I loved the original Tim Burton “Batman” but none of the sequels quite managed to live up to it. This reboot is really great and it takes the material to an extremely mature level. This “Batman” entry is dark and gritty as it provides the most realistic take on the character. It makes a very enjoyable movie about Batman although I prefer the first Burton film a little more still.

Christian Bale (“American Psycho”) stars as the business man Bruce Wayne and when he was a young boy witnessed the murder of his parents by a petty crook. Wayne disappeared for several years as he learned martial arts with Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson “Taken”). Bruce returns to his home of Gotham City as he dons his cape and becomes the vigilante Batman in an attempt to strike fear into the hearts of criminals.

Christian Bale is good as Bruce Wayne and Batman. I prefer his approach to Wayne than Batman as the growl he has seemed a little exaggerated. Liam Neesson is decent but nothing special here. Michael Cain (“The Italian Job”) is good as Wayne’s trusty butler Alfred. Katie Holmes (“Phone Booth”) is okay as Bruce’s childhood friend Rachel. Cillian Murphy (“Inception”) brings some terror as the villain Scarecrow but ultimately feels underused. Most of the cast were good.

I think that “Batman Begins” is only really lacking in the action department as it’s just close-ups followed by more close-ups that make it rather messy. I also disliked the new Batmobile in this picture and another minor criticism is that way too much of the dialog gets repeated throughout the movie. The acting was good for the most part, the special effects were good and the story was dark as well as entertaining. Although not perfect, “Batman Begins” is a thrilling film that will surely entertain.