While making Batman inhabit a believable world and a respectable psychological landscape is a remarkable feat in itself, Nolan's crowning achievement was to make us forget the earlier franchise that started badly and plummeted downwards from there.

What Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" offers to the audience is not amazing action or impressive dialogue. His translation of the 'new' Batman provides both.

I am surprised at how much some people are admiring this film. They call it the best Batman movie ever. But just because it is dark and gritty doesn't mean it is the best. The film can sure use a better villain. Moreover, this movie is not fun. I believe Burton's Batman was more fun and more imaginative.

Batman Begins was just the tip of the ice berg for Christopher Nolan. A prelude, if you will. But what a HELL-OF-A prelude! Christian Bale is a very enticing Bruce Wayne/Batman, Gary Oldman a very interesting Commissioner Gordon, and an intriguingly novice first villain brought to us by Liam Neeson. And of course the always reliable Cain and Freeman are terrific in their roles. But the ultimate star prize goes to Cillian Murphy for stealing every single scene he's in. What a great film!… Expand

Despite being just a little confusing in some instances, "Batman Begins," is a much better Batman movie than the older ones, and is only topped by its superior sequel "The Dark Knight" (both are also way better than Nolan's Inception, which unfortunately turned out to be complete garbage).

Almost unwatchable.Christian Bale is an awful Batman almost as been as George Clooney.Morgan Freeman has no business being in a Batman or comic book movie.Katie Holmes is unbearable to watch and annoying to listen to and she should go back to making tv drama shows like back in the day.I hate the new Batmobile,get the old batmobile back.The bad guy in the movie was awful I don't know who he was supposed to be.The fighting scenes was terrible because the camera was jumpy its like a 5 year old shot the scenes.Michael Keaton was the best Batman although he wasn't perfect.I think its really difficult to find an actor to play Batman.… Expand

Amazing, absolutely spectacular. This is the best superhero/comic book movie ever made. It will only be outdone by The Dark Knight.

Awful! Inane dialogue, terrible acting, predictable action. Just a total, ridiculous, atrocious mess. It has none of the charm of the Tim Burton Batman films, brainless writing, and it goes on and on and on seemingly forever. I can't believe anyone enjoyed this. These critics have lost their minds, as far as I can tell.

Batman Begins is okay, not great. I agree with David Denby when he says thay the're no adequate villain. Also, all the "bad guys from somewhere in asia" as I call them, why do they want to destroy Gotham City at the other side of the world?

I'm a longtime batman fan. Batman would never wander the world engaged in murky activities to learn the criminal mind. Batman would not go to Ras Ah Gul for training. Batman would not cause hundreds of thousands of dollars escaping from the police. Yeah, I think the plot was kind of untrue to the mythos of batman. I think that the camera angles and the close ups of a lot of the action scenes made the scenes almost impossible to follow or know what was happening. I enjoyed the relationship between Batman and his supporting cast. A lot of money was definitely spent on this movie but I think that all the destruction and mayhem was too much for a batman movie. Batman is a detective and crime fighter whose job is to protect gotham not destroy it. The casting was good I just think that the next movie should tone down the destruction a couple of notches and focus more on batman and his fight against crime using his mind as his most important weapon.… Expand

The lighting and mood of this film made me feel the Dark Knight's greatest weapon: fear. I loved how they picked one theme and rolled with it, without fear.. Bale did an amazing job playing, no, BEING the Dark Knight! Best Film I've seen this year!

I love this movie! Top of the pops!

First off, this isn't an incredibly "fun" film -- but it is a fantastic Batman film. Characterizations are spot-on, and the dramatic levels were well chosen and built upon. The beginning jumps a bit, because it has a lot of ground to cover, but it comes in handy to have that grounding. There are little flashbulb, flamboyant, cheerful characters to counteract Batman's grim demeanor -- and if critics want to cling to it being too somber and serious an affair, while missing out on what *IS* there, it's their loss. This lays a nice foundation. We can now effectually believe in the Batman having international terrorist enemies, as well as the single escaped lunatic as a villain. Well done.… Expand

This film disappointed me. The dialogue throughout was surprisingly stilted. Bale didn't stand out as Bruce Wayne; despite the hype, he didn't leave any more of an impression than Keaton or Kilmer did in the role. The movie's biggest problem was that the plot never truly took off. I never felt completely engaged, and I noticed a few people in the theater yawning. Nonetheless, the movie will appeal strongly to fans of Batman. Goyer and Nolan take the source material seriously, whereas Burton and Schumacher basically forced their respective visions on the character. Also, the involvement of Ra's Al Ghul in Batman's origin is a clever touch, and a real improvement to the character's comicbook origins. The villians Scarecrow and Ra's Al Ghul are portrayed intelligently, and are a refreshing change from the cartoonish, distracting villians that dominate the other Batman movies.… Expand

