Batman Begins Review

Baron79 · 12-16-2007, 11:42 AM

It really is one of the best looking and sounding HD-DVD's I have ever seen. The IME is awsome too. One of my very first HD-DVD's. I absolutly love it. Also, the new trailer for TDK looks incredible!

Voyeur · 12-16-2007, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron79

Also, the new trailer for TDK looks incredible!

I'll say! It looks like the Joker I've always dreamed of!

I've never felt The Joker lived up to my imagination. I'll agree he's Batman's greatest villain. But just about every interpretation of the character (even the comics most of the time) weren't scary enough to me. He was understandably lighter in the Animated Series. Jack Nicholson was entertaining yet never seemed that dangerous. Only the graphic novel "Arkham Asylum" portrayed The Joker as truly frightening...at least among the sources I've seen (though I'll admit I haven't seen every Joker comic).

But THIS Joker...in The Dark Knight...looks like the one I've been waiting for!

Baron79 · 12-16-2007, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voyeur

I'll say! It looks like the Joker I've always dreamed of!

I've never felt The Joker lived up to my imagination. I'll agree he's Batman's greatest villain. But just about every interpretation of the character (even the comics most of the time) weren't scary enough to me. He was understandably lighter in the Animated Series. Jack Nicholson was entertaining yet never seemed that dangerous. Only the graphic novel "Arkham Asylum" portrayed The Joker as truly frightening...at least among the sources I've seen (though I'll admit I haven't seen every Joker comic).

But THIS Joker...in The Dark Knight...looks like the one I've been waiting for!

Me too, I agree , Jack was fun but a little too happy for the Joker. The whole dance scene and his buzzers and all that, he should have been darker.Heath Ledger looks like a much darker and psychotic joker. I'll have to check out "Arkham Asylum". I've only read a few of the comics , but one I have read is "The Killng Joke", that Joker is pretty insane, and one of the best comics I've read. Anyway can't wait for July!

Voyeur · 12-16-2007, 08:16 PM

Speaking of which, the official trailer can now be seen in full glory on the whysoserious website!

junehhan · 12-16-2007, 09:51 PM

Screw Batman Begins, as I want to know when in the world Warner is going to finally give us the original Batman quadrilogy on HD-DVD. Batman Begins was definately a good movie as the lossless DtHD track is absolutely stunning. The car chase scene is also amazing as well. After the disasters of Batman and Robin(who the hell cast George Clooney as Batman) along with the 3rd Batman movie(Jim Carrey sucked), this was definately refreshing for us Batman fans.

sopranocaponyc · 12-10-2008, 01:53 AM

which batman begins would you say is better,on hd dvd,or blu-ray.is it worth getting it again on blu-ray just so i get true hd,or not.???

Chris Gerhard · 12-11-2008, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sopranocaponyc

which batman begins would you say is better,on hd dvd,or blu-ray.is it worth getting it again on blu-ray just so i get true hd,or not.???

I have the HD DVD with no plans to replace it with the Blu-ray version unless a really great deal falls in my hands. The HD DVD is practically worthless as far as resale value so I say buy something else you like on Blu-ray, the HD DVD is very good.

Chris

ImRizzo · 12-11-2008, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Gerhard

I have the HD DVD with no plans to replace it with the Blu-ray version unless a really great deal falls in my hands. The HD DVD is practically worthless as far as resale value so I say buy something else you like on Blu-ray, the HD DVD is very good.

Chris

I've never had The Toshiba player only blu and I have Batman the beginning and it's excellent as I would imagine the HD-DVD is I don't think there would be any reason to DD unless the Blu hits the shelves for cheap.

sopranocaponyc · 12-11-2008, 06:43 PM

i was at bestbuy today to pick up The Godfather on blu-ray and thought about getting Top gun on blu,i have it on hd dvd,i almost did.good thing cause its the same as the hd version.it was 19.99 though.

