logo
How Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins rewrote the superhero movie rule book 20 years ago

How Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins rewrote the superhero movie rule book 20 years ago

This is the latest instalment in our From the Vault feature series, in which we reflect on culturally significant movies celebrating notable anniversaries.
When director Christopher Nolan made his fourth feature, Batman Begins, he was known for intimate, noirish indies such as 2000's Memento.
Its 2005 release, however, set him on the way to becoming the greatest blockbuster director of his generation.
It was not just a stepping stone for Nolan – Batman Begins, which turns 20 this month, also helped turn superhero films into the dominant genre of the 21st century.
Play
Two decades on, this first instalment in
a hugely popular trilogy remains a savvy, surprisingly substantial piece of work.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

James Wen's top pick: Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
James Wen's top pick: Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

South China Morning Post

time41 minutes ago

  • South China Morning Post

James Wen's top pick: Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

Do you have a book, movie or show recommendation? Send us your top picks using this form . If you're looking for an exciting, action-packed and humorous adventure that blends modern life with ancient mythology, the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan is the perfect choice for you. Percy Jackson isn't your typical flawless hero – he's a dyslexic, ADHD-prone kid who always seems to get into trouble. His sarcastic wit and loyalty make him incredibly endearing, and his struggles with identity and family make him deeply relatable. From battling minotaurs to escaping the underworld, Percy's quests are packed with danger, humour and unexpected twists. Riordan brilliantly reimagines Greek Gods in contemporary America – Zeus running Olympus from the Empire State Building, Medusa selling garden statues, and Hades chilling in Los Angeles. The way mythology intertwines with the modern world is both clever and entertaining. Each book builds upon the last, culminating in an epic conclusion in The Last Olympian. Alongside Percy, you'll meet Annabeth Chase and Grover Underwood. The friendships, rivalries and teamwork make the story even more engaging. Beyond the monsters and magic, the series explores deeper themes, such as finding your place in the world, standing up for what's right and the power of friendship.

How John Woo's Face/Off, Windtalkers and Paycheck showed his experimental side
How John Woo's Face/Off, Windtalkers and Paycheck showed his experimental side

South China Morning Post

time16 hours ago

  • South China Morning Post

How John Woo's Face/Off, Windtalkers and Paycheck showed his experimental side

John Woo Yu-sum's final Hollywood films before he returned to Hong Kong in the mid-2000s were excellent – with one exception. Here we look at the films made near the end of his first Hollywood adventure. 1. Face/Off (1997) Play Face/Off, which starred John Travolta and Nicolas Cage , was the first – and only – film in which he succeeded in inserting his unique approach to action in a US film. The result rivals Woo's Hong Kong classics like The Killer and Hard Boiled 'For the first time, Woo has successfully incorporated his style into an American film,' this writer wrote in the Post in 1997. 'It is a suspenseful work with a slick plot, chock-full of Woo touch­es. 'Woo gives his fans the best of both worlds. He makes use of the resources that American studios can offer to stage scenes, as well as investing his own visual style in the details.'

Smoke's Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett and Dennis Lehane on the new Apple TV+ series
Smoke's Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett and Dennis Lehane on the new Apple TV+ series

South China Morning Post

time2 days ago

  • South China Morning Post

Smoke's Taron Egerton, Jurnee Smollett and Dennis Lehane on the new Apple TV+ series

American author and screenwriter Dennis Lehane has a healthy respect for the power of fire. He learned that from surviving a house fire in Boston, Massachusetts, in his thirties. Advertisement Lehane was living on the top floor of a block of flats when a propane tank on the roof exploded and started a blaze. The landlord was replacing the building's smoke detectors at the time, so they were not working. Lehane is lucky to be alive and he credits, in part, the flames. 'If you're trapped in fire – if you wake up and the building you're in is on fire – it's up to the fire at that point. It's really up to the whims of the fire, whatever's going to happen to you. And I find that lack of control fascinating.' Lehane, whose literary canon includes the novels-turned-film-hits Gone, Baby, Gone and Mystic River, has turned to fire for his latest project – Apple TV+'s new nine-episode crime drama Smoke. It is based on the true story of a former arson investigator who was convicted in 1998 of serial arson. He was captured in part after he wrote a novel about a firefighter who was a serial arsonist. The case – chronicled in the 2021 podcast Firebug – sparked something in Lehane.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store