Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
Good film in a bare-bones package
"Batman Begins" is one of the classier comic book adaptions of recent years. While it has far less in common with the DC comic book than one might think, virtually all the changes made to the characters and their history were essential for an audience that remembers the Tim Burton Batman films but seldom (if ever) reads a Batman comic book.This DVD is the single-disc version of the film, without most of the extras that the two-DVD set contains. Be aware of this before you order. If the extras are what you'd like, go for the two-DVD set. If not, used versions of the single-disc version are cheaply and readily available.The film traces Bruce Wayne's journey from an embittered and self-destructive young man into his metamorphosis into a mysterious and powerful urban vigillante. Christian Bale throws himself into the dual roles of Bruce Wayne and Batman, giving us the best Batman since Michael Keaton. He's also given ample support from a Who's Who of Hollywood blockbusters - including Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Rutger Hauer, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes, and Cillian Murphy. Along the way, there are strong echoes of the Tim Burton films, through the character designs, music, and general mood. There are also some top-notch action sequences, including one of the strangest car chases you're likely to see.The film isn't entirely successful due to the almost total lack of chemistry between Bale and Holmes, and the absence of a truly gripping villain. Coming on the heels of the "Spiderman" movies, "Batman Begin" has villians whose motivations are far too shadowy to fathom. Liam Neeson turns in a fine performance as Ra's Al Ghul, and Cillian Murphy is appropriately eerie as the Scarecrow, but neither character is fleshed out enough (or over-the-top enough)to command our attention the way Jack Nicholson did as the Joker many years ago.Still, this is a great start to what will hopefully be a long-running and successful series. This is a movie well worth watching again.