Batman Begins
Warner Bros. Pictures
Starring: Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine and Katie Holmes
The Verdict: “Batman Begins” successfully brings the comic book franchise back to life.
Movie: 3 out of 4 stars
Extras: 3 1/2 out of 4 stars
Does “Batman Begins” work as a revamp? This deluxe two-disc DVD proves that we can forget the past (i.e. “Batman Forever” and “Batman and Robin”). But you don’t have to be the world’s greatest detective to find flaws in director Christopher Nolan’s take on the Dark Knight.
This time around, the viewer will know what drove billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) to don his mask. “Begins” rotates the past and present during its first act. You’ll see Wayne as a child, discovering his greatest fear, bats. And you’ll see Wayne training in the mountains under the League of Shadows, a ninja group led by the mysterious Ra’s Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe-“The Last Samurai”). Wayne’s trainer is a fighter/philosopher named Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), who teaches the playboy how to be stealthy, to kick ass and to learn to deal with fear.
After Wayne leaves the League of Shadows in an explosive getaway, he travels back to Gotham City to watch over his father’s business, take down villains ranging from gangster boss Carmine Falcone (Tom Wilkinson) to the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and uphold his image as a rich boy, talking with childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes) when time permits.
Immediately you’ll notice that this Batman tale focuses more on Wayne as an angry and fear-driven soul. Although waiting for about an hour to see Wayne suit up as Batman seems like a dull task, the movie does a good job of keeping you interested in the mythology of the famous vigilante hero.
Of course, the film’s main weapon is the star from “American Psycho” and “Equilibrium,” Christian Bale. Michael Keaton has been the best man behind the mask for over a decade, beating out the campy Adam West, the awkward Val Kilmer and the ridiculous George Clooney. Bale jumps in and defeats everyone, mainly because he becomes both Bruce Wayne and Batman. When he’s Wayne, Bale brings out the witty and pompous nature of the moneymaker, sometimes balancing it with guilt and anguish. But when Bale is Batman, he morphs into a dedicated revenger, snarling at his enemies and pinching off adversaries like an unseen warrior.
However, not even Bale could do much with this lame line: “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.” Worse than a case of genital warts.
The other cast members generally fit their roles. Murphy is a creepily sly Scarecrow, helped by some impressive fear gas hallucination scenes that could scare some jumpy viewers. Gary Oldman is the spitting image of officer Jim Gordon, almost as if he was lifted straight from a comic book. A funny and enthusiastic Michael Caine plays Wayne’s butler Alfred, but he doesn’t top Michael Gough, who played Alfred in the previous four Batman movies. It’s also no surprise that Neeson excels as Wayne’s mentor, and don’t forget Morgan Freeman’s enjoyable turn as Lucius Fox.
Unfortunately, Rutger Hauer is wasted in a useless part, and Katie Holmes’ acting is best described as lame. Every time she contaminates the screen, you pray that Tom Cruise will be the next Hollywood wife murderer. Nolan unwisely leaves her virtually unscathed: Holmes is never tortured or ravaged.
Even though “Begins” builds a superb foundation, it somewhat falls apart in the final act. The plot to destroy Gotham City seems too obvious, since the idea was almost plagiarized from Burton’s “Batman.” And many times Batman is not the hero, especially toward the climax. On the other hand, the film sports a great interrogation scene, in which Batman contorts his face and screams at a corrupt cop.
There’s one thing I can’t forgive: the new Batmobile. Remember the awesome car from Burton’s movies? For some reason, Nolan and his crew tamper with perfect to give us a gray tank that jumps from roof to roof in one of the most atrocious scenes in a comic book film. Some fans have pleaded that this is a more realistic vehicle. If being more crappy means more realistic, then they’re absolutely right. The automobile would fit if Batman was a beer-swilling Nascar fan with dirty jeans and a horse fetish.
So Nolan doesn’t get everything right. Big deal. The Batman franchise is back, and if the filmmakers can learn from their mistakes, it could get much better than this.
Before I sort through the various extras, it should be noted that the following applies to the deluxe edition of “Begins.” There is also a regular edition that is bare, save a theatrical trailer.
The first disc has a spoof called “Tankman Begins” that will make you laugh if you’re an MTV fan. The majority of the features are on the packed second disc. In “Batman-The Journey Begins,” Nolan and co-scripter David S. Goyer talk about the initial planning for the film, including script ideas and cast choices. “Shaping Mind and Body” details Bale’s physical journey for his role. “Gotham City Rises” takes us into the building of Nolan’s Gotham City. “Cape and Cowl” shows the work behind Batman’s frightening and functional suit. “The Tumbler” attempts to justify the redneck rampage that is the new Batmobile. “Path to Discovery” outlines the film’s goal of explaining Batman’s origin. The final action scene is dissected in “Saving Gotham City,” and the best documentary, “Genesis of the Bat” lets you in on the history of Batman, specifically the comics and interpretations.
Rounding out the extras are “Confidential Files,” which provides information on Batman’s gadgets, villains and allies, and some photo galleries. Also, when you play the second disc, you can either select these features from an interactive comic or press Enter 14 times to arrive at a more manageable menu screen. Too much of a hassle if you ask me. Finally, the box includes a comic that has three influential Batman stories.