Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
A great opener for the historic Nolan trilogy
After a series of "Batman" live action clunkers, Christopher Nolan shows what can be done with one of our best fictional characters. Unlike nearly all other superheroes, the Batman has no super powers. So how was Batman born?In this stylish creation, Bruce Wayne is the son of a corporate giant living in Gotham City (New York is a stand in with bits and pieces of Chicago thrown in as well). While playing keep away with his playmate Rachel, young Bruce falls into a well, disturbing a cave of bats who disburse all around him. This leads to a fear of the animal that obviously has some bearing on his future. While accompanying his parents to an opera ["Die Fledermaus" (The Bat)], he becomes frightened and the family leaves early though a back alley. Bad idea.The city is under a crime wave. Bruce's parents are murdered by a mugger. Flash forward to Bruce's (Christian Bale) college years where he comes home to attend the parole hearing for his parent's killer. Bruce's plan to kill the thug is preempted as he is killed by another on orders from the mob boss (Tom Wilkinson). Bruce's guilt that his fear of bats caused his parent's death weighs heavily on him. He leaves his company and his billions of dollars and heads to some unnamed country in the Far East (assumed to be China or North Korea). He ends up in a hell-hole prison but is rescued by a stranger (Liam Neeson) who offers to give him a new life. But it will involve training under the guidance of Ra's Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe) high in the mountains.The training involves facing fear and death which leads Bruce's confrontation with his chiroptophobia. Upon completion, Bruce learns that Ra's Al Ghul and his group known as the League of Shadows has been around for centuries destroying civilizations that become corrupt and unruly. They plan the destruction of Gotham City and want Bruce Wayne to lead the charge. His refusal leads to the eventual destruction of the training camp. Bruce escapes, returning to Gotham City to make his own mark on crime as his alter ego, Batman.With the help of his trusted aid and family protector Alfred (Michael Caine) and a previously demoted senior manager, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), the Batman begins his own war on crime beginning with the mob. Thrown into the mix is a scheming psychiatrist (Cillian Murphy) who appears to be working for Falcone (Wilkinson) but has another agenda. He has created an airborne gas that renders anyone who breathes it psychotic and hallucinogenic with their greatest fears amplified.During Wayne's 7 year absence, his old childhood friend Rachel (Katie Holmes) has not only grown into a beautiful woman but a fierce assistant D.A. She and Bruce still have a twinkling in their eyes for each other and despite some naysayers I found their chemistry to be honest and appealing. This all leads to a bang up conclusion involving the arrival of the League of Shadows and his personal battle with Ra's Al Ghul. This Batman is stylistically much different from the earlier films, not to mention the 60's TV series. It is dark, foreboding, creepy and steeped with action. What set it apart from others of the genre are the intelligent script, crisp direction and great editing. Sure the film has some humorous quips but for the most part the "A" list actors take their roles seriously. This film was my second favorite of 2005.I suspect this Blu ray disc is akin to the earlier HDDVD package, which I've also seen. While certainly an upgrade from DVD, it is not of the highest quality we see today. Compare the movie with the 6 minute opening of the sequel ("The Dark Knight") included on this disc and you can see the difference. Still, it ain't bad. It has a 2.40:1 aspect ratio and has a Dolby TruHD 5.1 audio track. Again it isn't bad but not up to some of the better Blu rays out there today. Going for $10 or so is still a bargain.