Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Deluxe Indeed
While "Batman Begins" is probably the best Batman movie I have seen to date (even compared to both of Tim Burtons Masterpieces), I find that many reviews on here are about the movie and not the DVD itself. The movie review is important, yes... but I'm sure people out there would like to know if it is really worth getting the Deluxe edition of the DVD as opposed to the movie alone.If you are as interested in the Batman lineage as I am, the Deluxe edition DVD is sure to satisfy your pallette for now... at least untill the inevetible sequel comes out. Included with the Deluxe edition of this dVD is a comic book that has some rather haunting graphics and a decently chilling story line. I have not yet watched all of the special features of this DVD, but I've sat through some of them. As of yet, there are no deleted scenes that I know of (which I'd like to have seen if there were any) but there are plenty of mini documentaries that discuss various aspects of the film. For anyone who wants to know more about the weapons, new batsuit, or the Tumbler (the wicked new spin on the Bat Mobile) will deffinately get a kick out of these features. The subtle gem of the special features is the "Tankman Begins" skit performed by Jimmy Fallon as a prequisite to the MTV movie awards. It is pretty hilarious and reminds me of the famous Oscar Skit Billy Crystal put together back in the day.The movie itself is great. It has the origon of Batman drawn out as he matures from playboy millionaire to dual faced superhero. His journey starts with his dread of bats and it is his fear that drives the plot of this film. Fear is actually the main villain... under the guise of Scare Crow and Rahs Al Ghoul (spelling... lol) and it is powerful as it spreads like wildfire and causes a chain of events that would be devastating without Batman to save the day. This Batman is darker and while there is humor, it is more of the dry variety with crisp one liners and a couple of in-your-face moments. I personnaly feel that this movie captures the essence of Batman while its predessecors were to bright or cheerful... funny and abstract... or in the case of Batman and Robin... over the top fun. I am highly interested to see if Robin will be brought into the picture as well as Batgirl... but not in the silly way it transpired with afforementioned film. As for Christian Bale... well... he is now the face of Batman and he is the perfect fit. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman, and Katie Holmes all offer decent supporting roles but it is Cillian Murphy (Scare Crow) that outshines them all. He is creepy and villaneous... not at all a nice guy under the disguise of a nice guy. When he goes bad... he gets ugly fast. But, what made this a great batman outing was that the focus on the bad guys was slight... they were merely there to show what extent Batman would go to to protect the innocent. They all accentuated his story and furthered his character development.The sound is great with surround sound... the bat scenes are loud and all over the place which could be a little creepy in a dark room. The picture quality... outstanding. And if youa re a fan... the Deluxe Edition is a must have... if you just liked the movie and are not to interested in all the extra stuff... save yourself 5-9 dollars and buy the regular edition. The movie alone delivers the goods... the Deluxe Edition gives that extra bang for your buck.