Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
a memento of Batman
We went and saw Batman Begins Wednesday night. I have to say, it was the best motion picture treatment of Batman, both the character and the story, I have ever seen. I have to give full credit to Christopher Nolan, who brought this film together. With his cast, which includes Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Tom Wilkinson, and Morgan Freeman (just to name a few), Nolan has woven a great, dramatic tale of the birth of Batman, making it seem an inevitable, logical conclusion of the tragedy that befalls the young Bruce Wayne, and enfusing it with a sense of realism which all of the previous movies did not have. Don't get me wrong, Gotham City has a taste to it which is not quite of our world today, but at the same time all of Batman's gadgets appear realistic, and Bruce Wayne suffers from a bruised and bloodied body following a hard night out as Batman.The direction and cinematography are excellent, from the opening frame (with the flying bats suggesting the Batman logo) to the closing frames (the remnants of Wayne Manor, and the conversation with Gordon). I appreciated how the first combat scene for Batman in Gotham kept Batman mostly out of sight, with only the sound of a flitting bat to suggest his prescence--an enemy out of sight often conveys more fear.The acting is superb as well. I do believe that Bale was an excellent choice for the lead; he brings an intensity to the role that others might have lacked. The supporting cast is all excellent, with a stand-out performance by Neeson, and a touching, human performance by Caine. Great choices here, all around.I'm going to have to see this movie again, perhaps in IMAX.