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It proved how little Batman interests me that I didn't see this in its first week (something that is very unlike me with a big summer blockbuster) despite the fact that I expected it to be good. Evidently this feeling was shared by quite a few people as the first weekend box office figures were not spectacular. However, now that I have seen it I'm definitely glad I went, as it must be up there amongst the best comic book adaptations ever. It clearly goes for the Superman vibe, as the first hour or so concentrates on how he becomes Batman, then it unleashes in the second half. I have to say that while never losing interest, I did find the first half a little slow going at times. The second half though was completely awesome, and they managed to avoid making it at all campy. Plus things that happened in the first half really affected the second half so it didn't feel like two separate movies, a criticism that could be levelled at Superman: The Movie. It really impressed me how multi-layered it was, with lots of characters and not just a clear-cut case of good vs. evil, as well as a satisfyingly complex plot. A minor annoyance was the fast-cut fight scenes which got a bit confusing, but Nolan's intent was to show Batman's movements as a rapid blur and I can see why the choice was made. The cast was great, with Christian Bale very convincing as the main character, and Michael Caine making a great butler, bringing the occasional bit of humour to the proceedings. Cilian Murphy made a very creepy Dr. Crane/Scarecrow, and Katie Holmes was even perfectly acceptable. I would have liked to see more of Gary Oldman, as his character has an important role in the finale. You can't have everything though, and the complaints I have are only extremely small and don't affect the quality of the overall film, which is absolutely brilliant. Quite possibly the greatest superhero movie ever made.
The summary
Batman Begins is a stunning reinvigoration of a once laughable franchise. Chris Nolan can do no wrong.
