HTF REVIEW: Batman Begins - Two Disc Deluxe Edition (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). - Page 6

I don't have time to watch it all tonight. Any suggestions about one scene to watch to really get a good sampling of the video & sound?

I watched both Batman Begins and Burton's Batman today (BB first). Burton's film certainly has a LOT of style and Nicholson is just so over the top and creepy in that makeup that it's still fun to watch. The new transfer and DTS track are great too, but it hasn't aged very well. A lot of the miniature work is painfully obvious and the Prince songs are *really* bad. To me though the biggest flaw with the film is Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne/Batman. I remember the controversy surrounding his casting at the time of the film's production, but most people accepted him in the role after it was released and the movie, of course, became a huge success and a cultural phenomenon. But the film ended up being more about the Joker than Keaton's rather (in retrospect) tepid, one-note Batman. And let's face it, he was just too small physically to REALLY pull it off.

Then there's Batman Begins. After seeing Christian Bale inhabit the Batsuit well, let's just say that the physical presence he brought to the character was just as important as his acting skills. BB is a fantastic and engaging film in every way. Sure it has some flaws, but it works so well on multiple levels that you either overlook them entirely or forget them quickly. Definitely one of the best films I've seen this year, and right up there with Superman and Spiderman 2 as one of THE best live-action superhero films ever made. Great DVD treatment as well, EXCEPT for the extras ( I got the Deluxe Edition). I don't mind the comic book navigation issue so much. What I do mind is that NONE of the extra material is anamorphic. Same problem with the new release of Burton's Batman. Why the chances of getting anamorphic extra material is still such a crapshoot in 2005 is beyond me.

I finally got the 2 DVD set from Amazon.com today. I'll look in depth at it tomorrow, but I thought that the menu presention of the Special Features disc was pretty interesting. It reminded me of the Memento SE Special features disc. Hopefully the BB menu won't be as unwieldy as Memento.

I've just finished watching it again and I can only say.... Wow. Just as good as I remember and the transfer DVD is beautiful.

Can anyone comment if the single disc contains the same size files as the 2 disc? I'm hoping the compression is the same as I have the single disc (no 2 discs at BB). I havent got to watch it yet.

Thread length vs. quality wasn't the issue, just what the most "talked about" movie of '05 was. BB *was* awesome though, the best superhero movie of all time, IMO.

I'd probably rank it 3rd for the year after ROTS and Cinderella Man.

I'm curious as to whether anyone shares my sentiments re: the rewatch value of BB vs. some of the previous films. I've only seen it once at the theater and once now on DVD, but its almost like fine china that you only take out for special occasions. Batman and Batman Forever are root beer mugs that can be used a few times a week.

I've seen it 3 times in the theaters, and now 2 times on DVD. Of course, I'm a huge fan of batman in general, so that helps. But overall, all the scenes never get old to me!

This movie is brilliant, and the DVD presentation is sensational! This is a true reference transfer in every way.

I also watched Burton's BATMAN yesterday, and I enjoyed it. It's no comparision to BB, but it does have an artistry about it, and it is very entertaining. Nicholson was a lot of fun to watch, and Danny Elfman's music is just superb(especially in DTS).


But I'm glad that Nolan came along and made a definitive BATMAN film that can proudly stand next to Donner' SUPERMAN as one of the best comic book films ever made.

Amen!

I agree with you, Ron. But, if only Katie Holmes was not in the movie! Terrible actress.

Really? I thought she was pretty good.

Ron,
I completely agree regarding Linus Roache as Thomas Wayne. The reason this film worked so well was because you could completely believe in the characters. I was choked up when his parents were gunned down, a scene I had seen hundreds of times in comic books with nary a second thought. I had read it, but never experienced it, and it was haunting and tragic. Not just a blip on the way to the action. The few minutes the film invested in the Wayne family made their loss more palpable, and Bruce's pain and anguish more real.

I also don't have the problem many do with Holmes. She gave a decent performance surrounded by some really great ones, and her character is a bit superfluous but she didn't detract. Her slap scene was a highlight in my opinion. That scene had to work, and she sold it.

I've gushed about Roache quite a bit in the discussion and review thread. I'm just glad it's been released, as it'll find a bigger audience (willing to rent, but not test it in theaters).

Take care,
Chuck

Being a single dad I always like it when fathers are portrayed as caring, sensitive, and in touch with their kids. Like many here have said, Roache nailed it without appearing sappy. Really good performance.

There was nothing "terrible" about Holmes performance. It wasn't particualry memorable, but neither are most performances. It's sad that people can't sometimes divorce the woman's work from her personal life. A lot of people never gave her a chance.

Holmes wouldn't have been my first choice for a Batman love interest, but her turn was decent.

--
H

More than Roache, it was Gus Lewis' (young Bruce) muted, yet heartbreaking performance that sold the scene for me.

