![Batman Begins [HD DVD]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/3/3f/50x50px-ZC-B000E1MTY0-51mn75SmfJL.jpg)
Batman Begins
HD DVD
Studio: Warner Brothers
Format: HD DVD / VC-1
Year: 2005
Rated: PG 13
Film Length: 140 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 Widescreen
Audio: Dolby TrueHD / DD+ 5.1
Color/B&W: Color
Languages: English & French
Subtitles: English, French & Spanish
MSRP: $28.99
Package: Single disc/Red HD DVD Keepcase
The Feature:
Directed by Christopher Nolan, best known for his 2000 non-conventional hit, Memento, he succeeded again by delivering an engagingly original film in Batman Begins. As its title might imply, the film may be (incorrectly) presumed to be a prequel to the four-film Warner Bros.' series that ran between 1989 and 1997, however, not only is Gotham a completely different place, but the events of the Batman franchise are freshly re-invented and newly executed. The film commences with a sequence which establishes how a childhood incident traumatized the young Bruce Wayne resulting in the bat-phobia.
This dark film chronicles the life of billionaire Bruce Wayne (played by Christian Bale), who is rescued from an Asian prison camp by the enigmatic Henri Ducard (played by Liam Neeson). Bruce, who suffers from recurring dreams after witnessing the murder of his parents, has been wandering the world. Ducard finds him and offers him an alternative to his itinerant lifestyle. Ducard starts to train Bruce to become a member of the League of Shadows, the organization presided over by Ra's Al Ghul (played by Ken Watanabe) which is devoted to restoring law and order.
Under Ducard’s tutelage, Bruce undergoes rigorous training, and soon converts the young man into a lethal weapon. Bruce hooks up with the League of Shadows so he can return to his native Gotham City and fight crime there. With the assistance of his faithful butler, Alfred (played by Michael Caine); a spy-tech inventor named Lucius Fox (played by Morgan Freeman); a rare but honest cop, Jim Gordon (played by Gary Oldman); and an assistant D.A., Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes), Bruce unleashes solemn justice in Gotham. He must face two enemies right off the bat; the city's crime lord, Carmine Falcone (played by Tom Wilkinson) and a demented psychiatrist called The Scarecrow (played by Cillian Murphy).
Unlike other installments in the franchise, Nolan and co-screenwriter David Goyer explore fundamentals of Batman’s past that includes development of the character and his surroundings i.e. the Batcave, the suit and utility belt and the Batmobile for instance. This provides us with better understanding of who he is and how he operates.
Of the five well-known actors to don the cape (Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale), surprisingly, there's little doubt that Bale is the most talented and the most effective. Totally believable as both Bruce Wayne and Batman and, while in the latter role, his appearance is more than just a face behind the mask. Keaton, Kilmer, and Clooney allowed the costume to dominate their performances. Here, the performance dominates while the costuming is secondary. Bale is surrounded by an exceptional supporting cast, with Oscar-winners Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman leading the way. Gary Oldman, Tom Wilkinson, Ken Watanabe and Cillian Murphy turn in fine supporting performances.
The Feature: 4.5/5
Video:
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.40:1, this widescreen transfer is mighty impressive, to say the least. While I was impressed with the SD version of this disc, the HD DVD version definitely takes this to the next level. Projected on a 96” screen, this disc offers up a tremendous visual experience. Colors were perfectly rendered – slightly subdued and somewhat cool looking no doubt due to use of various filters. Saturation levels were perfect. Flesh tones also looked real and spot on. Black levels were amazing as they were as deep as imaginable allowing shadow detail to be shown off nicely and never becoming murky or ill-defined – especially considering how dark some of the film can be. On top of the dark appearance, there’s plenty of smoke and fog throughout the film’s entirety.
Like the SD version, image detail was incredibly sharp and very impressive – moreso obviously. There is virtually no film grain noticeable and the level of depth and dimensionality was very impressive. As we would hope, the film is absolutely free of any dust or dirt or any other noticeable blemishes and the image itself, is rock solid.
The authoring seems to have been handled with excellence as there was no evidence of artifacting, compression or noticeable edge enhancement.
Perfection.
Video: 10/10
Audio:
In addition to the 5.1 track, Warner has provided a new Dolby TrueHD. The 5.1 track is an aggressive one which helps keep the viewer immersed at every turn of the film.
The track is exceptionally clean and free of any hiss or other noisy distractions. The track overall, sounded natural and is delivered with a healthy dose of oomph. Dialogue was always clear and intelligible even during the non-stop action sequences. Needless to say the dynamic range here is terrific as is the width of the soundstage, showing great separation. Equally impressive is the all-involving and ever present score by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard.
This active track is complemented nicely with the generous use of surrounds showing off various ambient noise and whatnot; tactful and not overbearing. LFE use is healthy and plentiful. Your sub is about to endure a pretty hectic workout.
