Batman Begins

Lots of payoff for the hard-core comics geek, but also a damned good movie, on any terms. Christopher Nolan was a good choice to direct; he wove a fascinating tapestry, showing how the threads of Bruce Wayne's life came together to make him the man he is, and also how he could become a myth to Gotham's underworld. Ra's al Ghul is as much a challenge to Batman's philosophy as to his city, and, in another way, so is Jonathan Crane, who like Batman uses fear as a weapon. (All the best Batman villains seem to reflect his own darker side. Speaking of which, the long-time friend and District Attorney who takes down a major crime boss would make a very interesting Two-Face, although this Wikipedia article implies Nolan has other plans.)

For once, a superhero movie worth going to the theater for.