Batman Begins (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Batman Begins, the first film in the most recent series that features the caped superhero—Batman’s origins date back to the 1930s—was directed by Christopher Nolan, and released in 2005. The film’s score was written by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, two of Hollywood’s most well-known composers. The soundtrack opens with the moody “Vespertilio,” where chugging strings, ominous brass, and electronics effectively set the stage for the action to come. (The track titles are based on the Latin names for various types of bats.) The insistent pulse of minimalism drives one section of “Eptesicus,” a cut that is also nicely colored by touches of oboe and acoustic piano. The second half of “Tadarida” is one of the wildest things here: the edgy sound effects, chattering voices, and pounding drums reek of danger. “Molossus,” with its driving rhythm and counterbalanced horns and strings, is super urgent, while “Corynorhinus” spotlights melancholy strings and gentle piano. The reflective closer, “Lasiurus,” surges with emotion towards its conclusion.