Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
The Way It Was Meant to be Told
Now this is strange. Why did it take so long for this to be done right? I'll completely disregard the last two Bat-flicks and jump right in by saying that 'Batman Begins' could be one of the best films so far this year.It's by far the best in the series.We meet two kids in a dream. Bruce and Rachael. They're doing what kids do... although after Bruce falls through a covered well in the family greenhouse, his life is radically changed.Bruce (Christian Bale), now much older, awakens in a prison in some unnamed country (the credits say Iceland) where he's been researching the criminal underworld by 'becoming' like them. By seeing how they act. He meets Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson, pitch-perfect) and is released with the knowlage that if he follows Ducard's invitation, he may find peace to whatever he's looking for.Bruce climbs to the summit of the cold mountains to Ducard's home, a monstrous mansion to where no roads lead. He meetsRa's al-Ghoul, a man "greatly feared by the criminal underworld." Under Ducard's training, Bruce becomes a great fighter, a warrier of seemingly ancient techniques. (All of this is edited together with such speed it's hard to believe forty minutes go by.)The movie takes its time: there is a flashback of Bruce as a child, and we see the relationship he had with his father, his butler Alfred, his mother and... Rachael. Quite possibly his best friend. After his parents are brutally and suddenly murdered in front of him, Bruce is taken in by Alfred. His father's company, Wayne Enterprises is taken over by a ruthless corperate monster (Rutgar Hauer, sneering as ever).When we flash forward, Bruce decides to throw in the towel, a descision he'll come to regret. He ends up saving the life of Ducard. He returns to Gotham city, his home, but he doesn't realize just how much trouble he's in.Determined not to allow mobsters such as the powerful Falcone (Tom Wilkinson) rule the streets with fear, Bruce decides to show the people of Gotham a new hero.All the rest we know. We expect it. It's the similar story, although this time it feels real. It feels like it COULD happen. We see the Batsuit evolve from Bruce in a ski mask to the famous suit of the Dark Knight.The acting is top-notch and just right for the material. Katie Holmes is fine as the D.A. Rachael Dawes, who, like Bruce wants a change in Gotham. Gary Oldman is terrific as Gordon, one of the only good cops in Gotham, although I hope they get deeper into his character in the inevetable sequel. Morgan Freeman and Michael Cane are the veterans here, and both are superb. They eat up every scene and they have much fun doing it. Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) is creepy as hell as the Scarecrow. And Christian Bale is the new Batman... I hope he is here to stay.Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) proves he can take action and character development and blend them seamlessly, and he's the best director so far in the series. (Not to say Tim Burton wasn't a monumental choice, but he didn't really have great scripts to mold his stories, however great they were filmed.)Batman is the darkest hero. He should have the darkest movies. I really feel Nolan and company's on to something here. Something remarkable.