Batman Begins (Blu-ray)
Picture:
A- Sound: A- Extras: B Film: B
Long
after the stunning and ironically out-of-print HD-DVD arrived and folded, the
Blu-ray edition has finally arrived and it is as great looking and sounding as
the version in the earlier HD print, considered one of the most critically and
commercially successful in that dead format.
Now, in this loaded edition (and an even more expanded Limited Edition Gift Set) have finally
arrived in time for the sequel’s release, The
Dark Knight, is back in a high performance Blu-ray that is the equal of its
predecessor.
You can
read more about the film at this link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/4452/Batman+Begins+(HD-DVD)
Now last
time, Dolby TrueHD was so new we were uncertain how dynamic the sound was. Since then, we learned it is one of the best
sound mixes on any Blu-ray (or HD-DVD for that mater to date. The only new item added here are the opening
minutes of The Dark Knight, but
besides that, the performance is equal to the previous edition and a must-own
Blu-ray for any serious collection.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image is amazing, was shot on film in the real
anamorphic Panavision 35mm, especially in its stunning rendering of Video Black
and grey scale, and rightly received an Academy Award/Oscar nomination for best
cinematography. After seeing thousands
of standard DVDs and 12” LaserDiscs with Video Black issues, the film simply
sets new standards for that and grey scale.
In the pivotal car chase where Rachel (Holmes) has been exposed to one
of the Scarecrow’s deadly toxins and there is little time to get back to the
Batcave to save her.
It is
dark, nighttime, the interior of The Batmobile is dark, Batman’s suit is black,
searchlights cut though the jet black and the race is on. In the DVD version, even being used as a demo
in some stores, the black is flat and like old white subtitles on an old
foreign film print disappearing into a white background, Batman’s cape and cowl
are absorbed by the background since DVD cannot handle the range of black. In this Blu-ray, Wally Pfister’s (A.S.C.)
work is much clearer, the kind of subtle and clever lighting it takes to allow
different shades of black to be distinguished.
At first, a comparison of the two formats look the same on the surface,
but once you see the depth, range and differences, you will never be able to
watch the standard DVD again. Nolan
showed a film print of Ridley Scott’s Blade
Runner (1982, now itself in a great Blu-ray edition, as reviewed elsewhere
on this site) before they went into production so the cast and crew knew what
he was aiming for. Only a very, very
small handful of films have succeeded in grasping and capturing that look. This is one of them.
The
brighter scenes also look good, including the arctic swordplay that has subtle
shades of color here and there. Also,
this had been blown-up for IMAX presentation and you can just imagine from this
(if you missed those screenings) how this would look large. However, detail and clarity are the key and
this Blu-ray are stunning and as compared to other titles in the format, the
picture will be a demo standard for a very, very long time to come.
Then there
is the soundtrack. Besides the decent
James Newton Howard score, which has some very interesting moments if you
listen closely in key scenes, the soundtrack is here in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and
even in lesser Dolby Digital Plus 5.1, there is no doubt that this is one of
the very best modern multi-channel film soundtracks made. The mix is constantly involving, has great
character and the sonics are the best of any action film on any 5-inch disc for
many years. One way to tell is the sound
of The Batmobile in action, but the film is never cheesy, goes for lame sonic
trickery and is so dynamic that it sets new standards for home theater sound
playback.
In the
audiophile world, where there are multi-channel music formats DVD-Audio and
Super Audio CD (including those we have reviewed), there are some amazing
remixes from classic albums and the occasionally impressive and amazing current
music album. The most sonically
aggressive and dynamic of all have been the 5.1 mixes (and in both formats, as
fate would have it) have been from the Rock band Nine Inch Nails. Now, a feature film has come along that can
challenge it on those sonic levels and it is Batman Begins. To say the
combination of sound and picture is dynamite is an understatement, but it is
something that is not just watching the film, but experiencing it.
Then
there are the extras. Besides the Blu-ray’s
version of the In-Movie Experience feature of Nolan, Goyer and company telling
you about the film as you watch as an option, you get a stills gallery,
original theatrical trailer, Confidential
Files story points/facts section beyond the film’s script, Tankman Begins short spoof of the film,
pre-production Journey Begins piece
about how they once again brought the Caped Crusader to life, Shaping Mind & Body piece about
Bale’s work to become Batman/Bruce Wayne, Gotham
City Rises piece showing the building up of the new, darker version of
Wayne’s hometown, Saving Gotham City
about the amazing miniatures, CGI and other effects work that brought the
monorail to life, Cape & Cowl on
the development of the darkest and deadliest Batsuit yet, Batman – The Tumbler about the new Batmobile, Genesis Of The Bat about Batman’s character, a reflection on
writing the film with Goyer, Batman
Begins Stunts, Digital Batman
effects you “may have missed” and the first week of the Iceland shot dubbed Path To Discovery. This was a very ambitious production where
all the money is up on the screen and that is not easy.
Batman Begins is a winner, one of the best
relaunches in franchise history, one of the best films of the Superhero Action
genre and will only make you want to see The
Dark Knight sequel more and more. It
is also a must-have Blu-ray, worth getting in either edition. Get it while you can before there is a
shortage!
- Nicholas Sheffo
