Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale are at the top of their games with this enthralling interpretation of just how "Batman" came to be. "Bruce", the young sone of the billionaire "Wayne" family finds himself unexpectedly orphaned and is soon aimlessly bumming his way around Asia. It's when he encounters "Ducard" (Liam Neeson) and is lured high into the Himalayan mountains that he is set to training by the legendary Ra's Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe) so that he can join the "League of Shadows" - an uniquely skilled ninja-esque group of elite warriors. He plans to use his training to return to the largely lawless Gotham City and act as a force for good. Soon, though, he learns that all in his highland sanctuary is not what it seems and after a battle royale, finds himself back at his manor house with his faithful retainer "Alfred" (Sir Michael Caine) and at the helm of his company - just as it is about to be sold by "Earle" (Rutger Hauer) making him an even more immensely wealthy man. His scientific guru - a sort of equivalent of "Q" - is "Lucius Fox" (Morgan Freeman) and together with the like-minded police officer "Gordon" (Gary Oldman) they set about taking down the city's kingpin "Falcone" (Tom Wilkinson) before he can contaminate the water supply with an opiate that will bring wholesale fear and destruction. This is a cracking action adventure film that rarely has a dull moment. Nolan and accomplished writer David S. Goyer take this character by the scruff of the neck and it really works. No more silly thwacks and pows; this is a dark and gritty tale of corruption, jealousy and revenge that is superbly photographed and has gadgets galore. I did struggle with Wilkinson, to be honest - he has all the menace of a wet cabbage; and Katie Holmes's "Rachel", though providing additional humanity, sadly offers little as this plots twists and turns like a cobra on steroids. Certainly never my favourite super-hero, "Batman", but this is certainly up there as one of my favourite superhero films. No laser eyes or magnetic powers; just a decent man with vengeance on his mind.