Product: Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition) (2005)
Rating: 4.0
"I seek to fight injustice"
An edition to this series which is long overdue, Batman Begins tells the story of Bruce Wayne's upbringing, how he came to become the hero behind the mask, and delves into the psychological aspect of not only good versus evil, but also self-examination of one's soul. For this reason, Batman Begins epitomizes more of a thinking man's Batman.Much of the first half of the film is used to set the background and roots of who Bruce Wayne is.After witnessing the death of his parents, and feeling a sense of guilt over the tragedy, Bruce Wayne attempts to understand not only the criminal's mind, but the essence of justice as well. After spending time in prison, Wayne encounters Ducard (Liam Neeson), who in turn teaches Wayne how to defend himself and become an impressive fighter. Despite giving Wayne essential advice ("if they can't stop you, you can become something else entirely"), it is evident that Ducard's scheme of justice comes in the form of completely destroying Gotham. Sensing this, Wayne makes a desperate escape from the League of Shadows, returning to the city. From here we see Bruce Wayne's destiny to become Batman, as he battles the corruptions and injustices which are prevalent in Gotham, choosing to become the symbol of a bat (which perhaps symbolizes his need to overcome the childhood fear of bats).Becoming Batman, and returning to Gotham anew, there is not only a method to fight the various forms of evil-crooked police and officials, and the diabolical psychiatrist Dr. Crane..aka The Scarecrow-but an outlet for Bruce's anger at injustices within his own life. This motivation comes through so poignantly, which separates this film from previous others, such as Batman and Robin.The cast is also all-star and remarkable in its own right. Katie Holmes plays Rachael, childhood friend of Wayne, and the woman who he eventually falls for. Michael Caine is exquisitely cast as the butler, Alfred, and Morgan Freeman is great as man behind the technology who works for Wayne.Perhaps most refreshing is the vision and effort of the producers to take a comic-book hero and make him complex. Chris Nolan is able to take the theme of good versus evil and personify it within the characters. Yet, at the same time, the movie still has its action and chase scenes (albeit quite a lengthy one that is a little over the top).Batman Begins is the step in the right direction for this series, and this one is on the same playing field as the original Batman.