Batman Begins

The world found in comic books allows for bold contrasts between good and evil | Andrew Coffin

The Batman franchise receives an intensely serious, but not always successful, new look in Batman Begins. Director Christopher Nolan (the talented British director behind Memento and Insomnia) and screenwriter David S. Goyer take perhaps one step too far their effort to ground the iconic superhero in gritty reality, but still manage to breathe new life into an ailing series.

Mr. Nolan adds his effort to a growing list of comic book–sourced films that are proving the genre to be one of the most vital and provocative in the industry. The PG-13 rated film (for intense action violence, disturbing images, and some thematic elements) is too frightening for younger kids but will provide teenagers with slightly more to think about than the typical summer blockbuster.