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DVD : Batman Begins [Blu-ray]
Rating: 
- batman begins
What a fantastic blu ray picture sound track and making of the best part was the added scene of the Dark Night 10/10
Rating: - BATMAN BEGINS VS THE DARK KNIGHT
In Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan gave us the most realistic and, at the same time, the most faithful-to-comic-book representation of Batman yet - or of any comic book hero, for that matter (at least until Iron Man). It is a great story of origins, as well as of character. The film is full of quotes that tell you who Batman is and what he is about: such as Alfred's "Why do we fall - so we can learn to pick ourselves up;" or Rachel's "It's not who you are underneath - it's what you do that defines you," which Batman later repeats about himself; or Batman's "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you," which he speaks to Liam Neeson's character right before his demise. Batman Begins is a well-defined story about a well-defined character that is both uplifting and meaningful.
I also think Christian Bale is the definitive Batman. Batman is about the costume, the "muscle," the eyes, the mouth and the voice. Christian Bale has all of that. Plus, he makes a great Bruce Wayne and has the best Alfred you could possibly ask for - Michael Caine; the perfect Rachel to be sweet on - Katie Holmes; a terrific Jim Gordon to work with - Gary Oldman; and the added character of Lucius Fox, played wonderfully by Morgan Freeman. Wayne Manor and the Batcave are both perfect. Only the Batmobile may disappoint some die-hard fans because it doesn't LOOK like the Batmobile - but it is fun. You've got the perfect nemesis in Liam Neeson, and the perfect Scarecrow in Cillian Murphy. Everything is perfect. I gave the film 5 out of 5 stars.
Now enter The Dark Knight.
Why is it that directors and producers think Batman is about the villains - it's not. They are merely the foils off which Batman plays. Tim Burton's series featured one villain in the first film - the Joker, played wonderfully by Jack Nicholson. Then he started stacking villains and super heroes, so that, by the end of the series, there was very little room left for Batman. In the fourth film, Batman And Robin, for which Burton was not actually responsible - he was canned as director after Batman Returns, and as producer after Batman Forever - there was Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and a host of others. Dark Knight has the Joker and Two-Face, and that's one too many, because it adds an additional 45 minutes to the film that kills the momentum and has the audience squirming in their seats. Dark Knight should just have been about Batman and his attempts to defeat the Joker.
The Joker is supposed to be funny, in a warped sort of way. In Dark Knight, he is not, nor does he even try to be. So, really, it is not the Joker but a Joker-like character that appears in the film. Since Nolan wrote the script, he can be blamed for that. He doesn't seem to understand the Joker. Heath Ledger is playing a psychopath wearing bad make-up. That is not who the Joker is. Jack Nicholson had a far better take on the Joker, more reflective of the DC Comics character.
Heath Ledger was not a great actor. But the fact that he is dead, and died at the end of this filming - probably because of the strain placed on him playing the Joker - makes him something of a curiosity. That, in my opinion, is the only reason Dark Knight is doing as well as it is at the box office and with critics. Once the DVD comes out, I seriously doubt if it will sell as well as Batman Begins because, by then, people will have had time to think about it. It's not a great film. It is a good film, but it has some major problems - besides the length, which is almost three hours. What does Ledger actually do in Dark Knight that could be interpreted as acting other than lick his lips so many times that it becomes annoying? He's playing a crazy man. How hard can that be? Mel Gibson made a career out of playing crazy people. It's not that difficult. The Joker character should be more than that.
Batman Begins was a straight-forward story about origins and character, and was full of memorable quotes. The Dark Knight is a convoluted story about what we can become if we focus too long on darkness. Duh. The only memorable quote from the film is Harvey Dent's comment that is later taken up by Batman: "You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Dent actually fulfills his own prophecy, but Batman, luckily, does not. But it's an idiotic quote that history has easily disproved. And that is enough to hang a plot on? At the end of the film, when Two-Face has been stopped and Commissioner Gordon is trying to explain to his son, and to us, what has just happened, it is a tangled mess of meaningless ideas that is drowned out by the blaring music. Nolan dug himself into a hole and he could not, for the life of him, explain his way out of it.
