Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
Christian Bale is POWERFUL
Compared to Joel Schumacher's eternally pitiful excuse for a movie--AKA Batman Forever--Batman Begins is heaven. Christopher Nolan has definitely done his homework, and has taken the persona of Batman back to the dark, brooding, mysterious, tormented realm the character BELONGS in; he is to be thanked for helping us forget the bad taste Schumacher's laughable product left in our mouths. But even if we disregard Schumacher for a moment, Batman Begins by itself is a triumph. Everything about the movie--from the locations and sets to the cinematography to the music--is dark and atmospheric. Even the Wayne mansion that we see young Bruce in is gothic and foreboding.What made this movie one of my favorites of all time is its psychology: Nolan decided to give the audience a glimpse into Bruce's tormented mind and soul, which hasn't happened before in a Batman movie. This is done mainly via Bruce's conversations with Ducard (Liam Neeson) as Bruce reveals some of his most intimate and guarded thoughts and memories regarding his parents' death, his opinion on the modern legal system, and his desire and need for personal gratification (i.e. vengeance). And Christian Bale is to be hailed for pulling all of this off while making it look easy. And because of all this, the first half of the movie--in which Bruce hasn't even become Batman yet--is actually the best part; all the action, fighting, and high-tech gadgets take a back seat to this important development, for both Bruce and the movie.In an otherwise strong cast, the one weak link in the chain is Katie Holmes. She is a mediocre actress at best, and is unable to fully sell an important role like that of Rachel Dawes, who obviously holds a special place in Bruce's heart. So it's ironic that Holmes has one of the most important lines in the movie, at the end when Rachel rejects Bruce. This cuts his last remaining bridge to the "light" world, and he is left entirely in the "shadow" world, the world of Batman. Bruce is left with the realization that now, thanks to fate and the choices he made, there is no going back; he is more Batman than Wayne, and the only thing he can do from here on is press forward.But as far as the DVD (not the movie itself) is concerned...what is up with the bonus materials section? Just a theatrical trailer? That's it? Not a single featurette, not a single interview? And now WB is coming out with a "deluxe" DVD edition...is this a cheap ploy to squeeze more dollars out of fans or what? Shame on you, WB...