Review: Batman Begins (12A) ****

Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy and Ken Watanabe

THE CAPED Crusader returns in one of the biggest films of the year.

This time you can believe the hype because this is the darkest and arguably the best Batman movie of them all.

Memento director Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne and Batman brought in to save the franchise after Joel Schumacher got his hands on it have done a great job.

Mean and moody, Batman Begins is as a film which takes the hero's story back to basics.

It explores the origins of the Batman legend and his incarnation as a force for good and battling the scum in the crime-riddled and corrupt Gotham City.

Following his parents' murder, disillusioned wealthy heir Wayne is raised by his guardian Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) and loyal butler and mentor Alfred (Michael Caine).

Wayne then travels to the East seeking the means to fight injustice and avenge his parents.

He receives training from a ninja master (Ken Watanabe) and returns to Gotham as Batman.

The film boasts a superb cast. Gary Oldman plays super cop Jim Gordon destined to become the city's police commissioner.

Morgan Freeman is Lucius Fox a disillusioned Wayne Enterprises employee who becomes one of the boss' allies.

Katie Holmes plays Rachel Dodson, Wayne's former childhood friend and now the assistant District Attorney. And Cillian Murphy is Batman's arch enemy Dr Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow.