The following is an in-depth story analysis. If you haven't seen this movie, you might want to before reading this review
Bruce Wayne: People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man, I'm flesh and blood, I can be ignored, I can be destroyed; but as a symbol... as a symbol I can be incorruptible, I can be everlasting.
I will approach this review as a usual, with an emphasis in the characterization, and the ideas that the film puts for it, but I'd like to briefly tackle the movie for its source material, because it will be remiss not to mention that, given that this is not only a reboot, but it's the reboot that really started the recent boom of movie reboots. I would say it's a model of the reboots, like, James Bond, Star Trek, and future franchises like Spider-Man and Superman.
Dr. Jonathan Crane: Well, the work offered by organized crime must have an attraction to the insane.
Gotham represents a large, American city; it's Chicago, it's Detroit, it's New York City. If any place with crime and corruption that's worse than all of them, it's Gotham City. This Gotham's crime is mostly run by one mob boss: Carmine Falcone. Nearly all of its police are corrupt, so is its politicians, and civil workers. The police is a part of the problem, and that's why Batman is necessary. The movie also gives the idea that one man can make a difference. Bruce creates Batman, not just to strike fear into the hearts of criminals, but to make a statement to the good people of Gotham, who he strongly believes exists, but, as he said to Alfred, "We need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy".
I mentioned science fiction to illustrate how the film is working as a height to reality, but it's mostly a complex crime drama. At first, there seemed to be several villain plots happening at once, until we realized that each is just one piece of a large puzzle.
Nolan is a master in not only storytelling; he gives us what we need, and when we need it. Though for the first hour, the scenes aren't presented in chronological order, they weren't difficult to follow, and there was logic to their order. It's impressive how cohesive it is. For instance, how do you make Scarecrow and Ra's Al Ghul fit in one movie? You don't do a traditional super villain team up, you make the lesser villain (Scarecrow) work for the stronger villain (Ra's), and you never put them onscreen, together.
Henri Ducard: Your anger gives you great power. But if you let it, it will destroy you. As it almost did me
As a child, Bruce falls into a well and gets attacked by bats, which begins his phobia. He sees an opera with his parents, featuring bats, and it frightens him. He blames himself for his parents' murder because it was his fear of bats that caused them to leave the theatre. So, Bruce ultimately uses that as a symbol of strength; turning a negative to a positive. It's unclear if he ever truly gets over his guilt, or if it's his own personal motivator to take a stand against the corrupt society that bread the man that killed them, which I think is what really distinguishes Nolan's Batman, from other versions. He doesn't just control the streets from rights and wrongs, he changes the city itself, from the inside.
Batman uses the same idea against each of them.
Thomas Wayne: And why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.
When he burns down the house of the League of Shadows, he tells Ra's that he is doing what is necessary. He's doing what he must to survive, and to use what he has learned to bring justice to the world, but not the way Ra's would. It's a very profound moment when Ra's echoes Bruce's father on the train and says, "Don't be afraid". Even now, Ra's sees himself as Bruce's father figure, and if Bruce interprets this the way I said he should've, earlier, if he was listening to his father's voice, and not Ra's', he's hearing something different from the irony that Ra's intends, as he's about to end the life of his greatest student.
Bruce learns from his mistakes, and he uses his surroundings in the train to his advantage, as Ra's taught him; he gets the upper hand. He says, "I'm not going to kill you, but I don't have to save you". It was hard for me to see Batman refuse to save someone, but he has to learn from his mistakes. He has to do what's necessary. He save this man, and he brought destruction to Gotham. If he takes Ra's with him, he might start the whole thing all over again. If Batman doesn't save Ra's from certain doom, is it, or is it not the same as killing him. I am honestly, not sure.
Was it a mistake for Bruce to leave Ra's alive in the first place? Should he have saved him at the end by the principle that no one should be left to die? Is he no better than Ra's? Or is this a rare exception where the lines are blurred, and there is no right answer. The film leads that up to the viewer.
Ra's al Ghul: Of course. Over the ages our weapons have grown more sophisticated. With Gothan we tried a new one: economics. But we underestimated certain of Gotham's citizens... such as your parents. Gunned down by one of the very people they were trying to help. Create enough hunger and everyone becomes a criminal. Their deaths galvanized the city into saving itself and Gotham has limped on ever since. We are back to finish the job. And this time no misguided idealists will get in the way. Like your father you lack the courage to do all that is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them... and stab them in the heart.
The movie has a lot of tender moments, with good humour; when there are jokes, they're clever; well-timed; they serve characters, rather than serving script necessities and comic relief. We can laugh without being taken out from the serious wold we're in. A lot of the comedy comes from Alfred and Lucius, and they're both dry and subtle. Lucius' lines are especially well-crafter because they join together to make a running gag. Bruce refusing to tell him he's Batman, but Lucius obviously knowing something's going on beyond a rich guy playing poise. It has very little virtuous action, for the most part, when they're fighting and jumping off rooftop. It's part of the story, and it feels necessary.
Lucius Fox: You expecting to run into much gunfire in these caves?