Batman Begins (DVD, 2005, 2-Disc Set, Deluxe Edition)

Batman Begins, this summer's entry into the Batman film legacy, redefines the series. Director Christopher Nolan, who has already captivated me with his takes on "Memento" and the Al Pacino vehicle, "Insomnia" finds the story and the star to tell it. It's a dark piece, and owes far less to the comic book than the Tim Burton versions. All of the action and adventure is tied to the psyche of the man who becomes the dark hero. I don't think Nolan worried about that, because it is obvious that the fan base and the money men wanted a return of the harrowing aspects of the Dark Knight, following the successes in bringing the Marvel comics to the screen, and wanted the cartoon (Jim Carrey, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Batgirl and Poison Ivy) parts gone.

To get there, Nolan relied on storylines and backdrops from the excellent graphic novels that have grown up around the Batman legend, then paired with David Goyer to write the screenplay. The result is that this film is far and away the best of the five.

Christian Bale plays a stripped-down, emotionally unavailable Batman, and his character is thoroughly outlined. You know exactly what his demons are, and you go through the decision-making process he takes with Alfred (the outstanding Michael Caine) to build the Batcave, and find the identity of the hero who will finally make criminals feel his presence.

The origin of Batman's training, the ninja backdrop, and the presence of his fearful mentor, Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson, better as a Ninja than a Jedi), open the film, and we see Bruce Wayne traversing through some of the most dangerous spots on the globe, in Asia, to meet the fearsome Ra's Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe, on the screen for too short a time). Ghul is fighting against crime as well, but has chosen Gotham City, Bruce's former home, as his battlefield. His League of Shadows wants to destroy the city, and the crime with it. Wayne cannot go along with the plan, and his escape from the Tibetan stronghold is perilous and destructive. Some good support in other roles, notably Mr. Earle (Rutger Hauer digs himself out of B movies for a guest shot), a youngish police inspector, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman in a great cameo), and of course, the stylish presence of Michael Caine.

The actual battle scenes are tense and inspiring, the Batmobile is undoubtedly a star of the movie all on its own. Camera shots and cinematography are second to none in this production, and all of it carries out Wayne's/Batman's message....

"I went around the world, searched in all the shadows. And there is something out there in the darkness, something terrifying, something that will not stop until it gets revenge... Me."

What kind of fanboy would I be to let Batman Begins slip by without seeing it in the theatre? After so many adaptations of the Dark Knight it seemed only natural to jump into yet another tale of Gotham's only defender. So, how does it rate? Simply put: this is Batman.

While this movie offers some of the best action seen in a long time Batman Begins is primarily an origin tale. It delves into the beginnings (hence the title) of the detective himself; popping the hood and letting us see the engine that drives this dark avenger. Never before has such attention been given to this character and you will gain a new appreciation for him. Moreover, this film will make you realize how badly all the previous films missed the mark (some worse than others - yes, I'm talking about you, George).

The cast of this film is extraordinary, save for Katie Holmes whose role is superficial at best. She's like a glorified Bond girl; there to look at, but not get emotionally attached to. Moreover, her limited spectrum of acting talent is painfully obvious amongst such an iron clad cast: Michael Caine as Alfred, Liam Neeson as Henri Ducard, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon.

Christian Bale is far and away the best Batman/Bruce Wayne to date (I say that realizing that Adam West still holds a special place in my heart). For the first time, ever, you really see why criminals fear Batman. While not as prominent, Cillian Murphy as Dr. Jonathon Crane/Scarecrow, is not to be overlooked. His insidious gaze and refined dialect make him terrifying...even before he puts the mask on. While a relatively unsung villian, the creators do him justice far beyond what I expected.

My favorite Hollywood screenwriter, David Goyer (the Blade trilogy) has finally brought to life a character that has up until now seemed animated. Goyer makes us realize that Batman is much more then his devices. Coupled with Nolan's attention to detail and commitment to explain almost everything about this superhero, Goyer's script takes comic book movies to a new level. After seeing this, you'll be able to see through the special effects and notice the lack of story and character development in lesser films (of which there are many). Speaking of effects, it was a refreshing change to see a film favoring "pure" stuntwork over tiresome CGI.

So, have I simply bought into the hype? No. This movie is worth seeing as soon as you can. I'll even go out on a limb and say many non-comic book viewers (I'm speaking, of course, to most wives/girlfriends) would even enjoy this movie. There is a solid story here, one even a Batman fan such as myself learned a few things from.