In addition to the convoluted story and web of empty themes, the actress playing Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a poor and homely substitute for Katie Holmes. One wonders what Nolan and his casting director were thinking - even though she gets killed off, which is some consolation. I guess that opens the door for Catwoman. Everyone else in the cast is good; but Nolan gave them less to work with this time around than he did previously. Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent, who later becomes Two-Face, is the second major focus of the film after the Joker. What a mistake to have two scene-stealers in the same film, so that Christian Bale as Batman is really playing third fiddle.
Here's a clue as to how good Dark Knight is as compared to Batman Begins: when I came out of Batman Begins, people were excited and raving to each other about the film, like they had been to a wedding or a sporting event. I watched their faces as they came out of Dark Knight: they were solemn and quiet, like they had been to a funeral. THAT tells me a lot. Something died in Dark Knight. Was it the series? I'm not looking forward to the third film because I have a good idea what is going to happen. (I hear Bale has a three-film contract, so it is inevitable.) If Nolan's third film is as stacked against Batman as this one was, if it is as convoluted, if the themes are as meaningless and the story as empty, there will be no dead actor to draw people to the box office - hopefully. Nolan is going to have to do some soul-searching, in my opinion, if he is going to recapture the magic of Batman Begins.
Waitsel Smith
Rating: - Batman Begins Breathes New Life into Dark Knight
Christian Bale is the best choice to play Batman so far. This is a much more believable Caped Crusader and less cartoonish take on a well known character that has been around some sixty odd years. As a young boy I was a fan of the television series with Adam West and found the premise aptly geared toward younger viewers. Today's Batman is a hero for all ages and this first installment will set the standard for quite some time. Having seen the Dark Knight and finding it equally as good if not better I can only hope that Bale will stay on board in the title role for at least a few more. Someone with his talent needn't worry about type casting as he makes any part his own. If the cape fits, wear it!
Rating: - A New Beginning for a Old Favorite...
In 2005's "Batman Begins", Director Christopher Nolan revives a franchise gone stale by reimagining Batman's origins. An outstanding cast brings to life a solid, action-filled, but intriguingly introspective script, aided by a whole new family of gadgets and some excellent special effects.
Christian Bale is Bruce Wayne, orphaned by the murder of his wealthy parents and raised by the family's faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine in a genius piece of casting). Driven as a young man to seek revenge on the criminal underworld, his first attempt fails miserably. Bruce exiles himself to a lonely odessey that brings him to a prison somewhere in the Himalayas and to the attention of the mysterious Ducard (Liam Neeson), who offers him a destination. Bruce Wayne journeys to an isolated monastery, where a group known as the League of Shadows trains him in martial arts, cures him of a childhood fear, and provides him with purpose.
Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City, to create his crime-fighting personna and to meet honest cop Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and genius inventor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Bruce Wayne's cover life as a rich and idle playboy brings him back into contact with life-long love Rachel Dawes (a surprisingly effective Katie Holmes), who upbraids Bruce for his apparent lack of purpose in life.
The newly minted Batman confronts Gotham's criminal underworld, discovering a mysterious plot involving a psychiatrist with a dangerous secret and a deadly connection to Bruce Wayne's past. Unraveling the plot places at risk everything that Batman and Bruce Wayne hold dear. The movie's climactic action sequence is a breathless and original thrill ride.
The movie succeeds in part because the maturing Bruce Wayne gets as much if not more screen time than his caped alter ego. The action sequences are dark, violent, and realistic, and the new Batman takes his share of lumps. The family of gadgets includes an all-terrain batmobile, the usual Batman tool belt, and a thrilling way to fly. Bruce Wayne's relationship with Rachel Dawes is handled with an admirable restraint that recognizes the reality of his competing responsibilities.
