DVD Special Features: You have to be careful which version of this movie you get. If you get the single disk version or you rent via Netflix then you don’t get crap for special features. The two disk version gives you a truck load of stuff. Here is the disk 2 extras:

Inner Demons comic: Explore the special features through an exclusive interactive comic book :The Journey Begins: creative concepts, story development and casting:Shaping Mind and Body: Christian Bale's transformation into Batman :The Tumbler: reinvention of the Batmobile Gotham City Rises: production design of Gotham City, the Batcave, Wayne Manor, and more Saving Gotham City: the development of miniatures, CGI, and effects for the monorail chase scene Genesis of the Bat: A look at the Dark Knight's incarnation and influences on the film Confidential files: Go beyond the movie and discover facts and story points not in the film Theatrical trailer Cape and Cowl: the new batsuit Path to Discovery: filming in Iceland Confidential files Character/weaponry gallery Photo gallery DVD-ROM features: Batman Begins mobile game demo & Web links 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), and an excerpt from Batman: The Long Halloween (a chilling story that also inspired the film).

Normally I break out all this info to make it easy to read but there is so much stuff its not possible. If you love the movie you will did all the extras.

Plot: A new telling and new beginning of the Batman Franchise. You get to see Bruce Wayne become Batman and that’s not a bad thing.

The Good: I like Christian Bale as the new Batman. He brings an intensity that has been missing in some of his predecessors. We can now have a really raging debate over who was the best or worse Batman but that’s a whole another issue. Christian does a good job.

This movie looks good and sets a nice dark tone. Every comic book world has its rules and the director has set up his Gotham City in a gritty but believable way. I like Christopher Nolans other works (Memento and Insomnia). This film and its style have his fingerprints all over it.

The Bad: I like Katie Holmes but she really left me flat in this movie. Is the Tom Cruise crazy halo washing her out and leaving me disgusted, could be. Anyway you slice it she seemed mousy and not worth the effort Bruce is putting into it.

The story was a little weak but the first movie is really about setting the stage for the series. I could have done without ninjas. Unless then are in a Hong Kong Kung Fu film I hate ninjas. When you get ninjas running loose in America I hate it even more.

Bottom Line: Good start for a great franchise. Check it out.

Rating: 3 cocktails.