Batman Begins

Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)
$26.98
Tim Burton fostered in a new era of superhero films with his impressively dark, original Batman films BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS. Then Joel Schumacher trashed all that with his horrific, comical and empty flicks BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN AND ROBIN.

Thankfully (and there's an hitch!), Christopher Nolan's 2005 rendering BATMAN BEGINS is a fine return to form for the popular dark superhero. Nolan based BB in "reality" and focuses on young Bruce Wayne (excellent work by Christian Bale), who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, who travels the world trying to understand the criminal mind and ends up undertaking ninja training in the Far East under the tutelage of Henri Ducard (a slyly malevolent Liam Neeson) and Ras Al Ghul.

Upon his return to Gotham after years of exile, Wayne resumes his place as the head of Wayne Manor, which was taken care of in his absence by family major domo Alfred (fine performance by the esteemed Michael Caine) and Wayne Industries, run by Mr. Earle (wonderfully played by veteran screen bad guy Rutger Hauer). Wayne also meets Lucius Fox (reliably played by the great Morgan Freeman), the head of the Development section of Wayne Industries, and enlists his help in obtaining high-tech equipment so that he can begin leading his double life as both Wayne and Batman. Last, but not least, Bruce re-acquaints himself with his childhood friend and now assistant DA Rachel Dawes (played surprisingly well by Katie Holmes).

So the adventure begins! Batman prowls the streets of Gotham at night taking out scuzzy lowlifes at first (he saves Rachel from some goons on the subway) and making his initial mark. He also thwarts the city's top criminal Carmine Falcone (solidly played by Tom Wilkinson), who ironically is the man who ordered the kill of the man who killed Bruce's parents. Batman also meets Police Sgt. Jim Gordon (superb work by Gary Oldman), who initially skeptical, ends up being the conduit between Batman and the police force. Batman runs into a higher class of criminal in Dr. Crane/Scarecrow (creepily played by Cillian Murphy), who shoots a toxic concoction from his mask to literally psych out his victims. At the climax, Batman must save Gotham from his former mentor Ducard, who it turns out was the head ninja Al Ghul all along!

BATMAN BEGINS is perhaps the first Batman film to focus primarily on the hero himself and not the villains. A highly involving character study of one man's despair, disillusionment, acceptance, strength, and resolve, Nolan manages to elevate BB above the genre. I've not seen all his work, but I've got to believe this is perhaps one of the best (if not the best!) performance of Christian Bale's career. Additionally, Nolan does a good job of CGI-ing effects to make a real city an authentic stand-in for Gotham (unlike an umentioned sequel that didn't even try! Told you there was a hitch!). A superhero film where the protagonist is the star? Novel idea!

The Dark Knight (+ BD Live) [Blu-ray]
$35.99
Knowning all the hype that was put out about this movie had me very very concerned. Due to, from past experience, the lack of substance that a movie will have once completed and in theaters. More times than not a movie with such over hype usually is just a way for studios to try to gain money from the audeince who doesn't know any better and once it is seen it falls away into oblivian. That was my concern about this movie. That it would suck so bad that it completely destory Batman as a comic book character that has been around since the early 20th century. Just because studios think that the masses are just dumb sheep who will make a hit out of a movie just because of a lot of advertising was put behind it.

However, I was pleasantly proven wrong about this movie. What Christpher Nolan did with Batman Begins he built upon in this one. We see a city still in dispair to the point of breaking. Yet there is hope on the streets and fear starting emerge in the hearts of criminals, all because of Batman. Along comes the Joker. He is a sucidal maniac who wants to prove to the world that it sits on a thin thread between chaos and order. Thinking that most of society, at its heart, is chaotic is oout to take down the only thing standing between him and complete anarchy, Batman. To take down the Joker and his diabolical plans Batman, LT. Gordon, and newly appointed D.A. Harvey Dent team up. Although, the heroes of this story try to take down the Joker through moral ways he makes it very difficult for them to make the right decision and become a symbol of hope for the city of Gotham.

In the end the movie blew me away and then some. The script was well written. The movie was well acted by everyone included. And the moral choices that the characters had to make pushed comic book heroes into the real life that everyone can identify with.

Batman Begins (Two-Disc Special Edition)
$19.98
Tim Burton fostered in a new era of superhero films with his impressively dark, original Batman films BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS. Then Joel Schumacher trashed all that with his horrific, comical and empty flicks BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN AND ROBIN.

Thankfully (and there's an hitch!), Christopher Nolan's 2005 rendering BATMAN BEGINS is a fine return to form for the popular dark superhero. Nolan based BB in "reality" and focuses on young Bruce Wayne (excellent work by Christian Bale), who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, who travels the world trying to understand the criminal mind and ends up undertaking ninja training in the Far East under the tutelage of Henri Ducard (a slyly malevolent Liam Neeson) and Ras Al Ghul.

