Batman Begins (2005)

Director:

Christopher Nolan

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

15 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

The story of how Bruce Wayne became what he was destined to be: Batman.

Plot Keywords:

Batman | Gotham | Fear | Ninja | Bat

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 38 nominations

Cast

Christian Bale	...	Bruce Wayne / Batman
Michael Caine	...	Alfred
Liam Neeson	...	Henri Ducard
Katie Holmes	...	Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman	...	Jim Gordon
Cillian Murphy	...	Dr. Jonathan Crane
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

Also Known As:

Batman 5 (USA) (working title)
Batman Begins: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
Batman: Intimidation (USA) (original script title)
The Intimidation Game (USA) (fake working title)

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

140 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Mandarin

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Indonesia:Dewasa | Taiwan:PG-12 | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | India:UA | Malaysia:U | UK:12 (DVD rating) | UK:12A (original rating) | Chile:Y7 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Denmark:11 | South Korea:12 | South Africa:13V | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Ireland:12A | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | USA:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:10 | Greece:K-13 | Philippines:G | New Zealand:M | Czech Republic:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Iceland:12 | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, London, England, UK

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Before the shooting began, Christopher Nolan invited the whole film crew to a private screening of Blade Runner (1982). After the film he said to the whole crew, "This is how we're going to make "Batman"."

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Batman saves Rachel and the Little Boy from the released Arkham maniacs, the boy is seen holding his arms around Rachel and with his face against her chest. Yet when the camera angle changes he is sitting and facing in a completely different direction.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in The Supermarket (2009)

Soundtrack:

Divertimento in D Major, K.136 (2nd movement)

Comic-book films grow up at last

I've just come back from a preview screening of Batman Begins. I went in with low expectations, despite the excellence of Christopher Nolan's previous efforts. Talk about having your expectations confounded! This film grips like wet rope from the start. I won't give away any of the story; suffice to say it mixes and matches its sources freely, tossing in a dash of Frank Miller, a bit of Alan Moore and a pinch of Bob Kane to great effect.

What's impressive is that despite the weight of the franchise, Nolan has managed to work so many of his trademarks into a mainstream movie. The story does not progress in linear fashion for the first half, and there are some truly spectacular hallucination scenes. Parents thinking of taking their young kids along, think twice. When we left, a terrified 8-year-old boy was being comforted by his parents. Some of what's up there on screen really is the stuff of nightmares.

Of the cast of Brits chosen to bring this American tale to the masses, Christian Bale convinces in his dual role, while Michael Caine as Alfred comes up with the humour just when the film is in danger of taking itself too seriously. Gary Oldman and Tom Wilkinson provide able support, as does Morgan Freeman.

Most refreshing of all is the way that Nolan and co have come up with a way of bringing comics to the screen that does justice to the often adult source material in a way that, say, Daredevil, tried and failed to do (although the director's cut is better). If the Dark Knight doesn't return after this, there's no justice.