Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
The Dark Knight Arrives... Finally!
Forget about all the previous Batman films. "Batman Begins" blows every single one of them out of the water. No Contest.Christian Bale is Batman/Bruce Wayne. This is the first film of the series where the hero is the focus resulting in a much more compelling and more focused storyline.This isn't "The Joker" co-starring Batman, ala the 1989 film and the strongest of the previous incarnations. The problem with that film was that Jack Nicholson was just too over the top as the Joker (if that's possible). It seemed for the audience that it was all about "hey , look at the chances Jack is taking in this role" rather than getting lost in the character. Jack's hammy acting seemed to place the story in a secondary role.Not the case here. There were two themes present in this movie: 1) Fear and 2)Relationships.When we meet Bruce early in the film, we see he originally has a fear of bats after a very harrowing(and fateful) incident. We then see Bruce's attempts to conquer his fear after the tragic and very brutal murder of his parents, by throwing himself into the heart of the criminal element. This eventually leads Bruce to a "Monastery" where he meets Ra's Al Ghul and comes under the tutelidge of the enigmatic Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) who teaches Bruce how to use fear as an effective weapon. This weapon, the most important in The Batman's arsenal, is used skillfully in this film, showing us, from the perspective of the criminals, what it's like to be hunted by The Batman. Fear is also the weapon of the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) used to chilling and sometimes disturbing results. Finally, The Batman must overcome fear to defeat the Scarecrow and "Ra's Al Ghul.""Batman Begins" has more emphasis on strong relationships than any of its recent contemporaries. The strength of young Bruce's relationship with his parents, especially his father, manages to make their inevitable deaths all the more horrifying. Equally important is the mentor/student relationship of Henri Ducard and Bruce. Ducard becomes a father figure to the young man which figures prominently in the film's climactic battle. Thomas Wayne instills in his son moral strength and the courage to stand against evil. Henri Ducard instills in Bruce unwavering focus and, when needed, ruthlessness.I especially loved the relationships between Bruce and the supporting cast:Bruce and Alfred - Hearfelt, touching and believable. Michael Caine is the best Alfred. Period.Batman and Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) - Loved the intial mistrust, turning into mutual respect. Lt. Gordon is one good cop in a sea of corruption in the Gotham Police Force. Batman needs Gordon and Gordon needs Batman, a truism only alluded to in Tim Burton's initial outing.Bruce and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) - Addresses the question of how and where Batman gets his gadgets (especially the very cool Batmobile). Loyalty and trust are very important in this relationship. As mentioned in a previous review, Fox is like James Bond's "Q".As for Katie Holmes, she's not as weak as many reviewers have reported. Her role as a tough attorney who grew up with Bruce worked for me. She was certainly the most resourceful and down- to- earth of the all the series' love interests.Great action sequences, excellent acting and a compelling back-to- basics story make this the ultimate Batman film.