Jim Bob Jones · 12-15-2008, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClashFan

Frustrated by no one staring a Batman Begins review thread, I'll give it a try.

Having been a Batman fan since a kid and loving the Adam West tongue-in-cheek TV show of the 60's, I always need my Batfix. Who wouldn't want to be Batman?

The first Michael Keaton one was pretty good, but the sequels each were successively weaker until the whole thing ground down to a pseudo-campy mess. I don't even blame George Clooney -- Batman had ceased to be a major character in the series.

However BB (Batman Begins, not Blockbuster or Best Buy) reboots the franchise in terrific fashion. To me, this is THE best Batman film, hands down. Some critics thought that the first half was slow moving, etc., but I do not. This is a cool origin story that is actually reasonably plausible (well, as much as a cartoon superhero story can be).

We actually find out WHY Batman decides to become a crime fighter, and in particular one named Batman. And, BATS actually appear in key moments in the film, including an incredibly cool sequence at Arkane Asylum mental institute in a confrontation between Batman and The Scarecrow and then the police, which transitions into the equally cool chase scene with the Tumbler (aka Batmobile) "flying on rooftops!"

The film builds well and has a nice cast of secondary characters and features Liam Neeson near the end delivering the line (with a complete straight face): "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a city to destroy."

When I first heard that Christian Bale was picked to be the lead, I was disappointed. However, he nails both parts (BW/BM) and the entire cast, yes, even Katie Holmes, is terrific.

Several villains are cool, too. I especially like Cillian Murphy as the smug and creepy Dr. Crane/The Scarecrow. He's not in the main cast of the upcoming sequel, but rumors are that he might appear briefly. I hope they bring him back, maybe in the third movie of the trilogy that director Christopher Nolan supposedly has planned.

A real nice twist was having Wayne Manor burned down so that Bruce can rebuild it, while probably sneaking some of the rebuilding costs into his Batcave!

The movie itself: 5/5.

PQ: 5/5. This one looks terrific all the way through.

AQ: 5/5. Especially with TrueHD audio, this one is nice and will reward a nice sound system!

Extras: 4/5. I like Warner's "IN-Movie Experience" that they have here (something that is still not yet possible on Blu-ray movies...hence this title has still not yet been released on BR). There are quite a few nice other extras, including the lowbrow (but funny) "Tankman Begins" spoof. I won't go 5/5 here b/c some HD DVD's, like Forbidden Planet, Enter the Dragon, and Bullitt are so loaded that they get a 5.

BTW, as you may know, the sequel titled The Dark Knight is currently filming for a Summer '08 release. They've released photos of Heath Ledger as the Joker (not a cartoonish look this time...he's gonna be a dark psycho), the new Batsuit (beefed up...more armor like), and the Batpod (a Batcycle on steroids...or maybe HGH).

Nicely put. I agree. I have always wondered why they blew it on the two sequels to the original Keaton Batman. Not particularly unusual for blockbusters, I guess. But this franchise was on life support until Batman Begins saved it.

Raul2106 · 12-15-2008, 03:03 PM

It would be interesting if WB decided to release The Dark Knight on HD-DVD in the form of a limited release gift to the people out there who bought and still have HD-DVD Players. I just think it would be a nice gesture since Batman Begins is the same transfer that they used for the Blu-Ray disc.

zip2play · 12-24-2008, 07:44 AM

I agree that BATMAN BEGINS was a great joy, best of tthe series hands down. Especially when compared to DARK NIGHT which was a tedious POS...even Bale looked bored to tears and I don't know how I stayed with it to its preachy end.

Even poor Health Ledger couldn't save this thousand pound turkey.

Jason44 · 12-24-2008, 01:07 PM

Wow this thread made me want to go out and buy it haha, thanks for the reviews!

-Jason

ClashFan · 12-28-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason44

Wow this thread made me want to go out and buy it haha, thanks for the reviews!

-Jason

I'm happy to see that my original review got active again!

