Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 5.0
Excellent!
A friend said that while Tim Burton's "Batman" was 90 percent production and 10 percent story, "Batman Begins" is the opposite. He's right. This "reboot" of the "Batman" franchise succeeds on many levels, not the least of which is having a rip-snorting spirit. Smug/creepy Christian Bale seems an odd choice for the role of caped crusader but proves effective as a Dark Knight actually like the one I remember from the comic books. Even if much of the story territory is familiar in "Batman Begins," this version takes a refreshingly serious path and doesn't bog down under its own weight in camp or pyschobabble. Director Christopher Nolan wisely chooses to play it straight, creating a film close in spirit to those of 25 years ago ("Blade Runner" is rumored to be an inspiration; it felt to me in moments, too, like the TV series "The Equalizer."). The film's wonderfully effective, minimalist soundtrack by Hans Zimmer combines with straightforward production values and confident direction. And except for a so-so Katie Holmes as the love interest (all of the Batman films seem to be lacking in the leading lady department), the supporting players, including Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Gary Oldman (so much like the 1970s' Jim Gordon it's scary), and Michael Caine, are superb. The only real problem with "Batman Begins" is the third act, whose primary conflict is reminiscent of the train chase in the latest "Spiderman" movie, though there's also an eerie parallel in Gotham's rapid descent into madness and despair to the recent events in New Orleans, right down to the bumbling of so many police. Life imitating art? No, "Batman Begins" somehow manages to seem that real. Kudos to the engineers on this DVD, too, especially the sound folks.