"Batman Begins" is very highly recommended as an outstanding and nuanced reimagining of the Batman story, told with crisp dialogue and plenty of thrilling action.
Rating: - Back To Its Roots
After the colossal flop that was "Batman and Robin", the entire Batman franchise went into a bit of a lull. Rumors of a "young Bruce Wayne becoming Batman" movie circulated for years, but nothing substantial was finalized. That is, of course, until this masterpiece from Christopher Nolan.
Whereas the first two Batman films were very gothic, and the following two were little more than action-adventure fare, this film delved into the important issue of "why is a man driven to dress up as a bat?" The other films used the old, tired "murdered parents" excuse, but Nolan realized that the psyche of Batman goes much deeper than familial matters.
Thus, the plot of this movie centers on Bruce Wayne's transformation into the Dark Knight, an intriguing process that probes the very roots and civilized society and makes us question whether "right" really is "right". The genius of this film, as a result, is the portrayal of Batman as a vigilante, not entirely accepted by all citizens of Gotham City. Is he a psychotic criminal, or a winged avenger who does not the police force can and will not? Can the primarily villain, The Scarecrow of comic book fame, be stopped by traditional means, or his Batman (despite his violent tendencies) actually needed to keep the peace? Those questions are what will keep this movie in your mind long after viewing.
Lest I get too philosophical, though, this film contains its fair share of exciting chases and intense action, staples of summer superhero films. However, it is the almost seamless weaving of those elements into the overall storyline (not just pointless action like this film's predecessor) that combines into an overall thrilling experience.
Finally, the acting in this movie is terrific. Christian Bale is easily the best Batman to date, while an ensemble cast of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Homes, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman are delightful to watch in each's respective role.
Overall, this film is nearly the perfect amalgamation of intense action, superb acting, and thought-provoking plot. If you were intrigued by the first two Batman films but fell away from the franchise after "Batman and Robin", you need to re-discover the true Dark Knight as represented by this film.
- batman beginsWhat a fantastic blu ray picture sound track and making of the best part was the added scene of the Dark Night 10/10
Rating:
- BATMAN BEGINS VS THE DARK KNIGHTIn Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan gave us the most realistic and, at the same time, the most faithful-to-comic-book representation of Batman yet - or of any comic book hero, for that matter (at least until Iron Man). It is a great story of origins, as well as of character. The film is full of quotes that tell you who Batman is and what he is about: such as Alfred's "Why do we fall - so we can learn to pick ourselves up;" or Rachel's "It's not who you are underneath - it's what you do that defines you," which Batman later repeats about himself; or Batman's "I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you," which he speaks to Liam Neeson's character right before his demise. Batman Begins is a well-defined story about a well-defined character that is both uplifting and meaningful.
I also think Christian Bale is the definitive Batman. Batman is about the costume, the "muscle," the eyes, the mouth and the voice. Christian Bale has all of that. Plus, he makes a great Bruce Wayne and has the best Alfred you could possibly ask for - Michael Caine; the perfect Rachel to be sweet on - Katie Holmes; a terrific Jim Gordon to work with - Gary Oldman; and the added character of Lucius Fox, played wonderfully by Morgan Freeman. Wayne Manor and the Batcave are both perfect. Only the Batmobile may disappoint some die-hard fans because it doesn't LOOK like the Batmobile - but it is fun. You've got the perfect nemesis in Liam Neeson, and the perfect Scarecrow in Cillian Murphy. Everything is perfect. I gave the film 5 out of 5 stars.
Now enter The Dark Knight.
Why is it that directors and producers think Batman is about the villains - it's not. They are merely the foils off which Batman plays. Tim Burton's series featured one villain in the first film - the Joker, played wonderfully by Jack Nicholson. Then he started stacking villains and super heroes, so that, by the end of the series, there was very little room left for Batman. In the fourth film, Batman And Robin, for which Burton was not actually responsible - he was canned as director after Batman Returns, and as producer after Batman Forever - there was Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, Batman, Robin, Batgirl, and a host of others. Dark Knight has the Joker and Two-Face, and that's one too many, because it adds an additional 45 minutes to the film that kills the momentum and has the audience squirming in their seats. Dark Knight should just have been about Batman and his attempts to defeat the Joker.
