I was eight years old when the original Tim Burton/Michael Keaton/Jack Nicholson Batman was released. This was probably the first movie I remember being really excited about and wanting to see badly. Of course, it's PG-13 rating delayed my viewing of it until my parents could confirm that there was nothing too questionable in it. I think this is a good film, Michael Keaton is surprisingly good and Jack Nicholson stole the show as the Joker. This movie will always hold a nostalgic place in my childhood for me. Now, having said that let's talk about the new hotness AKA Batman Begins.

I hadn't seen Insomnia or Memento until after Batman Begins so I wasn't familiar with the previous work of Christopher Nolan, but I'd heard high praise. Good director, check. Ever since I saw Equilibrium I've been a big fan of Christian Bale. Good actor, check. I love the Blade movies and what David Goyer has done with them. Good writer, check. I looked over the supporting cast and saw Morgan Freeman, the guy from Blade Runner, Sirius Black, Qui-Gon Jinn, Katsumoto and Nigel Powers...wow. Good supporting cast, check. So what does this all add up to? No not 42 (but close), it adds up to a damn good movie.

See this formula is what it takes to make an excellent comic book superhero movie nowadays. Bryan Singer and Sam Raimi have discovered the formula and now Chrhistopher Nolan can be added to the list. It's simple, really when you think about it. Just get back to the basics, stay faithful to the comic source and for crying out loud keep it as real as possible. We don't want bat-nipples and neon lights. Keep the silliness to a minimum and, in all seriousness, give the people what they want.

I can't say enough good things about Batman Begins. I've seen it twice now and I'm itching to see it again (although the itch to see RotS for time number 7 is stronger). My only, very very minor, complaint about it is Katie Holmes. I don't know if it's this real life whole media frenzy or whatever but she's so weak it's almost funny. Her as a DA? That's about as realistic as Denise Richards as a Nuclear Physicist. Oh well, not everything is perfect.

I would say this is the best comic book superhero movie ever made, but my love of all things (well not 3 and 4) Superman is preventing me (even though I abhor the way Lex Luthor is portrayed in the first one). I will say it's as good as Superman and Spider-Man 2, both of which I say are the pinnacle of superhero movies.

Now that Batman has begun, I just have to wait a year for Superman to return...