Review Detail

9.3 46 10
FanFix June 01, 2009 9109
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Batman Begins has become a wildly-underrated movie in the wake of the character's later success. People often remember Keaton's first Batman film as being what defined the character, but when you watch it, there's still a lot of silliness and very little explanation for who the character is or what grounds him. It was THIS film that did the work of creating the modern Batman, and all films since have been living off the dividends. So I did not in any way need an "improved" version of it, though I was happy to give this edit a shot. (Full thoughts on the film here: https://boxd.it/3rjubD )

The largest defining feature of this edit will be for those who just have a hate-on for Katie Holmes. If you cannot buy a powerful lawyer with a cutesy face and a high voice, then this fixes that. I actually very much enjoy Holmes and had no issue with her, BUT it does make the altered portrayal in The Dark Knight tough. I mean, I know who I'd rather jump off a building for, but if you want them to seem like the same character, the voice alteration here does help.

What surprised me were all the other trims. Coming off the back of the '90s Batman films, this one was far and away the most serious and grounded ever. It's only again, after The Dark Knight, that elements of humor or suspension of disbelief stand out. However, we do now have TDK, so I have to admit it's better to not have Gordon in The Batmobile, to not have wanton explosive use and city destruction. The edits are all very solid and make the film better.

I did have to dock one point for the ending (spoilers?), which cuts out a vitally important line from Holmes' character. I have to assume that the faneditor's distaste for Holmes blinded him here, but the film's narrative hangs on it. The ending of this is a great tragic ending suitable for Batman, because he actually has become the man his father would be proud of. And his childhood love now knows and loves him for it, and there's nothing to stop them from being together. Except that she knows that he's sacrificed being a normal person, being able to turn off...he's now consumed by being Batman and there isn't any room left for a real Bruce Wayne, or for her. Her line about "Batman is the real you and Bruce Wayne is the mask." was the first time this was defined on film, even though it's been a staple in the comics for years. Without this line, it doesn't make sense that they go their separate ways, and it's also something that Bruce is just realizing at that moment, so the audience needs to SEE him realize it.

That one ending change aside, this is far and away a better film, and my preferred choice for re-watching. The edit is quite old and the file is lower quality by recent standards, so don't expect a crystal image. But it's very worth adding to your fanedit library, until someone does an updated version of it.

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Yes
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Digital
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