Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
The IMAX eexperience!
First off, I'll tell you that I saw "Batman Begins" on an IMAX screen in NYC, my hometown. I mention this because maybe the film would get a different reaction had I saw it on a "regular" movie screen, although I doubt it. I believe I'd love this film even on a crappy 13" B&W; TV with mono sound. Nevertheless, the fact that I "experienced" it in what I suppose are State of the Art conditions certainly didn't hurt. I won't spend much time with plot recaps, since I figure that unless you've been living in the Batcave for a while, you know well enough what it is we're discussing.Since the last Bat-movie, "Batman & Robin," which I believe qualifies as the worst movie ever made, I actually hoped never to hear from Gotham City's favorite facsist vigilante ever again, but then I read that the director would be Christopher Nolan, whose "Memento" was an astounding mindbender of a noir, I allowed myself to hope. My hope is confirmed big-time by this film, which burns the previous franchise to the ground and gets us back to basics, telling the story of just how poor little orphaned billionaire Bruce Wayne got in the habit of dressing like a nocturnal flying rodent and fighting crime in the first place, concentrating on his training. Somewhere in mountainous Asia (Nepal, maybe?) he joins a mysterious group called the League of Shadows, led by the really mysterious Ra'as Al Ghul, played by Ken Watanabe. He trains as a ninja with Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) then splits when he finds out he must commit a murder to officially enter (I guess a simple fee wouldn't do). Back in Gotham, Bruce comes up with a really kick-butt fashion statement...and you can guess the rest.Nolan's vision for the veteran comic book crusader would work even if you had never before heard of "Batman" or known any of the accumulated mythologies. This is a dark, gritty tale of a PERSON who becomes a crime fighter and not the other way around. We get a real idea of who this Bruce Wayne is, and that's where our sympathies lie. His obsessive need to control his childhood traumas and the external forces he believes caused them are what drives this story instead of gaudy action sequences. Of course there's no shortage of that either; a car chase across the city proves especially effective and the fight scenes have the grace and speed of the finest Asian martial arts movies. If I must nitpick, the climactic action sequence features editing that is so fractured and rapid that it's like watching the trailer; it's almost incomprehensible.Then there are the performances. Christian Bale, who lost more than 60 pounds just for his role in "The Machinist," has buffed up physically but stays wounded and bruised psychically. This is one messed up superhero; he can't connect with anybody unless it's on his terms. The real star of the show for me, though, is Michael Caine as loyal butler Alfred, whose class, dry humor and Cockney accent let him steal every scene he's in. Morgan Freeman, who gets the most laughs but also the most respect as Wayne's tech guru proves that he could play Q in the next Bond flick, if they were smart enough to cast him. Katie Holmes, a.k.a the Bride of Cruise, can't escape her basic sweetness but is tough enough to play Gotham's last honest District Attorney.Now a few notes on IMAX. If you haven't seen the film yet, and live in an area with an IMAX screen, I heartily reccomend seeing it there. The picture is enormous but crystal clear and the surround sound is terrific; in a scene where people are chattering in the background, I thought for a second that it was rude people in the audience! Since IMAX theatres are by nature stadium seating patrons with big hair were no problem. Best of all: no commercials and only one preview! True, it costs a couple of bucks more, but it's well worth it. If only all movies could be shown this way, instead of short documentaries and big Hollywood Blockbusters."Batman Begins" is one Hollywood Blockbuster that deserves your full support, though. Don't wait for DVD! (If you do however, I have an idea where you can buy it...)