DVD Review: Batman Begins (Limited Edition Gift Set)

Sometimes there are things that are just so good, you almost can’t believe it, and that is the case with the Batman Begins: Limited Edition Gift Set.

Not only do you get a deluxe edition of the excellent feature film, but the box is loaded with goodies enough to make serious Batman fans extremely happy.

First there is the film itself, presented in widescreen format with a running time of over 140 minutes. In this saga, we learn the reason behind and the methods of Bruce Wayne’s transformation into the seeker of true justice, Batman. Christian Bale is enthralling as the caped crusader, blending the right amount of vulnerability with a forceful dedication to fighting evil and finding justice for those innocents who have been harmed. Michael Caine is the intrepid butler Alfred, who keeps Bruce going and on the right path towards his destiny with the help of techno genius and family friend Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman.) Of course the love interest is one from Bruce’s childhood, his playmate Rachel (Katie Holmes) who has grown up to become a deputy District Attorney fighting crime in her own way. My favorite character is Officer Gordon who is played by Gary Oldham. In another of his non-flashy, but absolutely perfect performances, Oldham manages to let us see the young Gordon and as well as glimpses of the Chief and close associate he will become. It is a good story with a great cast!

Along with the disc containing the film, there is a second disc of special features. These included the featurette Batman: The Journey Begins, a look at the creative concepts, the story development and the casting. Shaping Mind and Body looks at the various fighting styles employed in the film, Gotham City Rises is about production design, Cape and Cowl looks at the re-designed Batsuit, Batman-The Tumbler is about the new Batmobile, Path to Discovery takes a look at the filming locations in Iceland, Saving Gotham City explores the monorail chase sequence, Genesis of the Bat is a history of the development of the Batman character from the 1980’s to the present day. There are also character and weapon galleries, a still gallery of design ideas for marketing, and Batman Begins mobile game and Xbox games demos.As if that wasn’t enough, there is a third disc in an illustrated sleeve containing a sneak preview for the new Batman movie The Dark Knight, a special Batman logo marked 128MB flash drive loaded with 18 images from The Dark Knight, a movie money coupon worth $7.50 towards the price of a ticket to see The Dark Knight, 5 collectible art cards and packaged with Batman Begins lenticular art. This is a set that belongs in everyone’s Batman collection.

Batman Begins (Limited Edition Gift Set) is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for this version of the DVD in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.