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Batman Begins
Academy Award® Nominee
Discover the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight's emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale)...  View more >

Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Katie Holmes...  View more >

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Reviews Summary


Please Note: Reader Reviews are submitted by the readers of The BigScreen Cinema Guide and represent their own personal opinions regarding this movie, and do not represent the views of The BigScreen Cinema Guide, or any of its associated entities.

Jun 16, 2005
The best movie of the summer so far! The best Batman ever! Maybe the best comic movie yet!
Jun 17, 2005
Great movie. And, I say it and stand by it, it is better then Tim Burton's first Batman movie. Christian Bale is an outstanding Bruce Wayne and Batman. See this movie right away.
Jun 18, 2005
WOW! This movie is incredible. It explains how and why he becomes Batman. It is visually stunning and the story is very good. This is the movie that should have been made many years ago. I am very glad I saw it and I can't wait for the next one. This is so well done and the characters and sets so well defined that I can easily see a long line of sequels. I am looking forward to more Batman movies and can't wait to see this one again. Christian Bale is perfect as Batman and I just loved "Alfred" Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman's character. Go see it and I'm sure you will agree.
Jun 18, 2005
This re-imagining of the Batman franchise sees the superhero in decidedly human terms. He learns throughout the film to distinguish between justice and revenge, and decides to become an instrument of justice. The film doesn't have the slick hollowness of the last three Batman films, but it never ascends to the mythological like the first one did. And it's cleanly, positively, a moral film; idealogically placating the audience instead of challenging them. When Bruce Wayne opines that it is compassion that seperates "us" from "them" (the criminals), those of of us who had seen Lars Von Trier's Dogville will wince, conscious of the arrogant backbone of the Christian ethic of forgiveness.

On it's own terms though, Batman Begins works marvelously. Bale's Bruce Wayne is suprisingly a different character then his Patrick Bateman, he's genuinely likale. The casting is not terribly creative, but the supporting players are professional and more than happy to squeeze some juice out of their parts. Rutger Hauer, Michael Caine, Tom Wilkinson, and Gary Oldman are uniformly excellent.

The action and special effects are above par to. The Scarecrow's scenes are genuinely terrifying, and the climactic battle is a jaw dropper. The film is electrifying and involving, a real refresher after a seemingly endless parade of yawners. Not quite a great film, this more than gets the job done all the same.
Jun 19, 2005
Great Movie!
Jun 21, 2005
Way better than the other Batman movies
Jun 22, 2005
Awsome movie! Christian Bale was an excellent Batman, I hope he makes more Batman movies! Make sure to see this one in the theaters, it will not be as awsome on TV.
Jun 23, 2005
"Batman Begins" has restarted the series into a new direction. We know that Batman orgin by heart, but we never enter into Bruce Wayne's mind, until now. This is the new Batman that we waited for. A different villian (Scarcrow), a different batmobile that looks like a tank. the film is "Batman Begins".....and I hope the series never ends.
Jun 23, 2005
Awesome story.
Jun 26, 2005
Best batman movie of them all. The others don't even stack up to this.
Jul 7, 2005
I will admit to being a fan of the comic book, from way back. Finally they got it right. A well done movie. A bit heavier on plot then the other Batman movies, and a little less action, but a good movie overall. If you are a fan, you should see this on the big screen, and not wait for a rental.
Jul 7, 2005
One of the best movies I have seensince LOTR Return of the King. The story was well written and the acting was first rate. It explains Batman's origins for those of us who are not familiar with the comic book. Actually liked it better than Revenge of the Sith. This is one of those "Must see in theater" movies....Go...Now!
Jul 12, 2005
Almost gave this one a "See Now" Sometimes the action was so fast as to really not know what was going on.

Overall, go see it. You'll have a good time.
Jul 14, 2005
It was good. A newer twist on batman. A bit on the darker side.
Jul 15, 2005
Jul 15, 2005
Jul 21, 2005
I've always been a huge Batman fan. This film was much better than the other four films. Batman Begins takes you deeper into the life of Batman. Christian Bale is the best Batman yet! Batman Begins is much darker than the other batman films, but it is still loaded with action. I'de recommend this film to anyone.
Jul 22, 2005
My husband and I really liked this movie and plan on seeing it again! This is rare for us. Loved the actors, story-line, special effects, etc. Especially loved the new "Alfred"!
Jul 23, 2005
For people who aren't into Batman: it isn't bad and I wouldn't say "stay away," but I wasn't very entertained. I can see how Batman fans would like it/love it though.
Jul 27, 2005
Ah...the Dark Knight returns!! This movie is the antithesis to "Batman and Robin", it is everything that movie was not...most notably, GOOD! I did like Tim Burton's vision of the original Batman film, but this movie had a component of reality that was missing in Burton's movie...and Christian Bale is, by far, the best Bruce Wayne to ever grace the screen.

See this movie while it is still on the BIG screen...its worth it!! Actually, if you can catch it on the IMAX...do it!!
Sep 29, 2005
Dark Knight Reconstructionist Theory

Droves of bats against an ochre sunset, teasing out the infamous Bat Logo on the sky with their swarming bodies; the first five seconds of Batman Begins are scintillating.

