Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Now THIS is what a "Batman" film is supposed to be!!
The first great film of Summer 2005 comes in the form of "Batman Begins"! I have just seen this film today with high expectations...and man, I was not disappointed in the least! The direction of Christopher Nolan ("Memento", "Insomnia") was absolutely mesmerizing and powerful! The special effects were mind-blowing, and the action/suspense of the film was nothing short of edge-of-your-seat! Now to the performances of the film's cast, led by superstar Christian Bale ("Equilibrium") as the Dark Knight. Bale brings a powerful presence and on-the-spot seriousness to the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. In fact, Bale is 100 times better than both Val Kilmer and George Clooney, but the best Batman of all time will always be -- (hats off, everyone) -- Michael Keaton! To me, Christian Bale's performance is about equal to Keaton's performance as Batman in the first two "Batman" films. Joining Bale are Academy Award winners Michael Caine ("The Quiet American") and Morgan Freeman ("Million Dollar Baby"), Liam Neeson ("K-19: The Widowmaker"), Katie Holmes ("First Daughter"), Gary Oldman ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"), Cillian Murphy ("28 Days Later"), Tom Wilkinson ("In the Bedroom"), Rutger Hauer ("Blind Fury"), Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai"), and Linus Roache ("The Forgotten"), in which they all gave excellent, top-notch performances throughout!I'm sure everyone knows the story of how Bruce Wayne became Batman. But for those who don't, then here's the story in a nutshell. As the movie begins, we are introduced to young Bruce Wayne (Gus Lewis), son and heir to Gotham City's humanitarian billionaire Thomas Wayne (Roache). We see Bruce endure two childhood traumas: first, a fall into a well that becomes a harrowing bat attack, and then the murder of his parents at the hands of a mugger (just the kind of impoverished soul that the good Thomas Wayne was devoting his money toward helping). Fast forward a few years, Bruce has grown up to be played by Bale and is a prisoner in an unnamed Asian country's torture camp. He is there by choice, to learn the limits of human fear and the extent to which darkness will rule a man's heart. While there, he is mentored by a league of mercenaries, led by Henri Ducard (Neeson) and the dangerous but honorable ninja leader known as Ra's Al-Ghul (Watanabe), and is taught the ways of combat and discipline. When Bruce refuses to kill an enemy of the league, they turn on him. He escapes - but not without the warning that his compassion will one day undo him. When Bruce returns to Gotham, he not only tries to rekindle his relationship with his childhood sweetheart/assistant D.A. Rachel Dawes (Holmes), but also assumes the rightful place as the unofficial prince of the city - a playboy billionaire with the world as his oyster. By day, that is. By night, he studies the slimy workings of the corrupt city and devises a means by which he can continue his father's work to better its people. He must be more than a man; he must be a symbol. A symbol of fear - Bruce's fear. A bat. He becomes the Dark Knight himself...Batman! As Batman, and with the help of his faithful servant Alfred (Caine), rising cop Jim Gordon (Oldman), and Wayne Enterprises weapons specialist Lucius Fox (Freeman), Bruce works to stop the city-conquering plans of mob boss Carmine Falcone (Wilkinson), the evil Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. "The Scarecrow" (Murphy), and a mysterious third party that is quite familiar with Bruce and waiting to strike when the time is right. We are introduced, along with the villains, to the elements by which we recognize and appreciate Batman and his legend: the cape, the cowl, the gadgets, the Bat Signal, the newly-redesigned Batsuit, the Batmobile. Each element is familiar and, when tweaked, made more real than in previous incarnations.In conclusion, "Batman Begins" is the ultimate Batman movie! "Batman Begins" has it all: an unforgettable cast, ground-pounding action, a mesmerizing and electrifying musical score, explosive special/visual effects, and dynamic storytelling! "Batman Begins" accomplishes the fact that it resurrects a fallen film franchise and an anti-hero for the 21st century. More than likely, I think there will be an upcoming "Batman Begins" sequel in the future according to the end of the film. And I imagine that by the time the Bale Batman encounters his Joker, this series will have ironed any wrinkles from the cape. All in all, no one has done it better than Christian Bale as Batman! And "Batman Begins", without a doubt, a DVD must-have!