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BATMAN BEGINS (2005) Director: Christopher Nolan Hacktors: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman. Rating/5: The lowdown: DC Comics strike back! Sick of seeing Marvel’s big screen successes with the likes of Spidey, Blade, Daredevil, etc, Batman has shrugged off the embarrassing burnout of his franchise back in ‘97 with the Joel Schumacher directed turkey Batman And Robin, to return with a panoramic big bucks spectacular.     It is essentially a no-stone-left-unturned origin story, detailing events that were violently kicked into motion following the slaying of little Bruce Wayne’s billionaire parents by a desperate hood. Yeah, we hate that bastard. Thus, growing up bitter and twisted, a youthful Wayne heads out into the world to confront and ultimately comprehend villainy, so that he may know his future enemies inside out. This leads him to a Himalayan monastery which is the stonghold of a semi-mystical international organisation called the League Of Shadows. Oooooooooh. Here, guided by Ducard (Liam Neeson), Wayne develops beyond his rage and harnesses the skills of the ninja. Then, he returns to Gotham City to put his Bat-plan into action as all manner of mayhem ensues around him. Good points: As with the original Tim Burton directed Bat-movies, we’re back to Batman as the brooding Dark Knight. Batman Begins runs like hell with this ball, while also giving the whole deal a more real-world flavour (or, at least, a caustic aftertaste) and a stunning scope which makes the previous Bat-flicks look studio-bound. And, almost upstaging Bale’s faultless performance of Wayne/Batman, is that big f**k-off black tank - the Batmobile aka The Tumbler! This machine ROCKS! CGI is overall kept to a minimum: Batman Begins is akin to a Bond movie on crack. On top of this, you have a galaxy of stars who excel. The film is just massive upon massive at every turn. The bastards. Marvel hates you. HATES YOU! Bad points: The bat-suit. True, it is very cool that Batman Begins explains in intricate detail how the outfit is real-world feasible and combat ready, but, but, but... I think I was really hoping that this time, Batman might have looked like the guy I’ve worshipped for years in the comics. Sure, a bloke in a material outfit might not be bullet proof, but he sure as hell’d be more agile than a guy in cumbersome rubber armour. Still, to this day, the best looking live-action Batman is the Alex Ross-ian Dark Knight in the acclaimed unofficial film-short Dead End. That guy was menacing as f**k, could crouch, and, yeah, turn his bleedin’ head! Also, the fight choreographers of Batman Begins should have been heartbroken at the finished results. What are we supposed to be squinting at in that blur of fast-edit motion and shadows, anyway? Just one good slo-mo shot of how Batman’s cape worked during a dramatic acrobatic manoeuvre woulda been priceless. DVD Details: Included in this two-disc package is pretty much the making of everything except a cheese sandwich. Christian Bale, who originally over-bulked up for the Bat-role following his mental dieting for The Machinist, exclaims, "Some of the set guys were saying, ''Ere, wot are we supposed to be makin', Batman or Fatman?'." There's also the awesome revelation that the new Batmobile can actually DO everything it DOES. It’s the real deal. It could probably take out all the previous Batmobiles with three tires tied behind its back. Both the US and UK sets feature an interactive comic book called Inner Demons, while the US set generously adds a collectible 72-page comic book containing: Detective Comics #27 (the very first Batman story), Batman: The Man Who Falls (a classic story that inspired Batman Begins), and an excerpt from Batman: The Long Halloween (a chilling story that also inspired the film). Fancy! Overall: Dark, intense and brutal, Batman Begins is a rat’s breath away from the crime-ridden neighbourhood of fan-boy perfection. Release Date: October 21, 2005 in the UK. Reviewer: Ray Zell. [Check it out at Amazon US] [Check it out at Amazon UK] [Reviews Menu] [Home] © Copyright Slasherama 2002-present