Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Splendid Renewal of Batman And His Beginnings
"Batman Begins" is a splendid renewal of the "Batman" film franchise, offering us not only the quintessential "Batman" in young Welsh actor Christian Bale, but also finally showing how young Bruce Wayne became "Batman". While most Batman fans may know that his wealthy parents were murdered during a robbery - which is depicted in flashback - there isn't much that is known about Bruce Wayne's life from his childhood through his young adulthood. Here "Batman Begins" successfully fills in the gaps, showing us an emotionally tortured, tormented young Bruce Wayne who seeks to escape his demons through studying the criminal mind in Asia and by becoming one himself. Rescued from a desolate, primitive Asian prison by the mysterious Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) - who will become his mentor - Wayne learns not only martial arts but other wisdom from his mentor, a member of the "League of Shadows". He devotes years training in the remote Central Asian monastery that is the League's headquarters, under the watchful eyes of not only Ducard, but also the sinister Ra's Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe), the leader of the "League of Shadows".Given the chance to join the League as a leader of ninja warriors, Wayne chooses instead to return home to Gotham, and reclaim his family fortune, relying on the wisdom and assistance of faithful family servant Alfred (Michael Caine). At Wayne Industries he finds a useful weapons expert in Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), who soon supplies young Wayne with the tools he'll need to become Batman. But he also has to contend with a devious chief executive, Earle (Rutger Hauer), who has his own plans for Wayne Industries. Bruce Wayne has returned just in time to stop Dr. Jonathan Crane aka The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) from unleashing upon Gotham a psychologically-induced epidemic of fear, relying upon an honest police sargeant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and young district attorney - and old childhood friend - Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes). Soon he'll find out that The Scarecrow is merely a pawn of an old friend from his past.Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" is far darker in tone than Tim Burton's original "Batman" film, remaining much more truer in spirit to the "Dark Knight" graphic novels from the 1980s. And unlike either of Burton's films, the emotional core of this film is the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman himself. Christian Bale's portrayal of Batman is as an avenging angel seeking justice, with his Bruce Wayne a sly, more thoughtful playboy billionaire than Michael Keaton's version. Gary Oldman's Jim Gordon is a role truly far removed from his more typical work, offering us the decent, honest cop who will eventually become Gotham's police commissioner. Needless to say, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Rutger Hauer and Cillian Murphy are absolutely superb in their roles. "Batman Begins" may be the best screen adaptation of a classic comic I have seen lately. I look forward to yet another collaboration from Nolan and Bale in the Batman series.