Batman Begins (2005)

After training with his mentor, Batman begins his war on crime to free the crime-ridden Gotham City from corruption that the Scarecrow and the League of Shadows have cast upon it.

Director:

Christopher Nolan

Writers:

Bob Kane (characters), David S. Goyer (story),

Stars:

Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson

Top 250 #105 | Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 8 wins & 43 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christian Bale	...	Bruce Wayne / Batman
Michael Caine	...	Alfred
Liam Neeson	...	Ducard
Katie Holmes	...	Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman	...	Jim Gordon
Cillian Murphy	...	Dr. Jonathan Crane / Scarecrow
Tom Wilkinson	...	Carmine Falcone
Rutger Hauer	...	Earle
Ken Watanabe	...	Ra's Al Ghul
Mark Boone Junior	...	Flass
Linus Roache	...	Thomas Wayne
Morgan Freeman	...	Lucius Fox
Larry Holden	...	Finch
Gerard Murphy	...	Judge Faden
Colin McFarlane	...	Loeb

Storyline

When his parents were killed, millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne relocates to Asia when he is mentored by Henri Ducard and Ra's Al Ghul in how to fight evil. When learning about the plan to wipe out evil in Gotham City by Ducard, Bruce prevents this plan from getting any further and heads back to his home. Back in his original surroundings, Bruce adopts the image of a bat to strike fear into the criminals and the corrupt as the icon known as 'Batman'. But it doesn't stay quiet for long.

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Plot Keywords:

gotham | fight | fear | cave | murder | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Warner Bros [fr]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Urdu Mandarin

Release Date:

15 June 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Batman 5

Filming Locations:

Coalhouse Fort, East Tilbury, Essex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$150,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$119,727 (Sweden) (19 August 2005)

Gross:

$205,343,774 (USA) (28 October 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Syncopy, DC Comics

Technical Specs

Runtime:

140 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character Ra's al Ghul was co-created by comic-book writer/editor Denny O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. O'Neil also wrote the Batman Begins novelization.

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Goofs

When Batman grabs one of the men unpacking boxes of 'toys' from the shipping container, another one of the men begins walking towards the container to check on him. The boxes seen through the doorway of the container change position from one shot to the next.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Bruce Wayne - age 8: Rachel, let me see! Can I see?

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Crazy Credits

A swarm of bats flies across the screen, making out the new Batman symbol.

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Connections

Followed by The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

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Soundtracks

"Folletto!...Folletto!"
from "Mefistofele"
Written by Arrigo Boito
Performed by Norman Treigle, Ambrosian Opera Chorus and London Symphony Orchestra (as London Symphony Orchestra)
Conducted by Julius Rudel
Courtesy of EMI Classics
Under License from EMI Film & Television Music

User Reviews

Everything I could have hoped for

I had fearful reservations about this one. I loved Tim Burton's Batman

• 12 years old when it came out I was the perfect age for it and I also

enjoyed Batman Returns. The franchise went so wrong under Joel Schumacher that I wasn't sure I wanted it resurrected. Not least because Batman was one of the few comics I read and enjoyed as a kid and was always my favourite superhero. I grew up reading the comics, watching reruns of the Adam West TV show and then getting Burton's celluloid vision. I was spoilt for choice as a kid but as an adult now I was concerned revisiting the franchise, especially given Warner's record over the last decade of screwing up summer blockbusters with potential all over the place (dare I bring up the Matrix sequels?)

However, I am pleased to report I could not have been more wrong about how great Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins is. This is better than Burton. Sacrilege, you say?! Well Burton was still cartoony in many elements, he wasn't churning out the bilge of Schumacher but Burton's Batman was still over the top. As a kid this was ideal but Nolan's Batman is real. Everything in this world seems plausible and it is therefore a world that draws you in. Characters' vulnerability is that much more present. Every bruise, every scare, every concern, every emotion seems real.

Part of this is that Nolan has assembled an exemplary cast. Again, this concerned me prior to seeing the film. I wasn't sure a cast of big name legends like Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman and well known names like Liam Neeson and Katie Holmes wouldn't detract and distract from Batman. I was always sure Christian Bale could be the great moody Batman he's been waiting his career to be but the others I wasn't so sure about.

That said Bale is not just good, he's superb. I never thought I'd really be able to envision anyone other than Michael Keaton as the definitive Batman for me but since seeing Batman Begins a couple of days ago Bale has cemented himself in the position. Perhaps Keaton will now be able to escape the spectre of Batman he hasn't truly shaken off for 13 years.

The rest of the cast is also pitch perfect. Cillian Murphy is creepy as hell, Liam Neeson is authoritative and imposing, Katie Holmes is strong and sexy (I particularly thought she'd be insipid, she should jettison Tom Cruise and let her talent - which she does have naysayers just watch Pieces Of April - speak for itself) and Michael Caine is an Alfred you've never seen but in fact far more likely as a butler than the aristocratic pomp with which he is usually portrayed. Gary Oldman is also superb in a rare wholly decent character for him as Lieutenant Jim Gordon who gets far more to so here than Gordon has ever had to do before. Only Tom Wilkinson is a little off with a slightly comedic wise-guy American accent that never really convinces.

The emotional bond between Bruce Wayne and Alfred is actually a wonderful human heart to the film than Nolan and Goyer have written perfectly.

Don't let that make you think the action is not front and centre though. From Wayne's training through the early stages of the film to his early missions as Batman at about the half way point to a thrillingly choreographed chase sequence and an edge of your seat finale this film delivers the cool quotient in bucket loads.

Great villains (especially Murphy), great story, great cast, great action... put simply, great film. Probably the best comic-book movie ever made (that's excluding the genius Sin City which I consider a moving comic-book rather than a comic-book movie, that will never be bettered but Batman is a different beast and the best of its kind).