Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Batman for the Ages!
Christopher Nolan set out to make the best Batman movie possible. He spared no expense. He recalled looking at the success of the first Superman movie back in 1978 and decided that part of making the film work was having the right cast. Christopher Nolan more than succeeded in his aim! Snatching up some of the best actors around in Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Rutger Hauer, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, and even the young talents of Christian Bale and Cillian Murphy helped make this, not only the best Batman adaptation ever done but one of the best comic book adaptations of all time.Nolan also made sure to find a screenwriter who was familiar with the Batman universe. He looked at various bodies of work from Frank Miller to other graphic novels as well, trying to find the best story and the best medium for making the movie.First, Christian Bale NAILS the role of BOTH Bruce Wayne and Batman. Reports are that he put on nearly 100 pounds...so much that he, in fact, had to drop some weight in order to fit into the suit! He makes Wayne more of a philanthropic playboy who is more interested in cars and women than about the corrupt state of Gotham City. But as the Dark Knight he is relentless and brutal in his mission to make crimelords and corrupt public officials pay and pay with interest! You gotta love the scene where Batman snatches Detective Fass off the ground from 10 stories up. "I don't know anything, I swear to God!" cries Fass. "Swear to ME!" Batman growls at him. Nolan, the crew, and Bale all had a clear idea of the kind of Batman that they wanted to have portrayed.The supporting cast is first rate, and why shouldn't it be? Liam Neeson is brilliant as Wayne's mentor, Ducard. And Michael Caine is wonderful as the ever reliable Alfred.One of the best performances has to go to Gary Oldman as Sergeant Jim Gordon. He looks like he was cut right out of the comic, and he does a fantastic job.Morgan Freeman is also very good as Lucius Fox who helps Bruce Wayne make his preparations. Cillian Murphy turns in a very good performance as Scarecrow (best villian portrayal of any of Batman films thusfar). Katie Holmes is very credible. Luckily, she isn't in the film too much so her performance doesn't suffer under the weight of so many veteran performers.Batman Begins is dark and brutal, just as Batman was meant to be based largely on Frank Miller's work. He has always been the antithesis to Superman, each at the other end of the spectrum. Batman is the hero who does the dirty work among psychopaths and the dregs of society.In a recent Justice League Comic, every member was captured except for Batman. The alien race stated that it wouldn't be difficult since Batman has no powers. Superman only laughs and states categorically, "He's the most dangerous of us."Batman is popular because of the power of his deductive reasoning. He is more than a fighting machine. He is able to out-think his opponent. Batman Begins does the best job of tapping into this. The suit is the best yet as well. Gotta love Christian Bale's "Batman Voice." It's perfect. And this film is as close to being perfect as it can get.Bring on the Dark Knight!