The Joker is supposed to be funny, in a warped sort of way. In Dark Knight, he is not, nor does he even try to be. So, really, it is not the Joker but a Joker-like character that appears in the film. Since Nolan wrote the script, he can be blamed for that. He doesn't seem to understand the Joker. Heath Ledger is playing a psychopath wearing bad make-up. That is not who the Joker is. Jack Nicholson had a far better take on the Joker, more reflective of the DC Comics character.
Heath Ledger was not a great actor. But the fact that he is dead, and died at the end of this filming - probably because of the strain placed on him playing the Joker - makes him something of a curiosity. That, in my opinion, is the only reason Dark Knight is doing as well as it is at the box office and with critics. Once the DVD comes out, I seriously doubt if it will sell as well as Batman Begins because, by then, people will have had time to think about it. It's not a great film. It is a good film, but it has some major problems - besides the length, which is almost three hours. What does Ledger actually do in Dark Knight that could be interpreted as acting other than lick his lips so many times that it becomes annoying? He's playing a crazy man. How hard can that be? Mel Gibson made a career out of playing crazy people. It's not that difficult. The Joker character should be more than that.
Batman Begins was a straight-forward story about origins and character, and was full of memorable quotes. The Dark Knight is a convoluted story about what we can become if we focus too long on darkness. Duh. The only memorable quote from the film is Harvey Dent's comment that is later taken up by Batman: "You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Dent actually fulfills his own prophecy, but Batman, luckily, does not. But it's an idiotic quote that history has easily disproved. And that is enough to hang a plot on? At the end of the film, when Two-Face has been stopped and Commissioner Gordon is trying to explain to his son, and to us, what has just happened, it is a tangled mess of meaningless ideas that is drowned out by the blaring music. Nolan dug himself into a hole and he could not, for the life of him, explain his way out of it.
In addition to the convoluted story and web of empty themes, the actress playing Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a poor and homely substitute for Katie Holmes. One wonders what Nolan and his casting director were thinking - even though she gets killed off, which is some consolation. I guess that opens the door for Catwoman. Everyone else in the cast is good; but Nolan gave them less to work with this time around than he did previously. Aaron Eckhart as District Attorney Harvey Dent, who later becomes Two-Face, is the second major focus of the film after the Joker. What a mistake to have two scene-stealers in the same film, so that Christian Bale as Batman is really playing third fiddle.
Here's a clue as to how good Dark Knight is as compared to Batman Begins: when I came out of Batman Begins, people were excited and raving to each other about the film, like they had been to a wedding or a sporting event. I watched their faces as they came out of Dark Knight: they were solemn and quiet, like they had been to a funeral. THAT tells me a lot. Something died in Dark Knight. Was it the series? I'm not looking forward to the third film because I have a good idea what is going to happen. (I hear Bale has a three-film contract, so it is inevitable.) If Nolan's third film is as stacked against Batman as this one was, if it is as convoluted, if the themes are as meaningless and the story as empty, there will be no dead actor to draw people to the box office - hopefully. Nolan is going to have to do some soul-searching, in my opinion, if he is going to recapture the magic of Batman Begins.
Waitsel Smith
Rating:
- Batman Begins Breathes New Life into Dark KnightChristian Bale is the best choice to play Batman so far. This is a much more believable Caped Crusader and less cartoonish take on a well known character that has been around some sixty odd years. As a young boy I was a fan of the television series with Adam West and found the premise aptly geared toward younger viewers. Today's Batman is a hero for all ages and this first installment will set the standard for quite some time. Having seen the Dark Knight and finding it equally as good if not better I can only hope that Bale will stay on board in the title role for at least a few more. Someone with his talent needn't worry about type casting as he makes any part his own. If the cape fits, wear it!
