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Batman Begins (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Actors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, and Gary Oldman
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Retail Price (not our price): $26.98
Release Date: 2005-10-18
Theatrical Release Date: 2005-06-15
Studio: Warner Home Video
Run Time: 140 minutes
Format: Array
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Discs: 2


Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
Batman Begins discards the previous four films in the series and recasts the Caped Crusader as a fearsome avenging angel. That's good news, because the series, which had gotten off to a rousing start under Tim Burton, had gradually dissolved into self-parody by 1997's Batman & Robin. As the title implies, Batman Begins tells the story anew, when Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) flees Western civilization following the murder of his parents. He is taken in by a mysterious instructor named Ducard (Liam Neeson in another mentor role) and urged to become a ninja in the League of Shadows, but he instead returns to his native Gotham City resolved to end the mob rule that is strangling it. But are there forces even more sinister at hand? Co-written by the team of David S. Goyer (a veteran comic book writer) and director Christopher Nolan (Memento), Batman Begins is a welcome return to the grim and gritty version of the Dark Knight, owing a great debt to the graphic novels that preceded it. It doesn't have the razzle dazzle, or the mass appeal, of Spider-Man 2 (though the Batmobile is cool), and retelling the origin means it starts slowly, like most "first" superhero movies. But it's certainly the best Bat-film since Burton's original, and one of the best superhero movies of its time. Bale cuts a good figure as Batman, intense and dangerous but with some of the lightheartedness Michael Keaton brought to the character. Michael Caine provides much of the film's humor as the family butler, Alfred, and as the love interest, Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek) is surprisingly believable in her first adult role. Also featuring Gary Oldman as the young police officer Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman as a Q-like gadgets expert, and Cillian Murphy as the vile Jonathan Crane. --David HoriuchiBatman at Amazon.com All Batman DVDsBatman Begins 101: A Comic Book Primer Where Have I Seen Christian Bale? All Batman Comics and Graphic NovelsBatman ToysBatman Begins SoundtrackStills from Batman Begins (click for larger images)DVD Features The first disc is filled out by the theatrical trailer and a Jimmy Fallon-starring Batman Begins spoof from the MTV Movie Awards. The second disc consists of eight featurettes (about 105 minutes total) on a variety of topics. "The Journey Begins" covers the early stages of the movie, including the casting and how director/co-writer Christopher Nolan brought in co-writer David S. Goyer for his comic-book expertise. "Shaping Mind and Body" covers Christian Bale's fight training, and other featurettes discuss the sets (the Batcave is shown being constructed out of wood and sheets), the Batman costume, the Batmobile, the monorail sequence, and the hazards of filming in Iceland. All the behind-the-scenes featurettes are solid but somewhat routine, and while "The Journey Begins" is the widest overview, there's not really any centerpiece documentary (all are 8 to 15 minutes, and there's no Play All option). Interviewees tend to be the same throughout: Nolan, Goyer, Bale (the only cast member to get much face time), and other crew members (it's nice to hear from the stunt people). Potentially more interesting to fans is "Genesis of the Bat," which covers the comic books that influenced the film, including The Long Halloween, Neal Adams's Ra's Al Ghul from the '70s, Dennis O'Neill and Dick Giordano's The Man Who Falls, and Frank Miller's Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns. Interviewees include DC Comics editor Paul Levitz and artist Jim Lee, but the latter's involvement eventually degrades the featurette into a pitch for DC's All-Star Batman line. A nice bonus to the Deluxe Edition is a mini comic book (DVD case-sized) that has Batman's first appearance (Detective Comics #27), The Man Who Falls, and a 48-page excerpt from The Long Halloween. (Once you get a taste of Halloween, you'll want to pick up the full-length, full-size version.) Filling out the disc are overviews of four gadgets and eight characters, DVD-ROM features, and a variety of poster-art concepts. To get to the features menu, you have to scroll through a multi-page Goyer-scribed comic book, which is a good read, but you can't skip it the next time you want to watch the second disc. Note that the comic book is also viewable in French, and the second disc offers a French menu and French (but not English) subtitles for the featurettes. --David Horiuchi