Well, BB will be my first HD double dip. Amazon dropped the price on the BB Blu-ray Limited Edition Gift Set to $19.99, so I pulled the trigger for all the extras. Plus, the BD has a couple of extra on disc features, too.

I hope it looks as good on BD as on HD DVD.

ClashFan · 12-28-2008, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zip2play

I agree that BATMAN BEGINS was a great joy, best of tthe series hands down. Especially when compared to DARK NIGHT which was a tedious POS...even Bale looked bored to tears and I don't know how I stayed with it to its preachy end.

Even poor Health Ledger couldn't save this thousand pound turkey.

I disagree that The Dark Knight was a POS, but I will agree that it is overly long and does have a terrible, anticlimactic, cheesy ending. The film needs about 15-20 minutes trimmed, including the awful ending. Nolan should have just left Two Face missing and at loose at the end of the film...

12-16-2007, 08:16 PM	#19
Voyeur Still love my HD-DVD! Join Date: Nov 2006 Age: 38 Posts: 286	Speaking of which, the official trailer can now be seen in full glory on the whysoserious website! __________________ Panasonic TH-42PX80U Harman/Kardon AVR-146 Onkyo SKS-HT500 Panasonic DMP-BD30 Toshiba HD-A2 Sony DVP-NS55P JVC HR-S3900U URC-8910B02 The HD Cable Box Bright House gave me!

12-16-2007, 09:51 PM	#20
junehhan High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 29 Posts: 5,663	Screw Batman Begins, as I want to know when in the world Warner is going to finally give us the original Batman quadrilogy on HD-DVD. Batman Begins was definately a good movie as the lossless DtHD track is absolutely stunning. The car chase scene is also amazing as well. After the disasters of Batman and Robin(who the hell cast George Clooney as Batman) along with the 3rd Batman movie(Jim Carrey sucked), this was definately refreshing for us Batman fans. __________________ X360 Gamertag junehhan Toshiba HD-A1 HD-DVD player -Klipsch RSW10 Subwoofer -Pioneer VSX1016TXVK reciever -Klipsch Synergy Quintet III 5 channel speakers AIM: jhhan80 HD-DVD's: Loving it! BD's: When we get a reasonably priced BDP with lossless decoders Everyone wants to live at the expense of the state, they forget that the state lives at the expense of everyone - Frederich Bastiat, 1848

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12-16-2007, 11:42 AM	#16
Baron79 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New England Posts: 66	It really is one of the best looking and sounding HD-DVD's I have ever seen. The IME is awsome too. One of my very first HD-DVD's. I absolutly love it. Also, the new trailer for TDK looks incredible!

12-10-2008, 01:53 AM	#21
sopranocaponyc High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NYC Age: 33 Posts: 821	which batman begins would you say is better,on hd dvd,or blu-ray.is it worth getting it again on blu-ray just so i get true hd,or not.???

12-11-2008, 06:43 PM	#24
sopranocaponyc High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: NYC Age: 33 Posts: 821	i was at bestbuy today to pick up The Godfather on blu-ray and thought about getting Top gun on blu,i have it on hd dvd,i almost did.good thing cause its the same as the hd version.it was 19.99 though.

12-15-2008, 03:03 PM	#26
Raul2106 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 50	It would be interesting if WB decided to release The Dark Knight on HD-DVD in the form of a limited release gift to the people out there who bought and still have HD-DVD Players. I just think it would be a nice gesture since Batman Begins is the same transfer that they used for the Blu-Ray disc.

12-24-2008, 07:44 AM	#27
zip2play TV...INDISPENSIBLE Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 247	I agree that BATMAN BEGINS was a great joy, best of tthe series hands down. Especially when compared to DARK NIGHT which was a tedious POS...even Bale looked bored to tears and I don't know how I stayed with it to its preachy end. Even poor Health Ledger couldn't save this thousand pound turkey.

12-24-2008, 01:07 PM	#28
Jason44 High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 62	Wow this thread made me want to go out and buy it haha, thanks for the reviews! -Jason