Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
It's great, but it sets itself up for a fall.
I loved "Batman Begins" overall, especially because it stays true to its title and focuses on Batman's origins. It is also very dark and brings Batman back to his brooding film noirish roots. Christopher Nolan was an ideal choice for director given his film noir past with "Memento" "Insomnia" and "Following", but I suspect that a well-trained dog could have turned in a better effort than "Batman and Robin." ("Batman Forever" was an OK change of pace, and fit Jim Carrey, it doesn't deserve to be lumped in the same category as it's successor.)"Batman Begins" is a near perfect film, though I think it took a terrible wrong-turn in its closing minutes. SPOILER ALERT! While it is true that both of Burton's efforts could stand to go a shade or two darker, who dares to take on Jack Nicholson's "Joker"? Why go into head-to-head competition with a pretty good film when you have the opportunity to correct utter garbage like "Batman and Robin" ? Mr. Freeze deserves better than the Governator and Poison Ivy was perfectly cast, and should have been given more to do than fight like a Power-Ranger.