Rating:  -
As a small child, Bruce Wayne witnesses the murder of his multi-millionaire father and mother in an alley. Thankfully before their death, they imbedded Bruce with good teachings to make him a good man when he grows up. Later on in life, as a young man, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) comes back to Gotham City seeking revenge on the man that killed his parents. When plans don't go accordingly, and also when he lets someone know what his intentions were, he realizes that his path for doing good for the city, isn't the correct path to do it in. So he leaves Gotham to escape and to find his way. And then a man by the name of Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson) finds Bruce and tells him of a secret place that will teach him to fight for justice, but he must get there alone. When Bruce gets there, he begins his training in martial arts, ways of the ninja, and fighting what he fears most. After 7 years, Bruce finally returns to a Gotham City that is slowly falling into the bad guys hands. And Bruce takes it upon himself to help rid Gotham of the bad. To make them fear what he fears. To make them face Batman. As Batman begins to clean up the city, he finds out about a plan that will destroy Gotham City schemed up by Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and someone from his past. A toxin that will make everyone go crazy is about to be released in Gotham and Batman is the only one that can stop it.
After some really bad Batman sequels (4 and 5 in particular), the franchise seemed to have been shot like a race horse with a broken leg. How could you ever come back from nipples on the bat suit? And then Christopher Nolan steps up and says "Hey yo, WB, I'm bout to hit you up the side of the head with a sweet Batman cause you know, I did Memento and Insomnia". Ok he didn't really say that, but he did promise them greatness, and greatness was delivered. While at first you think Batman starts off a little slow, you have to realize that we are delving into the persona of Batman himself. The reasons why he became the bat. The way he learned to fight the way he does. And to realize the biggest thing of all... that Batman is just a man. He has no super powers. He gets hurt just like the rest of us, except his been in some rigorous training to help ignore a lot of the pain. And it's great to see the two separate entities when it comes to Bruce and the Bats. Batman is the true man now, while Bruce is just the disguise that hides him. While Batman is fighting crime and avenging justice, Bruce is the cocky and fun playboy millionaire that no one would suspect is Batman. Christian Bale was great as both. I still think Michael Keaton is my favorite Bruce though because he just has a `coolness' about him, but Christian was definitely great also and is my favorite Batman, even with his kind of weird Batman voice.
Christian Bale isn't the only awesomeness going on here in this movie either. Gary Oldman plays, perfectly, Detective Gordon. Even down to the look of him in the graphic novel `Batman: Year One'. Oldman usually plays bigger roles, but man I'm glad he played Gordon. Just perfect. And then you have Alfred, the butler/second father, played, well, once again, perfectly, by Michael Caine. Morgan Freeman is even here, playing Lucius Fox, a man that works in the `basement' of Wayne Tower inventing and making up some insane items for the military, that Batman eventually uses for himself. Think of `Q' for James Bond. Crooked smile Katie Holmes plays Bruce's best friend and love interest Rachel Dawes. She's also a woman that holds her own and tries to bring down the bad guys through the justice system. She's ok I guess.
Some of the extras on the 2 disc were great. I knew Bale just got done making `The Machinist', and was Ethiopian like skinny for that movie, so I was amazed he got huge again for Batman in such a quick time. I mean it's hard for me to just lose 10 pounds. What I didn't know what that when Christopher Nolan told him to get as big as he could, Bale did just that. He got fat. So fat that Chris was baffled and thought he'd never lose the weight in time. Some of the crew would tell Bale "What are we making again? Fatman?" So Bale had cut up the weight he regained. Crazy! Watching the scenes where he is learning to fight, you can tell he was still losing some weight, but he's still thick. They really didn't think the suit was going to fit him...hehe. Also the scene where Bruce and Henri Ducard are fighting on the frozen lake by the glacier was crazy. They had to rush that scene with almost no preparation. After they were done filming, the next day the lake became unfrozen and was a lake again. Talk about lucky. There was a lot of good stuff on those discs that will keep you busy for awhile. When you see what they did to make Gotham City, you'll be blown away. Talk about some work.
Even though the movie does have some hokey scenes in it, such as the rooftop Batmobile scenes, it really doesn't hurt the movie at all for me. Great movie. Plain and simple. I thought nothing could beat it, but I was wrong when Dark Knight came out. So make sure you watch this first before Dark Knight...heh. Own it. Own it. Own it. And make sure you own it in HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.
P.S. - Some of you know I'm reviewing my DVDs in order because it gives me something to do. How did I go from Be Cool to Batman!?!? Bad Matt...bad.
P.P.S - I'm a top 1000 reviewer now! YAY!
Rating: -
That is the best version of Batman Begins. The quality, the extras and the gifts are excellents. 5 cards and a lenticular one, a comic version and a storyboard version of the dark night first scene, all in this box.
Rating:  -
I don't know why they called this movie Batman. Maybe it should have been called Ninja man. This is not any Batman I know or would want to know. The plot and character development of this film are sorely lacking even for a comic based character- as it relies entirely on non- stop action. I enjoyed action films when Arnold was the big star of the time, but Batman Begins lacks any real excitement and is incredibly over-serious and lacking in humour.
Christian Bale lacks any personality as Batman. Michael Keaton was infinitely superior. Bale has no sense of humour, is anything but handsome or physically imposing and someone who is certainly not suited for any leading role other than American Psycho.
Rating: -
The movie was awesome!! I think that goes without saying.
Love it in wide screen blu-ray 10 times more though. If you can get this and Dark Knight both, do it. It will make for one fantastic movie watching experience.
Rating: -
This being my "First" Blu-ray purchase, and viewing, very much complimented the movie. "Christian Bale~Is~The Dark Knight!!"
The television series entertained, as the early movies pacified my anticipation of bringing my favorite comic book hero to life. And, along came "Frank Miller", giving "The Dark Knight" a Reality, and Life, we could only Imagine, and Respect. A role, that seems to have been written for Christian Bale. By far, the Best "Dark Knight" Batman.
And with a superb supporting cast; featuring:
Michael Caine, who does an excellent portrayal of Alfred, who is more than "The Butler".
Morgan Freeman, as Lucius Fox, a character who seems to be derived from the "Batman Beyond" animated series. An essential element, to "The Batman's" creditability.
Liam Neeson, as Henri Ducard, indisputable Mentor? Nemesis?
In my opinion... So long as this; "Dark Knight~Batman" Franchise, stays on track, not swaying to the whims of the minority of fanfare that urges "The Batman", as its predecessors (movie series), resorting to comic relief. But, remain within the parameters of Frank Miller's Ideal Characterization. "The Dark Knight~Batman" will survive.
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