Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
One of the Best Movies of the Year
With the release of "Batman Begins", the bar has been raised to new heights in terms of superhero movies. Though once thought of as lame and corny, superhero movies like this one show that they can be moving and thoughtful films. Not only is "Batman Begins" a physically beautiful film, there are some excellent performances and a well spun plot with enough twists, turns, and action sequences to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout the whole movie.Christian Bale is outstanding as Bruce Wayne, a young heir who swears vengeance on the criminals of Gotham City after his parents are brutally murdered by a thug. Bruce travels the world as a small-time criminal, looking to get back at "those who prey on the fearful", before he is invited to join the League of Shadows, led by the notorious Ra's Al-Ghul. However, when the League gives him a mission he cannot bring himself to complete after his training, he returns to Gotham City in an attempt to save it from criminals and corruption. He receives great resistance along the way, especially from Dr. Jonathan Crane, aka The Scarecrow, played a deliciously villainous Cillian Murphy. As Batman unravels The Scarecrow's plot, he is determined to do all he can to stop him."Batman Begins" brings a kind of emotional tension not normally seen in superhero movies. Christian Bale does a great job channeling Bruce Wayne's soul, layered with anger and guilt about the death of his parents. He is so into acheiving justice that, surprisingly enough for a superhero flick, he completely ignores the girl (Rachel Dawes played by Katie Holmes) until the end of the movie. In this and other ways, "Batman Begins" soars to new heights and proves that superhero movies do not have to be cheesy and over the top, but can prove to be excellent movies that rival any of the great ones of 2005.