Rating:
- A New Beginning for a Old Favorite...In 2005's "Batman Begins", Director Christopher Nolan revives a franchise gone stale by reimagining Batman's origins. An outstanding cast brings to life a solid, action-filled, but intriguingly introspective script, aided by a whole new family of gadgets and some excellent special effects.
Christian Bale is Bruce Wayne, orphaned by the murder of his wealthy parents and raised by the family's faithful butler Alfred (Michael Caine in a genius piece of casting). Driven as a young man to seek revenge on the criminal underworld, his first attempt fails miserably. Bruce exiles himself to a lonely odessey that brings him to a prison somewhere in the Himalayas and to the attention of the mysterious Ducard (Liam Neeson), who offers him a destination. Bruce Wayne journeys to an isolated monastery, where a group known as the League of Shadows trains him in martial arts, cures him of a childhood fear, and provides him with purpose.
Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham City, to create his crime-fighting personna and to meet honest cop Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and genius inventor Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). Bruce Wayne's cover life as a rich and idle playboy brings him back into contact with life-long love Rachel Dawes (a surprisingly effective Katie Holmes), who upbraids Bruce for his apparent lack of purpose in life.
The newly minted Batman confronts Gotham's criminal underworld, discovering a mysterious plot involving a psychiatrist with a dangerous secret and a deadly connection to Bruce Wayne's past. Unraveling the plot places at risk everything that Batman and Bruce Wayne hold dear. The movie's climactic action sequence is a breathless and original thrill ride.
The movie succeeds in part because the maturing Bruce Wayne gets as much if not more screen time than his caped alter ego. The action sequences are dark, violent, and realistic, and the new Batman takes his share of lumps. The family of gadgets includes an all-terrain batmobile, the usual Batman tool belt, and a thrilling way to fly. Bruce Wayne's relationship with Rachel Dawes is handled with an admirable restraint that recognizes the reality of his competing responsibilities.
"Batman Begins" is very highly recommended as an outstanding and nuanced reimagining of the Batman story, told with crisp dialogue and plenty of thrilling action.
Rating:
- Back To Its RootsAfter the colossal flop that was "Batman and Robin", the entire Batman franchise went into a bit of a lull. Rumors of a "young Bruce Wayne becoming Batman" movie circulated for years, but nothing substantial was finalized. That is, of course, until this masterpiece from Christopher Nolan.
Whereas the first two Batman films were very gothic, and the following two were little more than action-adventure fare, this film delved into the important issue of "why is a man driven to dress up as a bat?" The other films used the old, tired "murdered parents" excuse, but Nolan realized that the psyche of Batman goes much deeper than familial matters.
Thus, the plot of this movie centers on Bruce Wayne's transformation into the Dark Knight, an intriguing process that probes the very roots and civilized society and makes us question whether "right" really is "right". The genius of this film, as a result, is the portrayal of Batman as a vigilante, not entirely accepted by all citizens of Gotham City. Is he a psychotic criminal, or a winged avenger who does not the police force can and will not? Can the primarily villain, The Scarecrow of comic book fame, be stopped by traditional means, or his Batman (despite his violent tendencies) actually needed to keep the peace? Those questions are what will keep this movie in your mind long after viewing.
Lest I get too philosophical, though, this film contains its fair share of exciting chases and intense action, staples of summer superhero films. However, it is the almost seamless weaving of those elements into the overall storyline (not just pointless action like this film's predecessor) that combines into an overall thrilling experience.
Finally, the acting in this movie is terrific. Christian Bale is easily the best Batman to date, while an ensemble cast of Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Homes, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman are delightful to watch in each's respective role.
Overall, this film is nearly the perfect amalgamation of intense action, superb acting, and thought-provoking plot. If you were intrigued by the first two Batman films but fell away from the franchise after "Batman and Robin", you need to re-discover the true Dark Knight as represented by this film.
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