I should preface this review with the fact that I have never more than flipped through the original comics though I do have a grasp on what they contained. For those of you that were heart sick over the last few Batman movies, hell all of them really, this new offering by Christopher Nolan is everything that Batman should be: dark, troubled, and redeeming. The movie centers on the question of revenge verses justice, which is true to the original themes of the comics, and what is the true nature of mercy. Batman is just a man trying not to be the monsters that he is fighting. The villains are believable and sympathetic, not funny and ridiculous as in previous movies.
There were only two things which I did not like about Batman Begins. The fight scenes were often so close that it was hard to tell who was throwing the punches and the resolution of the relationship between Rachel and Bruce was a bit lame. I do not want to give anything away and I was not looking for happy flowers or bows, but I felt that it lacked something.
Hands down, Christian Bale is the best Batman yet. He has the troubled Bruce Wayne down. I liked the dark style of the movie and the way Gotham was depicted, less stylized than it often appears, but with arches over the train tracks that are reminiscent of previous Gotham incarnations. Batman Begins is worth your time and money. You will not be disappointed.
–Jane, nothing else really