Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
The greatest action hero movie of my awareness
I saw this movie last year on a date--the guy I was dating was a big time DC Comics fan and knew the whole Batman history from years of poring over comic books. I'll be honest, although I watched a few rerun episodes of Adam West's Batman growing up and saw the first three Batman movies, my expertise on Bruce Wayne's beginnings was nonexistent. I didn't know what to expect from this movie, but as it starred Christian Bale, I was more than willing to give it a go.This movie transcends its genre--an action superhero/comic book movie became so much more. I was completely blown away by "Batman Begins." Christian Bale gave his all to this movie and it shows. He plays the traumatized billionaire to perfection. He broods, he deliberates, he flusters; in short, he's kinda Hamlet-like (though spared the Oedipal complex). A lot of people have panned Katie Holmes' performance, but I don't understand why. Her role was understated, as this movie wasn't about Bruce Wayne's romantic quests. Katie Holmes convincingly portrays Rachel as a young woman with great integrity and determination, and Rachel is more of a supportive, peripheral character.I also liked that this movie had some grounding in real science--we were shown the science behind the mirrors, smoke & magic of Gotham City and its heroes and villains. In the other Batman movies, it's all magic. (Granted the scientific explanations are cutting edge and futuristic, I still appreciated that this movie tries to connect spiffy equipment with almost plausible technology. Morgan Freeman's character does a great job of introducing Bruce Wayne to the government's latest finds.)The follies of the Shadow of Leagues demonstrate to us viewers that justice and revenge are not interchangeable. Bruce still clings to the ideal that justice needs to be tempered with mercy, and his mentor (Liam Neeson) cannot change Bruce's stance on the matter.I can't find one complaint against this movie. I'm not a huge action hero fan, but I loved this movie nonetheless. Bravo to Christian Bale and the cast and crew of "Batman Begins." This Batman bested the other Batman movies hands down.