BLU-RAY REVIEW

Batman Begins

Featured In Issue 115, December 2006

Picture5
Sound5
WSR Score5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Warner Home Video
(Catalog Number):
80924
(MPAA Rating):
PG13
(Rating Reason):
For intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements.
(Retail Price):
$28.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (HD-30)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
140
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2005
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
10/10/06
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Christopher Nolan
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby Digital+ 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Very different from the other Batman movies, "Batman Begins" stars Christian Bale as the caped crusader and Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne's trusted butler Alfred. After losing his parents in a mugging, young Bruce grows up to be an angry man bent on revenge and retribution. After traveling the world and learning to fight, Bruce returns to his home in Gotham City determined to free the good citizens from the evil that has claimed the city. Based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Batman created by Bob Kane. (Tricia Spears)

Special features inlcude the In-Movie Experience and three additional footage scenes: "Reflections On Writing," "Digital Batman," and "Batman Begins Stunts." There are also nine featurettes: a five-minute MTV spoof "Tankman Begins" (who said Napoleon Dynamite and Batman had nothing in common?), "Batman - The Journey Begins" (14 minutes), "Shaping Mind And Body" (13 minutes), "Gotham City Rises" (13 minutes), "Cape And Cowl" (8 minutes), "Batman - The Tumbler" (14 minutes), "Path To Discovery" (14 minutes), "Saving Gotham City" (13 minutes), and "Genesis Of The Bat" (15 minutes). Confidential Files is a who's who description of various characters and weapons in the film, a Stills Gallery, and the theatrical trailer.

The VC-1-encoded 2.35:1 HD DVD picture is spectacular, with intensely vibrant colors, deep blacks, and very impressive shadow delineation. Details are as well resolved as any high-definition images I have seen. (Danny Richelieu)

The Dolby® Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD 5.1-channel encodings are a first-rate production, with good dynamic range and impressive fidelity. In some scenes, the surround channels are under-utilized, which is the only hiccup of this release. The TrueHD encoding provides a staunch improvement over the Digital Plus encoding, with much improved fidelity and immersiveness. (Danny Richelieu)