Batman Begins
Bruce Wayne, having witnessed the murder of his wealthy parents, begins a journey through Asia, where he is trained by a dangerous ninja leader. Returning to Gotham City, he discovers that the city and his father’s company are in the hands of organized crime, so he creates a new persona—the Batman—to intervene.
In 2005, a new trilogy of the beloved hero begins, directed by Christopher Nolan, which would go on to redefine the character.
Batman Begins presents a more grounded and darker side of the masked hero, something I really liked.
Well-balanced action scenes with suspense and the kind of spectacle you expect from a superhero film, a multi-layered portrayal of Batman, an amazing cast with incredible on-screen chemistry (a prime example being Freeman and Caine), and Christian Bale—perfect for this new version of Batman. The only element that didn’t quite work for me was the presence of Katie Holmes 🤷♂️. Everyone else I mentioned, along with Gary Oldman and Liam Neeson, gives their absolute best.
I’m a fan of Nolan, so once again he fully confirms my expectations, delivering excellent work in both the directing and the film’s finale.
The visual effects are decent, though nothing extraordinary—but that’s something Nolan never intended to heavily invest in anyway.
The Dark Knight
Working together with Police Lieutenant Jim Gordon and the dynamic district attorney Harvey Dent, Batman has managed to restrict the activities of Gotham City’s criminal gangs. However, the Joker appears—a new, dangerous criminal whose actions no one can predict.
In 2008, the second film in Nolan’s trilogy was released, and for many it is the best of the three—rightfully so, in my opinion.
A major reason for this is the character of the Joker, portrayed by the late Heath Ledger. His performance as the Joker is exceptional, with many considering it one of the greatest in the history of cinema. A restrained madness that inspires awe, with the scene of him unleashing chaos on the city being truly monumental.
Nolan once again does an outstanding job with the direction, delivering to the viewer a modern comic-book adventure filled with suspense, tension, and adrenaline at its peak.
The film lasts 2.5 hours, and although there are small segments where the pace drops a bit, the overall result is captivating. The character development is quite strong, the action unfolds within a more realistic framework—which I personally like—and the script is carefully crafted, with multiple layers of analysis and depth: bold, ominous, and at times brutal.
The Dark Knight Rises
The appearance of Bane, a terrorist who spreads chaos throughout Gotham City, forces Batman—who has been retired from action for years—to step back into the fight one more time.
In 2012, Nolan’s trilogy about the Dark Knight comes to a close, this time with Batman facing Bane as the main villain.
Tom Hardy is excellent and unrecognizable as Bane; he manages to be terrifying and menacing, both in his physical presence and in his performance.
Christian Bale and Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, along with the rest of the cast, also deliver very strong performances.
At certain points, I noticed pacing issues, although they never overshadow the overall result. The film also proved to be more ambitious than it could ultimately handle—meaning it has both shortcomings and excesses.
Despite the intense violence, the film shows very little blood—understandable to an extent given its PG-13 rating, but it also makes the film less realistic, something that may “stand out” to some viewers.
I also don’t consider the soundtrack to be one of the best. And while the film has quite a few negatives, especially compared to its two predecessors, Nolan has built a world so dark and bleak that these issues fall into the background. It has its big, spectacular scenes, which compensate the viewer (the plane hijacking, the stadium collapse, the police officers trapped in Gotham’s underground).
I also liked that Nolan “plays” with two fundamental societal factors—security and economic instability. I found that excellent.
