I actually think Katie is pretty good in Begins. The thing was, at the time she just had such a baby face that it felt like she stepped right off the set of Dawson's Creek. I guess you're supposed to go with it in a "she's mature beyond her years" sort of way. She just reads on screen like she could be 10 years younger than Bale even though they're supposed to be the same age. But she definitely took the role seriously and gave a real performance, despite what she was up against, so she deserves some credit there.
Also, while it is true that Nolan whitewashed those roles-- it's also important to remember that Begins came out only 4 years after 9/11 and the trilogy was openly dealing with terrorism. I think there's something to be said for not going all-in on the Middle Eastern aspect of the al Ghuls, so as to allow the movies to still have a sense of escapism. So you can touch on what's going on in the world and tap into those anxieties, without literally making the movie explicitly about the fight against Middle Eastern extremism. 24 was already doing plenty of that at the time. I get the choice, plus Neeson as Ra's is still works fantastically well, and made for a good twist. That said, Bane could've been Latino. It would've been interesting to see what Javier Bardem could've done with the role for instance. Same time, I also don't think a director should be faulted for simply choosing an actor they have a good working relationship with and who fits the vision they have, versus making a choice to fill a quota. I know it's a sensitive topic and it's not a simple one, so I don't mean to diminish it. But I think it would be one thing if Nolan full-on did the South American origin for Bane exactly like the comics and then cast Tom Hardy. But they were working with a different take on the character. You could call it a missed opportunity, but I still believe in a director's right to make choices that suit their vision and the story they want to tell.
As for the al Ghul thing, I mean as we know "Ra's al Ghul" translates to "Head of the Demon". That surely wasn't Liam Neeson's character's birth name. I think his real name was Ducard, and IMO he ascends to the mantle as the "Head" of the LOS some years after finding them and rising in their ranks. But the ambiguity makes it more fun.
