Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
The Dark, Grim Batman Has Returned
Live-action wise (the animated films having always retained a mature nature since 1992), this is the best take on Batman since Burton's two. Batman's origin's are explored and some of his training is delved into. Christian Bale makes for a good Batman, the voice that he uses for the character doesn't get on my nerves as most people would think but my main complaint are, like others, is the action sequences. There are too many fast cuts and the action is just barely indistinguishable. Michael Caine is the best Alfred, Michael Gough from the previous four hardly being in them until Batman & Robin, and that was only because he was dying. Caine's version is much more involved with Bruce and cares about him, a noted scene being when he's driving a poisoned Batman home. You can tell that he's deeply worried about him. Katie Holmes. How to describe her. Well she's more believable as a DA than Denise Richards was a physicist but she doesn't really convey any emotions (much like Lois Chiles and Barbara Bach from the Bond films). And her inexplicable interest in wanting to know Batman's name seems almost forced in my opinion. I know he saved her life, twice, but she's never really given any inclanation to really find out who he is. Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy are perfect as Ra's al Ghul (Ra'Z al Ghul is not his name) and the Scarecrow respectively. My main problem with the villains, Scarecrow imparticular, is that they look nothing like their comic book counterparts. I know Nolan wants to keep a "realistic" look to the films but I wish he were a little more faithful to how they looked in the comics. The plot is very good, with plenty of twists and turns to keep a new viewer on their toes. Lastly, James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer's score is quite good but their heroic theme is quite forgettable when compared to Danny Elfman's, but definitely a step up from that atrocious Elliot Goldenthal.