Upon his return to Gotham after years of exile, Wayne resumes his place as the head of Wayne Manor, which was taken care of in his absence by family major domo Alfred (fine performance by the esteemed Michael Caine) and Wayne Industries, run by Mr. Earle (wonderfully played by veteran screen bad guy Rutger Hauer). Wayne also meets Lucius Fox (reliably played by the great Morgan Freeman), the head of the Development section of Wayne Industries, and enlists his help in obtaining high-tech equipment so that he can begin leading his double life as both Wayne and Batman. Last, but not least, Bruce re-acquaints himself with his childhood friend and now assistant DA Rachel Dawes (played surprisingly well by Katie Holmes).

So the adventure begins! Batman prowls the streets of Gotham at night taking out scuzzy lowlifes at first (he saves Rachel from some goons on the subway) and making his initial mark. He also thwarts the city's top criminal Carmine Falcone (solidly played by Tom Wilkinson), who ironically is the man who ordered the kill of the man who killed Bruce's parents. Batman also meets Police Sgt. Jim Gordon (superb work by Gary Oldman), who initially skeptical, ends up being the conduit between Batman and the police force. Batman runs into a higher class of criminal in Dr. Crane/Scarecrow (creepily played by Cillian Murphy), who shoots a toxic concoction from his mask to literally psych out his victims. At the climax, Batman must save Gotham from his former mentor Ducard, who it turns out was the head ninja Al Ghul all along!

BATMAN BEGINS is perhaps the first Batman film to focus primarily on the hero himself and not the villains. A highly involving character study of one man's despair, disillusionment, acceptance, strength, and resolve, Nolan manages to elevate BB above the genre. I've not seen all his work, but I've got to believe this is perhaps one of the best (if not the best!) performance of Christian Bale's career. Additionally, Nolan does a good job of CGI-ing effects to make a real city an authentic stand-in for Gotham (unlike an umentioned sequel that didn't even try! Told you there was a hitch!). A superhero film where the protagonist is the star? Novel idea!

Batman Begins (Limited Edition Gift Set) [Blu-ray]
$49.99
Tim Burton fostered in a new era of superhero films with his impressively dark, original Batman films BATMAN and BATMAN RETURNS. Then Joel Schumacher trashed all that with his horrific, comical and empty flicks BATMAN FOREVER and BATMAN AND ROBIN.

Thankfully (and there's an hitch!), Christopher Nolan's 2005 rendering BATMAN BEGINS is a fine return to form for the popular dark superhero. Nolan based BB in "reality" and focuses on young Bruce Wayne (excellent work by Christian Bale), who witnessed the murder of his parents as a child, who travels the world trying to understand the criminal mind and ends up undertaking ninja training in the Far East under the tutelage of Henri Ducard (a slyly malevolent Liam Neeson) and Ras Al Ghul.

Upon his return to Gotham after years of exile, Wayne resumes his place as the head of Wayne Manor, which was taken care of in his absence by family major domo Alfred (fine performance by the esteemed Michael Caine) and Wayne Industries, run by Mr. Earle (wonderfully played by veteran screen bad guy Rutger Hauer). Wayne also meets Lucius Fox (reliably played by the great Morgan Freeman), the head of the Development section of Wayne Industries, and enlists his help in obtaining high-tech equipment so that he can begin leading his double life as both Wayne and Batman. Last, but not least, Bruce re-acquaints himself with his childhood friend and now assistant DA Rachel Dawes (played surprisingly well by Katie Holmes).

So the adventure begins! Batman prowls the streets of Gotham at night taking out scuzzy lowlifes at first (he saves Rachel from some goons on the subway) and making his initial mark. He also thwarts the city's top criminal Carmine Falcone (solidly played by Tom Wilkinson), who ironically is the man who ordered the kill of the man who killed Bruce's parents. Batman also meets Police Sgt. Jim Gordon (superb work by Gary Oldman), who initially skeptical, ends up being the conduit between Batman and the police force. Batman runs into a higher class of criminal in Dr. Crane/Scarecrow (creepily played by Cillian Murphy), who shoots a toxic concoction from his mask to literally psych out his victims. At the climax, Batman must save Gotham from his former mentor Ducard, who it turns out was the head ninja Al Ghul all along!

BATMAN BEGINS is perhaps the first Batman film to focus primarily on the hero himself and not the villains. A highly involving character study of one man's despair, disillusionment, acceptance, strength, and resolve, Nolan manages to elevate BB above the genre. I've not seen all his work, but I've got to believe this is perhaps one of the best (if not the best!) performance of Christian Bale's career. Additionally, Nolan does a good job of CGI-ing effects to make a real city an authentic stand-in for Gotham (unlike an umentioned sequel that didn't even try! Told you there was a hitch!). A superhero film where the protagonist is the star? Novel idea!