--
H

I also admired Linus Roache's performance as Bruce's father. Unfortunately Bruce's mother got the shaft in the film. She has no lines of dialogue and does nothing in the film except get shot. That and the incoherent "shaky-cam" fight scenes are my two major gripes in an otherwse superb film.

They can save Martha for later. The sad thing about Batman (and Bruce) is that he is always dealing with those demons and memories. This one focused on the father because it was about fathers and sons. I understand your frustration (Martha was an equal part of his life as well), but you can't have everything. Where would you put it?

Take care,
Chuck

I picked up the deluxe edition and was pretty happy with it. Disappointed that there was no commentary track though. I picked up the Batman box set of the first 4 films as 2 disc sets but why didn't WB design the 'Begins' packaging to look more like the other four? Also unlike the first 4, 'Begins' has no DTS track on it. There just seems like a major disconnect here and I would've liked some continuity.

I think it had to do with WB wanting to separate Begins from the other films which is why they labeled the box "1989 - 1997". They don't want people thinking Begins is part of THAT same series.

I gave her a chance, as I'd liked her previous performances (Go, Teaching Mrs. Tingle, The Gift) but she really was bad in this movie. The performance wasn't adequate, it was flat and yet still somehow grating.

But she's not in it anywhere near enough to be that much of a problem.

Anyway, I figure the Begins packaging doesn't look like the other 4, and isn't laid out like the other 4, because it has nothing to DO with the other 4, other than the fact they star someone named Batman. This movie is supposed to be separated from those other 4.

edit: David beat me there

Plus, the package of the Anthology set is not to be admired in my opinion.

And the Katie Holmes issue, she was solid. Easily better than most love interest in this genre.

And she will return for the sequel. More than likely limited but she has a purpose....

I'm really glad that they didn't, as I really dislike the design template they used for the first four films (basically the gaudy metal border and unfortunate font choice). Batman Begins looks the best of the 5!

I don't know why, but it wasn't until I watched the DVD that I caught onto the conversation between Wayne and Falcone at the pub being the impetus of Wayne's journey to "study" the criminal mind. Maybe the experience of watching that scene at the theater glossed over me, but after watching it on DVD, I realized the dialogue between the two in the scene was top notch.

8^B

quoting myself here:



Ok. Ok. Batman Begins is at least as good as the Spider-man movies. Was pretty impressed.

Spider-man could still lick Batman in a fight easily though.

Well, yeah, because Spidey has super-strength, agility, and webby stuff. Batman has to rely on his own tools and ingenuity.

I got the 2-discer in from Amazon today. I fell asleep watching some of the extras (I was tired though). The menu navigation on the bonus disc is kinda trickey. I can live with it but the options for the character bios and technology files could be easily missed.

As far as Holmes' performance in the film, i thought she did fine. I'm not the type to be picky about actors. I think Ben Affleck's (just someone who gets a lotta flack) been adequate but not great in his roles. It's got to be an absolutely wretched performance (like the flat deliveries of Jessica Alba) for me to think it was bad.

For easier menu navigation on the 2nd disc:

Go to the very last page and click on the page option (should appear right below the bat signal) and it will list out all (or most of) the documentaries.

I'm not a comic book guy, DC vs. Marvel arguments are utterly befuddling to me. But Batman Begins is now just the third comic book film I own on DVD after the two X-Men movies, and will likely be the only Batman movie I ever own unless Nolan does another one.

Batman Begins simply goes beyond being a genre flick; it's a compelling story shot beautifully. After watching the movie, my wife was disappointed to hear that the other Batman movies are nothing like this.

I just got through watching the special features, and it was just as I feared: way too much time spent on the special effects, not enough on character and story. It was commendable that so much of the show was shot practically, but come on. After about two hours of featurettes (annoyingly laid out in the menus), I believe there was about 10 minutes dedicated to story development. Oh well. At least there wasn't a single shot of a man walking around with ping pong balls taped all over his body (I was starting to think that was a requirement for special features--I expect it to show up on Hitchcock documentaries now).

Great movie, but I feel slightly ripped off having paid the extra $7 for the 2-disc set. I'll have to read the comic book for the first time in my life.

The only thing I wish they did was keep the same menu systems, particular how the menu works for the feature disc. In the Anthology set, the menu would eventually morph into the shape of the Bat-logo, while Begins just kept on a loop. It would've been cool if they kept Anthology's motif for this set.

Thx, Mike. Didn't know whether to believe a friend of mine's speculation that this was the case earlier tonight until I saw your post.

Anyone else seeing a defect of some kind going the full top-to-bottom length of the hologram along the left side of the case? It looks like a mild distortion of the plastic and is only visible from certain angles. My friend said he looked through about 100 (!) copies at a Best Buy in Torrance, CA and they all had the same problem.

-p