Batman is more than a superhero, more than movie and comic book entertainment. Batman represents the border between sanity and insanity.

This movie is a fantastic Dark look at what Gotham City and Batman are. The cast is outstanding....

Christian Bale is perfect to play Bruce Wayne, the billionaire who is orphaned when a mugger kills his mother and father in cold blood. When I saw Bale in "Equilibrium," his tiger-like athleticism and dark, brooding demeanor made me confident that Bale was worthy to inherit the mantle of Batman. For those of you who liked the Matrix, I highly recommend you check out Equilibrium.

In "Begins," director Christopher Nolan (Memento) and screenplay co-writer David Goyer explore how Wayne adopts his alter ego. On a Siddartha-like quest, Wayne leaves his friends and business empire to find himself in the (Very) Far East.

The talent in this movie is astounding. Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai) plays enigmatic Ras-Al-Ghul, powerful head of a spiritual, ninja-like clan. Liam Neesan plays Henri Ducard, Ghul's head man, who trains Bruce in the ways of the night fighter. Wayne is a proficient student. All of Neeson's dialouge is highly quotable and inspiring. I can't wait to get my hands on a screenplay.

Wayne returns to Gotham City. His childhood friend, played by Katie Holmes, knows something is up. She is now a relentless D.A. bent on eliminating the corruption that is plaguing the city that was once fair in the heyday of Bruce's parents. Her target is Arkham Asylum, run by the enigmatic Professor Jonathan Crane (played by the amazing Cillian Murphy).

The Wayne's family butler Alfred is played by Michael Caine. Wayne scientist Lucius Fox is played by Morgan Freeman. Alfred and Fox are Bruce's only allies in his war on crime. A younger Police Commissioner Gordon is played to perfection by the chameleon-like Gary Oldman.

Do not waste time. Purchase this DVD for your collection and show it to all of your friends.

I've never been a big comic book fiend and I haven't been overly excited by recent comic-to-theater films like Spiderman, the Incredible Hukl, etc. But without a doubt - Batman Begins is the best of this recent phenomenon and is a fantastic movie if if you aren't a comic fan or even a batman fan - Batman Begins is done so well, that it really is an excellent movie. Christian Bale is outstanding (as always) as Bruce Wayne and Batman and the rest of the cast is, for the most part, stellar: Michael Caine as Alred is great, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman are always excellent. My only criticism of the acting - and really of the film - is Katie Holmes as love interest Rachel Dawes... she is awful - has no emotion, is a painfully poor actress, and of course this movie arrived during her Tom Cruise escapade... But enough about Katie and more about Batman:

Batman Begins is more like an epic and a novel than a regular action film - it follows certain themes very nicely throughout the entire plot and does so under a very dark setting. The action scenes are filmed beautifully and the movie is general is a pleasure for the eyes - the DVD is an excellent addition for any big screen TV!

Batman Begins Cast:
Christian Bale .... Bruce Wayne/Batman
Michael Caine .... Alfred
Liam Neeson .... Henri Ducard
Katie Holmes .... Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman .... Jim Gordon
Cillian Murphy .... Dr. Jonathan Crane
Tom Wilkinson .... Carmine Falcone
Rutger Hauer .... Earle
Ken Watanabe .... Ra's Al Ghul
Mark Boone Junior .... Flass
Linus Roache .... Thomas Wayne
Morgan Freeman .... Lucius Fox

How do I do a 4.5?
Batman Begins is by far the closest movie story to the comic book story that they have ever used for live action. Batman and all his gadgets and equipment are much more believable than in previous movies and the story is action packed. The Story surrounding the origin story is well thought out and integrated well into the origin.

I found the acting to be pretty good, a little over the top at times, but for the most part well acted. Christian Bale made a better Batman then I expected. Katie Holmes doesn't have as big a part as you would think from seeing the trailer, which in this case is a good thing, not that shes bad in her role, she just seemed too young... or maybe weak for the role. Morgan Freeman's character was an excellent addition to this movie, it was silly to think that Bruce Wayne could do it all himself or that Alfred was secretly a scientific genius as well, and I'm pretty sure that there was a tech guy in the comic book who built all of Batman's wonderful toys.

This movie has nothing to do with the last 4 Batman movies, this is a more accurate and realistic telling of how it all began. It should not be seen as Batman 5, but instead as Batman 1 in a new series. Readers of the comic book will love this movie.

All in all, I would give this movie a 4.5 out of 5. For me, it was almost perfect, seriously good enough to make my DVD collection.