Christopher Nolan Movies: Ranking The Rug-Pull Moments

6. Who Is Henri Ducard? (Batman Begins)

Batman Begins signified Nolan's first foray into franchise films and with it, he took a large gamble in dedicating almost an hour of screen time to Batman's origin story. Unlike The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, Begins gallantly attempts to focus on Bruce Wayne rather than his mask, playing on the insecurities of being an orphan, playboy and superhero-vigilante. Starting with the genuinely brutal death of his parents as a child, Nolan and script-writer David S. Goyer delved deep into understanding the psychological dynamics that would shape their hero. For Nolan, the role of secondary characters in influencing Batman's ethos was as important to the story as Bruce Wayne's own arc, and the director spent a great deal of time in getting to know the authoritarian figures that populated his protagonist's world. Henri Ducard is one of Wayne's early mentors, helping him physically and technically to achieve the basic elements of, in his words, "being more than just a vigilante - a legend". Philosophical whimsicality aside, Ducard had a significant role in shaping Batman's ethics so when he is later revealed to be Ra's al Ghul, nefarious leader of the League of Shadows, the emotional effect it has on Bruce Wayne is telling. It is a pivotal moment in his character arc and marks the point at which he fully embraces his role as Gotham's defender. However, for anyone half clued up on Batman lore, the reveal of Ducard as the villain was no surprise, leaving it as one of Nolan's weakest shock factors. As with Insomnia, it is not to detract from what Batman Begins achieves - successfully teeing up a hugely profitable franchise, as well as reinventing the iconic superhero for a modern audience. The film was never really about the twist, but about de-constructing the legend.