Video Reviews: 'Batman Begins,' 'Batman Anthology'

'Batman Begins' (PG-13) : The Dark Knight is darker than ever in "Batman Begins, " an intelligent reinterpretation of the classic DC Comics character that's decidedly different from its movie predecessors.

Christian Bale delivers a mesmerizing performance as Bruce Wayne, a billionaire orphan tormented by the violent deaths of his parents during his youth. A lost soul growing up, Wayne embarks on a worldwide journey to try to gain insight into the criminal mind.

A world away from Gotham, Wayne is tracked down by Ducard (Liam Neeson), a martial arts expert who takes Wayne under his wing to reel in the young renegade's anger. But Ducard's boss, Ra's Al Ghul (Ken Watanabe), has something different in mind for Wayne -- and it's about much more than fighting crime in Gotham.

What's interesting about "Batman Begins" is that it smartly takes its time to unfold its story. We learn the true origins of the character, from why he took the name "Batman" to the motivation of becoming a symbol while fighting crime in Gotham. In fact, it takes nearly an hour of screen time before Bale dons the famous cowl and bat suit.

While it has its share of action and adventure, "Batman Begins" is not your typical comic book movie. The film plays more like a crime drama, filled with gritty realism and cartoonish elements are almost nonexistent. And, it's scary -- particularly scenes involving Batman's archenemy the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy, who is equally creepy as Scarecrow's alter-ego Dr. Jonathan Crane).

Because of the fright factor, parents might want to screen the film first before letting their kids under 10 watch the film. Sure, Tim Burton's original "Batman" and "Batman Returns" were dark, too, but cartoonish portrayals by the likes of Jack Nicholson (the Joker) and Jim Carrey (The Riddler) lightened the mood considerably.

After that, Joel Schumacher, who took the helm from Burton for "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin," made the tone even lighter.

Expertly co-written and directed by Christopher Nolan, the film's greatest strength is its cast, including Neeson, Michael Caine as Wayne's Butler Alfred, Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon and. Morgan Freeman as Batman's Q-Like Gadget maker.

Katie Holmes might have gone unnoticed had she not had the spotlight burning on her for her relationship with Tom Cruise. But with the beams turned on high, she only comes off as inferior in the company of her classy co-stars, turning in a lukewarm performance as Wayne's childhood friend.

DVD Features: The two-disc DVD set boasts some bat-tastic bonus features, including MTV's "Tankman Begins: A Spoof"; production featurettes; a character/weapons gallery; an exclusive 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), an excerpt from "Batman: The Long Halloween" (the story that also inspired the film) and more.

Also New

'The Batman Motion Picture Anthology -- 1989-1997: Not to be outdone by "Batman Begins," two-disc set DVD re-releases of "Batman," "Batman Returns" (both with commentary by Tim Burton), and "Batman Forever" and "Batman & Robin" (both with commentary by Joel Schumacher) are also know as part of an anthology gift set.

Clearly, the best of the first four films is the original 1989's "Batman" (PG-13) masterfully directed by Burton, the filmmaker whose quirky vision has resulted in some of the most memorable films of the past two decades.

There's certainly no lack of creativity in "Batman," which showcases a remarkable performance by Michael Keaton as Batman/Bruce Wayne. Defying the fans' low expectations, Keaton delivers an amazingly subtle performance, which is complimented by the manic tour de force turn from Jack Nicholson as The Joker.

It's a joy to watch Nicholson unleashed as the disfigured underworld crime figure who stifles Gotham by tainting personal care products. Then, to top it off, he prances around to the funky musical stylings of Prince. Danny Elfman also solidifies his presence as one of Hollywood's most talented composers with a triumphant score that reaches a hair-raising level with the film's brilliant final shot of Batman looking over Gotham.

If it weren't for Nicholson being so omnipresent in the first film, then 1992's "Batman Returns" (PG-13) would come off as a great follow-up. But in comparison, the film simply doesn't hold up to its predecessor. That's not to say it's not entertaining, as The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) are welcome additions to the mix as the Caped Crusader's new foes.

Without question, "Batman Returns" is much darker than the original, mainly because of DeVito's evil performance as the spiteful Penguin (accompanied by an amusing horde of real penguins). There's no lighthearted whimsy like Nicholson's joker to be found here (although Christopher Walken lightens up the proceedings as bad guy Max Shreck), just anger. Pfeiffer is also memorable as Catwoman, and clad in a tight, black leather cat suit, is a much sexier alternative to Batman/Bruce Wayne (Keaton) than photographer Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) was in the original "Batman."

Val Kilmer ably assumes the cape, cowl and nifty threads of Batman/Bruce Wayne in 1995's "Batman Forever" (PG-13), a considerably more colorful offering than the first two films in the series.

That's because director Joel Schumacher came on board with glam a-blazing, and while it's no match for its predecessors, it's still a satisfying sequel, thanks to the cool collectiveness of Kilmer and over-the-top performances by Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones as The Riddler and Two-Face, respectively.

With "Batman Forever," the storyline begins to mirror that of the original television series, as Batman finally gains a partner in crime fighting in Robin (Chris O'Donnell). Nicole Kidman grabs your attention as the sultry Dr. Chase Meridian and Drew Barrymore shows up, too. But the film leaves you with the feeling that having a role in the franchise was the "in-thing to do" in Hollywood.

Batman went from a slow descent to a complete nosedive with 1997's "Batman & Robin" (PG-13) a vastly underwhelming sequel that, while boasting stunning visuals (Schumacher is at the helm again), is hampered by miserable acting and clunky dialogue. George Clooney inherits the Batman/Bruce Wayne threads from Kilmer, and while he's a capable actor, his swagger just doesn't match the brooding reserved tone brought to the character by Keaton and Kilmer.

Like the previous two installments, "Batman & Robin" features two baddies -- this time in the form of Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman). But unlike Carrey and Nicholson, these actors are simply not funny. Sure, they try to be, but the forced one-liners should have been left behind in the batcave.

Joining O'Donnell as Batman's sidekick is Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl. Without any chemistry to speak of with Clooney, both characters are grating. The only constant of the series, at this point, is the lovable butler Alfred (Michael Gough), a co-star of all four "Batman" films that becomes more pivotal to the plot this time around.

Other DVD features in the anthology set are historical documentaries and production featurettes, including looks at the gadget-making, costuming and set designs of the films, and music videos by the likes of Prince and Seal. (Warner Home Video).