After Batman & Robin killed the series in 1997, director Christopher Nolan was finally able to bring it back to life eight years later. Armed with a completely fresh start, a solid lead in Christian Bale, a stellar supporting cast and a realistic tone to separate it from the neon camp that had capsized the franchise, Batman Begins gave audiences one hell of a reintroduction to the character. Frequently overshadowed by its sequel, The Dark Knight, Begins deserves a boatload of credit for legitimizing the character on-screen once again as well as laying a solid foundation upon which the rest of the series could be built. It's a testament to how much is done so well in this film and its willingness to play with new elements, from exploring Bruce's history, the introduction of the Tumbler, the fleshing out of Jim Gordon and its unique take on its villains, that its follow-ups were able to be successful. Batman Begins is an outstanding ride that's just as important to reinvigorating Batman's cinematic legacy as The Dark Knight is in reshaping the landscape of what comic book films are capable of.