Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Bruce Wayne, millionaire ninja
This was not a movie I was going to see, after all my friends raved about it, I found myself in a San Fernando Valley Cineplex, riveted to the chair. I thought the movie was fantastic. I really love Christopher Nolan's work, and think the cast is amazing. I am not terribly sure I can be that analytical about it. I just know I was gripped by it. Here are a couple of thoughts...The journey.......yes, we are used to a darker Batman now. Truly the years of "bang" "zowie" and Julie Newmar as the catwoman(and Liberace as a guest villian) are over. Batman has been dark for a long time...and all this stuff about Batman being so dark should exist only in conversations over old Green Hornet reruns..But what seems to be important , more than the darkness, is the journey. This deals with a real person, a tortured billionaire who abandons money for searching...and then comes back. This is a story...a story of a journey, and quite effective.The cast...Ok, how great is Morgan Freeman? Yeah, he is often Morgan Freeman, but who the hell cares. The supporting cast is brilliant. Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy(creepy creepy pretty boy), Tom Wilkinson...Ok, I had never seen Katie Holmes in anything, and she wasn't so great in my opinion, but I am sure in the right vehicle(and I don't mean on the back of Tom's Motorcyle) she is great.But let's rave a little about Christian Bale. He is, in my opinion, on a level with Johnny Depp for risky work. He is so fun to watch. You never know where he is going, he keeps you on guard, but ultimately he pulls out a rich, nuanced performance.Finally, lets applaud a piece that is nuanced itself. Funny at times, couched in relationship and history rather than just bloodshed, filled with action...rooted in story. And...again...it dares to be different. I mean, let's face it, we all have our opinions...so it boils down to what you want.. If you want a story well told, using heroes and villians as a way of getting to the pain of loss, in a world devoid of a lot of light...this is definitely one for you...