2) Description
Batman Begins explores the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. He returns to Gotham and unveils his alter-ego: Batman, a masked crusader who uses his strength, intellect and an array of high tech deceptions to fight the sinister forces that threaten the city.DVD Features:DVD ROM Features:Batman Begins Mobile Game Demo & Weblinks Documentaries:Genesis of the Bat: Batman Incarnations from the Mid-1980s to the Present The Journey Begins: Creative Concepts, Story Development and Casting Shaping Mind and Body: Fighting Style Gotham City Rises: Production Design Cape and Cowl: The New Batsuit The Tumbler: The New Batmobile Documentary:Path to Discovery: Filming in Iceland Saving Gotham City: The Monorail Chase Sequence Easter EggsFeaturette:Confidential Files Character/Weaponry Gallery Interactive Menus:INNER DEMONS COMIC: Explore the special features through an exclusive interactive comic bookOther:Batman: The Man Who Falls - a classic story that inspired Batman Begins Batman: The Long Halloween - a chilling excerpt that also inspired the filmPhoto galleryTheatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.5 out of 5

1) An excellent new look to the Batman series!   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
Just as Daniel Craig and the writing crew are bringing a welcome change to the James Bond story, Christian Bale does it for Batman. This is a darker, more thrilling version of Batman and more in the spirit of the Bourne movies (seems like this is the benchmark these days!). Never cheesy, very entertaining. If you've shied away from Batman after the last few in the series, you will definitely climb back on board with this movie.

2) One of the Best movies ever!   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Christian Bale's performance is amazing as he grows up and transforms into Batman. The storyline keeps the viewer's interest throughout every moment with suspense, mystery, and action in every scene. Hands down, this is one of my favorite movies ever!

3) Greatest Film Adaptation of Batman   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
I have seen every Batman movie, from the Adam West "BAM" romps of the 60s to George Clooney's impersonation of the American Detective, and feel that Christian Bale's Batman is the best. Bale is quite an underrated actor. From the Empire of the Sun, American Psycho, Reign of Fire, Equilibrium, to Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Bale has done a superb job in each film. I am actually thrilled to see him being cast for the role of John Connor in Terminator 4.Bale's Batman reminds me of Kevin Conroy's voice acting for the Animated Series. Batman is supposed to be a figure of the night, striking fear into the hearts of evil doers. That includes voice acting that would give the darkest of souls goosebumps in an alley at night. I never understood how the other Batman costumes could realistically do that, especially with nipples molded into the chest plate.One of the more memorable scenes in Batman Begins include the Tumbler chase scene. The Tumbler is a welcome change from the more traditional representations of the "Batmobile" and looks more like a candidate for the next military tactical vehicle than a superhero's car.I look forward to viewing The Dark Knight as many of the trailers show a similar amount of professional acting and a solid plot. If you have not seen Batman Begins, I highly recommend borrowing, renting, or buying a copy especially if you are interested in the Batman story line.

4) Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition) - great!   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Great product (bought as a gift for my daughter) and wonderful customer service. I rarely buy stuff over the internet, but this purchase was a very good experience.

5) AT LAST A REAL BATMAN MOVIE!!   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
ABSOLUTELY! I am not a fan of the Dark Knight. While I have read some of the comics and seen the earlier movies the overall storyline never snagged an interest in me UNTIL BATMAN BEGINS! This film is so impressive that I am simply dumbstruck. The director deserves a medal for one of the most telling storylines of the entire saga, comic book or other media, ever. Within the narrow window of the movie's timeline the evolution of the character is very well presented and provides an excellent introduction to the inherent attitude that drives Batman, a man possessed. It is the nature of that possession and its power which enables and emboldens the character and which is so well defined within this movie.I can only summarized this film as a Tim Burton meets Rambo extravaganza!Definitely watch it several times!