The name of David Goyer among the writing credits made me fear the worse. After all those Zig Zag and Blades appallingness you can hardly blame me. So, you may imagine my surprise to discover that Batman Begins is not only better than the previous Batmans but much better. The genesis of the character as well as inedited insights into the seven mystery years in the life of Bruce Wayne makes the whole enterprise engaging even thrilling. Christian Bale is an American Psycho Batman, pouty lips and unexpected sexual presence. Katie Holmes is lovely, with a sharp intelligence and a riveting imperfect beauty. Michael Caine fills the shoes of the butler with wit and charm. Gary Oldman, looking more Oldman than Gary, adds another surprising characterization to his already impressive gallery. So, very nice. There is still hope in hopeless trends. Who knew.