Batman Begins

It isn't easy to overstate the extent to which Christopher Nolan altered mainstream perceptions of superhero genres.

While the "Spider Man" and "X-Men" brands remained viable, Batman had been a hilarious joke ever since the disgrace of "Batman and Robin," and subsequent flops like "Daredevil" and “Hulk" and "failed to captivate fans' imaginations. Then we had "Batman Begins," which demonstrated that comic book pictures could be realistic, compelling tales about people rather than overblown world-building.

This origin tale introduces the tragic circumstances that motivate Bruce Wayne to act, explains his dread of bats and how it manifested as his heroic persona, and demonstrated how the training days with The League of Shadows technically prepared him for his duty while also motivating his theatricality. Setting the League of Shadows as the film's opponent fills the gap between Batman's earlier past and his first mission, demonstrating Wayne's development as he battles his former master, Ra's al Ghul (Liam Neeson).

Despite its severity, "Batman Begins" is a sincere picture that devotes time to discussions on accountability. It's a rarity for a Nolan picture to be devoid of spectacle, and the foggy last act is significantly less engaging than the more personal dialogue-driven parts. Nolan would improve as an action director when shooting "The Dark Knight," a movie he was certainly considering while directing "Batman Begins"; the last scene, which hints at the Joker, is an absolute cliffhanger.

Year of Release: 2005

Stars: Christian Bale, Michael Caine

IMDB: 8.2