an obsession with justice. There is no happily-ever-after here, and that's the way it should be.

I'm not sure if this movie serves to bridge the gap or alienate the masses. As a fangirl, I love Batman and this movie really delighted me. Perhaps too slow at first for some, I thoroughly enjoyed every second. Knowing that Batman was potentially cast as Guy Pearce, Ashton Kutcher, David Boreanaz, John Cusack, David Duchovny, Hugh Dancy, Joshua Jackson, Eion Bailey, Billy Crudup, Cillian Murphy (who was eventually cast as the Scarecrow), Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal, I shudder to think what might have been. Sure, this movie has flaws but you leave the theatre ready for the sequel. Some hero movies were enjoyable but did not merit sequels. I loved Elektra, The Hulk, and Dare Devil, but I did not leave the theatre wanting more. This movie absolutely has to establish everything that will happen in sequels. Therefore, the exhausting explanations and languorous beginning may not be entertaining for everyone.

Naturally, I am biased here because I love Batman. However, I might be more critical of this movie as well. Despite my love of Frank Miller, David S. Goyer was directly influenced by "The Long Halloween" and "Dark Victory" by Joseph Loeb. He decisively declares, "this movie is not Year One." Yeah, Goyer also wrote and directed Blade: Trinity, so I don't think Miller's influence would've hurt anything. Many moons ago, the movie was actually written by Miller. Looking at Sin City, I wonder what might have been. But I enjoy the product as it is now and only hope better things are coming. I give this movie an A only because the sequel should and probably will merit an A+.