Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
The Bat Film Fans Have Been Waiting For
After years of believing 1989's Batman with Michael Keaton was the best Batman movie out of the four Burton/Schumacher films, there is now a clear cut winner, and those four do not make the final cut. Not even close.Batman Begins is the movie fans of the franchise have been waiting for. It is dark, exciting, and gives a real feel to the man behind the mask, Bruce Wayne, as well as Gotham City overall. The best thing about this movie is its plot and its acting. Christian Bale is great as the Dark Knight (which will be the title of the 2008 sequel), Liam Neeson is a cruel villain as he should be, and Michael Caine is fantastic as Wayne's witty and supportive butler, Alfred.This movie captures what the previous films of the Burton/Schumacher films failed to capture, and that is Batman's hard fight for justice in Gotham, no matter what the cost. In addition, this film is basic with regard to Batman's gadgets (batmobile, grappling gun, cape etc.) and makes Batman's character believable. Some may say that the Batmobile jumping off roof tops was farfetched, but that's how it was in the comics.Overall, Batman Begins was a great movie and brought credibility back to a franchise that had absolutely none thanks to Joel Schumacher and Akiva Goldsman's disastrous "Batman & Robin". The movie reminded me very much of the Fox Kids animated series that aired in the early to mid '90's, which was an excellent series and really not meant for kids under the age of 10. Many adults even argued that it was for them.Bottom Line: Great movie. Buy the 2-disc Deluxe Edition DVD. Has lots of features and commentaries about the movie. Very cool stuff.