Then it just keeps getting better.

If there is bedrock truth in the axiom, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, then surely the inverse is also true: “If it IS broke – FIX it.” And if there was one modern legend that needed fixin’, it was the laughable vamp and clamorous camp of Gotham’s fruity caped crusader, the Bat Man. As Michael Caine might opine, “About bloody time".

Director Christopher Nolan is in no hurry to throw us blockbuster money shots, as this leisurely-paced (yet crammed with content) origin tale takes us on a blighted journey, physically and mentally, exploring the whys and wherefores of the psychosis/rationale behind one man’s obsession for curbing injustice. Along the way, we are made privy to a multitude of answers to questions we’ve sometimes never even thought to ask, such as: how did Alfred get in on the gag?; origin of the Batcave?; cowl contractors?; why reptilian spikes on forearms?; why even WEAR a cape, a non-utilitarian artifice at best? - and, most importantly, “why a bat?”

In the Keaton-Batman movie (till now, the best of the modern Batman series), we met our protagonist already entrenched in his dualism; how he got there was the subject of minimal flashbacks and *a priori* knowledge on the viewer’s part. This movie, though subtitled “Batman 5”, SHOULD realistically be the first in the series.

Which raises a pertinent issue: where do they go from here? Through years of braindead example, we are well aware of how gutless, greedy, shameless and rootless studio heads are, and how they would readily sacrifice quality for the sake of potentially increasing sales of their stocks. The fact that creating a quality product might even elevate their stock values NEVER occurs to them. As such, Begins is a *departure* from the Method. Unfortunately, it is not the beginning of a trend, as painfully illustrated by the shallow mentality (and hence, wide demographic appeal) of The Fantastic Four, this season’s OTHER superhero movie.

Batman Begins is so rooted in a modern-day reality, and filmed so grittily and starkly, that when the Batman eventually does appear, he is almost incongruous; an anachronism in this modern crime drama. In keeping with Bruce Wayne’s vision: invoking fear with a figure so haunting and misplaced from reality that it resembles nightmare.

Not for the Attention-Deficit-Disorderlies, our Chiropteran Hero appears well after the movie’s first hour and then, only in small bouts of screentime - true to Wayne’s vision, “the bat man” is portrayed as an enigma. See too much of the Enigma, it loses its mystery and terror.

Amazing how the film-makers took so many liberties with this revered character and yet re-rendered him as even MORE appealing. The costume is the blackest, sleekest and most functional of all Batman’s incarnations. (Unfortunately, after initial glimpses, we never see it wholly clearly again.) The logo has been honed to a more serrated appearance - subsequently, all the bat-gadgets must necessarily resonate this upgrade. The Batcave is an actual CAVE, depicted before computerization, dramatic lighting and rising turntable dais for Batmobile…

Nolan even went so far as to renounce the canon, “Never mess with a man’s vehicles”, obliterating the popular conceptual design of Batman’s automobile – gone are the associative batwings and sleek undulating curves – the “tumbler”, as it is called here, is the jagged offspring of a Hummer and an F-14 Tomcat.

And the best upgrade of all: Batman is no pussy-rescuer.

Allow me to elaborate: Superheroes are often shown saving kittens in trees and preventing minor purse-snatchings, to give us a sense that they really do CARE on a level which should probably be “beneath” them. Well, it IS beneath them. In a reality where super-beings commission themselves to combat injustice, they would be veritable gods (albeit vigilante gods), and you don’t bother gods with trivialities like the coffee machine being broken – they are there to solve the BIG PROBLEMS that are above the Common Folks’ capabilities.

Ironically, a “super” being concerning himself with every grocery-store heist and fanny-pack snatch WOULD be considered a menace through his vigilantism - by every cop flunkie who would rather be scoring the collar for themselves.

Conversely, super-beings who involve themselves at higher levels of crime will ALSO risk run-ins with the authorities – but at higher levels of bureaucracy. For the authorities in every major city don’t REALLY want to stamp out crime, or drugs, or terrorism – without the power they wield as supposed protectors from these “evils” (not to mention the direct and indirect kickbacks and perks), they become impotent.

An excellent writing choice in allowing this “super” being to resolve a fiendishly “super” plot - one which could not simply be curtailed with some well-placed Pow’s and Blammo’s.

Although, to be honest, in making Batman more than a pussy-rescuer, it would then be unnecessary for this high-crime bane to stand atop a rooftop gazing out over the city. All he is achieving is airing out his cape, as he is WAY TOO BUSY to go galavanting after every stereo-stealer and roach-dealer he must be witnessing from that vantage.

The cast itself packs a Blammo, and have the time of their lives playing dress-up: Bale in his Batsuit; Caine, a spunkier Alfred; Oldman playing Good Guy; Liam, exotic Hard Guy; Murphy in his funky burlap hood; Wilkinson doing Pacino; Freeman playing – er, Freeman.

Give Keaton his due, but forgo the rest of the series, ESPECIALLY Clooney’s nipples and Robin’s single facial expression - it is HERE… that Batman begins…
Jan 2, 2009
Great!!!!!
Nov 14, 2010
Great Movie!! A Must See for All Fans of BatMan!!
Nov 24, 2011

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