Batman Begins

Taking a cue from the wildly successful Spider-Man movies, director Christopher Nolan (Memento) delves deeply into Bruce Wayne's psyche in this fresh reboot for the fallen Batman franchise. Returning to the dark roots of the character, half the picture takes place on a spiritual journey before the stoic young billionaire (played with portentous, anguished magnetism by Christian Bale) even dons the now-bulletproof Batsuit (fashioned from experimental body-armor). Wayne returns to Gotham--a vast industrial metropolis in the throes of a modern Depression and in the grips of the mafia--with a determination to "turn fear on those who prey on the fearful." Batman Begins is not only refreshingly grounded in something resembling reality, but even the villains are less cartoonish than in any other contemporary superhero movie. Unfortunately, the pragmatic reinvention is undercut by several equally pedestrian blunders, like fashionably chop-edited fight scenes with sloppy continuity, moments of clumsy exposition in an otherwise contemplative script, bursts of action-flick silliness, and the invention of a standard-issue former childhood sweetheart (Katie Holmes) who becomes a standard-issue damsel in distress. Batman Begins is an entertaining origin story with a mixed tone that disappointingly keeps the film from fulfilling its potential. Recommended, overall. [Note: DVD extras on this double-disc set include the option of viewing all of the special features through an interactive comic book called “Inner Demons Comic,” and they include the “Batman: The Journey Begins” featurette about the concept, design, and development of the film (15 min.), a “Genesis of the Bat” look at the Dark Knight's incarnation (15 min.), a “Path to Discovery” featurette about Bruce Wayne's life before becoming the Batman (15 min.), “Batman: The Tumbler” on the reinvention of the Batmobile (14 min.), “Shaping Mind and Body” on star Christian Bale's transformation into Batman (13 min.), “Gotham City Rises” on the creation of Gotham City, the Batcave, and Wayne Manor (13 min.), “Saving Gotham City” on the development of miniatures, CGI, and effects for the monorail chase scene (13 min.), “Cape & Cowl” on the design of the new Batsuit (9 min.), “MTV's Tankman Begins” spoof featuring Jimmy Fallon (6 min.), “Confidential Files” facts and story points, a poster gallery, a 72-page comic book, and trailers. Bottom line: although minus a commentary, this is still an impressive extras set for one of 2005's most successful films.] (R. Blackwelder)[Blu-ray Review—July 22, 2008—Warner, 140 min., PG-13, $28.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 2005's Batman Begins features an excellent transfer and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. New to the Blu-ray edition are an “In-Movie Experience” feature that includes a picture-in-picture track with director Christopher Nolan, writer David S. Goyer and others featuring various behind-the-scenes extras; and the seven-minute IMAX prologue for the upcoming sequel The Dark Knight. The other extras, including the option of viewing all of the special features through an interactive comic book called “Inner Demons Comic,” are identical to the original two-disc DVD release: a “Batman: The Journey Begins” featurette about the concept, design, and development of the film (15 min.), a “Genesis of the Bat” look at the Dark Knight's incarnation (15 min.), a “Path to Discovery” featurette about Bruce Wayne's life before becoming the Batman (15 min.), “Batman: The Tumbler” on the reinvention of the Batmobile (14 min.), “Shaping Mind and Body” on star Christian Bale's transformation into Batman (13 min.), “Gotham City Rises” on the creation of Gotham City, the Batcave, and Wayne Manor (13 min.), “Saving Gotham City” on the development of miniatures, CGI, and effects for the monorail chase scene (13 min.), “Cape & Cowl” on the design of the new Batsuit (9 min.), “MTV's Tankman Begins” spoof featuring Jimmy Fallon (6 min.), “Confidential Files” facts and story points, a poster gallery, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an excellent Blu-ray edition of a contemporary classic in the Batman canon.]