Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Easily the Best Batman Movie Ever Made
Although not considered the "real" first Batman movie, 1966's BATMAN with Adam West, a quick knock-off to capitalize on the campy classic TV series, is a fun DVD...but an awful movie.Tim Burton's BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS hardly qualify much better, to be honest. It was difficult to accept Michael Keaton as the Dark Knight. Jack Nicholson steals the first movie. And Tim Burton can't get any action momentum going to save his life.Joel Shummacher's BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN AND ROBIN are actually just big-budget camp entries that should've been called THE AMBIGUOUSLY GAY DUO: THE MOVIES.So not a very high bar to jump....But, happily, BATMAN BEGINS arrives and it's easily the best Batman movie ever made.Christopher Nolan, the director responsible for MEMENTO, and the writers actually take what would be considered the dullest part of the story--Bruce Wayne's early life--and make it fast-paced and interesting.Christian Bale easily out-bats everyone else who ever put on the cape and cowl. I loved how he appears from the dark in the Bat's early scenes and literally snarls at everyone he speaks to.The rest of the cast is incredible: Michael Caine as Alfred the Butler and Gary Oldman as Sgt.-then-Lt. James Gordon stand out. Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, and Rutger Hauer are also on hand to add weight to the proceedings.Dark, psychological, well-paced and well written, interesting--this is the best Batman movie ever made, and I can't wait for the next one!(Cool set up for the next entry at the end too, by the way)