Batman Begins - 1 Disc Edition [2005] | ![Batman Begins - 1 Disc Edition [2005]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SV8RGAJ0L._SL160_.jpg)
 enlarge | Actors: Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: £10.99
Buy Used: £3.70
You Save: £7.29 (66%)
New (21) Used (13) from £3.70
Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 653
Format: Dubbed, Pal, Widescreen
Languages: Arabic (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), German (Subtitled), Hebrew (Subtitled), Icelandic (Subtitled), English (Original Language), Portuguese (Original Language), German (Dubbed)
Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
Region: 2
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 134 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 7321900594158
ASIN: B000ARB0Z2
Theatrical Release Date: 2005
Release Date: January 23, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
| |
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
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 Horiuchi, Amazon.com
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 Really great...but The Dark Knight is better... October 4, 2008
Caitlin (Norfolk)
Okay, first of all, technically I saw the Batman movies the wrong way round, i.e. I saw The Dark Knight first, which is really incredible, a definite must-see for anyone. About a month later, I watched Batman Begins and I wanted to feel the same way, but I was left wanting more.
Don't get me wrong, it gives a brilliant insight into the character of Bruce Wayne, and a thoroughly satisfying origin of Batman, as well as several fantastic action sequences and some hilarious scenes of Batman beating up mob gangs (which I always find really funny for some reason).
However, I can also say, with confidence, that The Dark Knight has virtually no flaws whatsoever (apart from a slightly weak ending), whereas Batman Begins has several; the beginning is rather slow, Katie Holmes' Rachel becomes annoying after less than an hour, and Batman looks pretty crude in most of his scenes (compared to a slicker, darker, more mysterious Batman we see in TDK).
I think the worst thing about this film is the villains though - Scarecrow is okay, sometimes pretty scary, but the mob is pretty pathetic (Falcone gets arrested as soon as Batman appears) and Henri Ducard is one of the most annoying villains ever, and unfortunately he's the main 'bad guy' in this.
Overall, satisfying enough for the average Batman fan (like myself), with a reasonably strong storyline, plenty of action and a detailed insight into the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman. I just still feel like there's something missing in this film.
"As Bruce Wayne ...I'm flesh and blood ...I can be destroyed. But as a symbol ...I can be incorruptible." August 26, 2008
DangermouseZilla (Doncaster, Yorkshire, UK.)
The producers have invested a lot of solid ideas to provide foundations for a successful future in this Lazarus of film franchises. Tim Burton initially gave Batman a solid, dark-fairytale start, over time it slipped from surreal quirkyness to awful, cliché ridden pantomime - seemingly killing off any chance of a further sequel. It needed totally gutting and building from scratch, a genuine re-imagining was required for it to be taken seriously again - and here it is...
Normally you watch a super-hero film and you are expected to simply accept the implausible situations and the gadgets used. You don't question them, but here we get an explanation of how things come to be - from the batsuit, the batcave, even the trusty old grapple hook. We get a believable character in a pretty realistic world.
The over-sentimental cheesy moments tend to be masked by forming parts of purposefully theatrical scenes in order to prevent the film from being too corny, or patronising. Christian Bale manages to convey the right amount of anger and anguish to give the character depth. This isn't an invincible Batman, this is a man with weaknesses, so you feel the tension when the chips are down and the bullets are flying. You do feel that he's in danger, you don't sit back and know that everything will turn out okay.
In a nutshell: This is a long film - and the first hour builds a good history so that we understand what drives the character. This allows you to invest believability and emotion in a character who will no doubt be appearing on our screens again and again. The thrills and spills are all there, you get all the action - but it's not brainless - every moment of action can be justified with a reason. Thankfully there's no Arnie Ice-Man uttering God-awful lines, there is a hint of cheesiness, but it isn't rammed down our throats like a slab of Wensleydale.
If only other comic-to-screen translations were as good as this, in my opinion only Superman The Movie [1978] (the late 70s classic) surpasses this as a super-hero film.
The best Batman i've ever seen...so far! August 14, 2008
Stampy (England)
In the 5th Batman film, director Christopher Nolan brings a very dark side out of the superhero and explores how Bruce Wayne became Batman in this wonderful fantasy, and my personal favourite Batman thus far.
Nolan uses a very sophisticated choice of direction to bring out the traumas of Wayne's past in a great use of flashbacks, so unexpected and diverse which is what the franchise needed, not to mention the writing is top notch by going darker than all other films in the series created.
The direction fits beautifully alongside a consistent plot. Though I was lost at a couple of turns with the involvement of many characters, the plot is solid and fits the genre beautifully with the use of the escapism of realism, such are the action sequences and the use of the cool gadgets, and though I have never read the comics, am sure are great justice to them.
The performances are excellent as well. Bale (American Psycho), in his first role as the superhero, delivers on a whole new level compared to previous performances by Keaton, Kilmer and Clooney, and is by far, the darkest and most interesting. Excellent support is given by Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson and Katie Holmes, and the performances cannot be faulted, and these performances in particular give the film more depth, and make the film very character driven, none more so than the driving force that is bale's portrayal of the lonely and troubled Bruce Wayne.
Seeing the creation of the hero was very interesting, as I have never read any comics, I didn't have much idea as to how Batman came about, and this was a great showcase to demonstrate how he did, and is very strong and emotional, and does explain why batman acts like he does in other films, the loneliness and the sentimental issues are evident by the troubled past clearly effective in this film, which answers so much.
Though there is a few flaws in the characters and occasionally the plot, it is by far the best Batman made thus far, and I wait impatiently to go and see The Dark Knight.
8/10
 This is Batman July 21, 2008
J R Hartley (UK)
Forget all the other Batman films, this is what Batman should have been. Christian Bale makes a great Batman switching from his normal Bruce Wayne to his dark alter ego. Great special effects.
 Average action film, with batman tacked on. May 31, 2008
P. Stephendavis
1 out of 4 found this review helpful
I can appreciate the work that went into this film, and the acting is OK through-out, but to me it just didn't 'feel' like a batman film. If you've read the comics and the TV series, you'll come out of this one feeling somewhat cheated. The main problem I found was the director tried to ground Batman into real-life, which I don't think he pulled off very well. The dark Gotham City of 'Batman 1' seems to me to be more appropriate and faithful to the franchise.
Bale was a good choice for the leading role, but overall this film seemed to me to be a cheap cash-in on a great franchise. An enjoyable film, but didn't meet it's full potential.
|
|
|