This is an outstanding track.
Audio: 9.5/10
Special Features:
All of the special features from the Two Disc Special Edition have been ported over to the upgraded release and are presented in 480p (as well as some new material)
MTV's Tankman Begins A Batman Spoof starring Jimmy Fallon who bums a ride to the MTV awards an manages to get picked up by Batman in the Batmobile... only it doesn't quite turn out to be Batman. Duration: 5:12 minutes. The Theatrical Trailer has been included and is, as we would expect, in perfect condition. Duration: 1:12 minutes. Batman - The Journey Begins - A number of the film's participants show up here including Christopher Nolan and various aspects of the film’s production are discussed including the concept, set design as well as the development of the film and the casting of Batman himself. Duration: 14:15 minutes. Shaping Mind And Body. Observe Christian Bale's transformation into Batman which includes many rehearsal shots and the training that was necessary. Some great martial arts demonstrations to be found here. Duration: 12:48 minutes. Batman - The Tumbler The reinvention of the Batmobile as Christopher Nolan and the production designers discuss what was envisioned as his "new Batmobile". A number of models and concept designs are shown including demonstrations of the finished product. Duration: 13:39 minutes. Gotham City Rises. Witness the recreation of Gotham City, The Batcave and Wayne Manor. Director Nolan talks about how he wanted Gotham to have a “recognizable texture”, with a desire to resemble a large American City. Duration: 12:48 minutes. It should come as no surprise that Cape And Cowl is a feature that focuses on the garb and wardrobe of Wayne/Batman. The design and manufacture of the Bat Suit is shown here from start to finish. Duration: 8:18 minutes. Next up is Path to Discovery where Nolan talks about the importance of Wayne’s disappearance in terms of the storyline. Also discussed here are various location shoots and the reasons they were chosen. Duration: 14:13 minutes. Saving Gothan City is a feature the focuses on the development of the miniatures, CGI and special effects for the monorail chase scene. A ton of great behind-the-scenes and stunt shots to be found here. Duration: 13:01 minutes. Genesis Of The Bat is a look at the Dark Knight's incarnation and influences on the film through the evolution of time. Duration: 14:53 minutes. In Confidential Files, go beyond the movie and discover facts and story points not in the film. These are located on a single menu where you can click on individual items such as the Utility Belt and find various bits of trivia and facts relating to each item. Other pieces of equipment covered are the Memory Fabric Cape, Prototype Military Suit and the Tumbler. There is also a section listing the various enemies; Scarecrow, Carmen Falcone and Ra’s Al Ghul. And lastly, you’ll find a listing of the various allies and mentors; Detective Sgt. James Gordon, Rachel Dawes, Lucius Fox, Alfred Pennyworth and Henri Ducard. An Art Gallery is where you’ll find the dozens of film posters that were used to help promote the film. It is comprised of three sections; U.S., International and Explorations. As a huge fan of movie posters, a terrific little inclusion. This is a feature I’d like to see more often. And finally, the disc boasts the latest in HD DVD’s, IME (In-Movie Experience) which delivers a relatively pleasing experience. I’m one who keeps their expectations low when it comes to special features so as not to be terribly disappointed, particularly when so many new releases tout sub-par efforts as cutting-edge editions. In this case however, director Christopher Nolan shows up with a number of other cast & crew members who go on to discuss various aspects of the film’s production. While there is a fair bit of quiet time, the quality of the feature – in terms of content and presentation - is worthy of praise. Full marks for what amounts to a grouping of extras that really, exceed what the majority of us have any reason to expect.Special Features: 5/5**Special Features rated for the quality of supplements, not the quantity. Video and Audio portions will be rated from 0-10. The remainder of the review will continue being rated from 0-5 (similar to SD DVD reviews). Since the ratings are not averaged, the final Overall Rating will be from 0-5.**Final Thoughts: Through the years, of all the major comic book characters, none has been more abused than the Bat-Man. As originally envisioned by creator Bob Kane (no relation, unfortunately) in 1939, Batman was a dark character who walked the tightrope between hero and vigilante. That was his image until the 1960s, when the campy TV series starring Adam West transformed the character into a silly, but likable good guy in grey spandex. Finally, the highly anticipated HD DVD version of Batman Begins has arrived. The title has a lot resting on its shoulders in terms of what the future holds and it would seem as though it stands tall and very capable. The disc is without question one of the finest examples of what the format has to offer and is virtually flawless. If you’re a fan of the Caped Crusader, you should be absolutely impressed with the presentation of this film and to top it off, the special features go a long way to complement this entertaining film. Overall Rating: 4.5/5 (not an average)Very Highly Recommended...!!!Release Date: October 10th, 2006
10/10 for video....that's what I'm talking about. 