Rendered unwatchable by the a.d.d. editing style. I don't think there is one shot in this film that lasts more than two seconds. It's impossible to figure out what the hell is going on in one incoherent action scene after another. Where's the Chris Nolan who gave us perfectly paced, thinking man's pictures like "Memento" and "Insomnia"? Was he kidnapped during the editing process?… Expand

I neither loved nor hated this movie -- it was just -eh-. It was well made, and true to the original text (for what that's worth), but it just didn't exite me. It needed more "sparkle", more humor, better pacing, something. If you're a big Batman fan, go see it. If you just want to see an entertaining action movie, save your money.

If you are trying to reboot a franchise, use this as an example. Get some one who isn't flashy as lead, a grade-A badass for your villain and nice old brit for your second protagonist. Oh, and also get a good director and screen writer

Not bad but it was kinda boring.

One of the greatest movies I have ever seen, worth my time , and also worth my money way back in 2005. I can't wait for the Dark Knight R.I.P HEATH LEDGER! great New Joker.

By FAR the best Batman movie!! I am so glad that some competent people finally took this series over. The last 3 movies to me were horrible!! Other then the very first batman and now this one, everything else was worthless!

This movie took the premise of a rich kid who lost his parents to a mugger then grows up to become a man who dresses in a costume and fights bad guys and, through the back story, made it seem believable - practically inexorable. The path from victim to revenge-seeker to trainee to symbol and force of justice is traced out in such a way that you can believe that someone mght walk that path and ultimately don the cowl. All the usual "WTF" stuff from the comics and the movies are explained - why do his gloves have the fins? Why is the batmobile equipped with a jet engine and where did he get it? Why the cape? It even answered one of my biggest beefs about the Batman movies to date: "Why would Commissioner Gordon trust a vigilante whose identity is unknown?" And thanks to this movie, we learn that their association and trust goes back to before Gordon becomes the Commissioner. The undercurrent of the movie is "fear" - Bruce's fear of the bats, the fear Falcone talks of before his goons turf Bruce out in the street, the fear that people feel that keeps the mob safe, Bruce's desire to spread fear amongst the criminals and, of course, the Scarecrow and his fear gas. As the fear-of-bats thing is pivotal to the make-up of Bruce Wayne and instrumental in the devising of Batman, it was inspired genius bringing in the Scarecrow as one of the villains. Far superior to all the previous Batman movies.… Expand

Awesome...

Fantastic!!!

Best Superhero Movie ever made. Hats off to Nolan and Christian Bale. 10/10.

A spectacular superhero film. A very dark, but thought-provoking take on Batman's origins. Christian Bale is the best Bruce Wayne ever cast in a film, his calmer, quieter demeanor captures Bruce's pain and internal struggles wonderfully. Veteran's Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman hold their own as well. Cillian Murphy is one creepy guy and he pulls off John Crane/Scarecrow magnificently. He delivers his dialogue so eerily, including the best line in the film; "He's here... the Batman!" The techs are first rate, particularly the cinematography, which gives us the feeling that people could actually live in Gotham. The actions and fight sequences are smart and well choreographed, if a little choppy. Overall a very well done superhero flick. I can't wait for The Dark Knight.… Expand

I don't really like origin movies but this one blew any i have seen out of the water. The director's take on Batman is one that i will never forget as it really made me feel what batman is.

When I first heard teh was ANOTHER Batman movie coming out, I groaned. "Why beat a dead horse." After all didn't Clooney & company kill the caped crusader dead enough for ya. Boy was I wrong. This movie is a fresh take on an old story. Very well done.

Batman Begins is a good movie. The way the movie tells of Bruce Wayne's past and how eventually became the dark knight, is told very well. The problem is that the movie is too long and overly dramatic. The dramatic music never stops playing in the background. Even if its a simple conversation between two characters. And the dialog tries to be too fancy. The movie also has no real villain. Scarecrow is in the movie for only a little bit, and makes a lame exit. Batman Begins also suffers from lack of humor and also a bit of stiff personality. So while the movie does a good job of showing you Wayne's past, and has a few good action scenes, it's overall pretty messy and too long for its own good.… Expand

A dark and action filled superhero film that actually makes a billionaire who dresses up as a bat and fights crime seem totally plausible.

What a misogynist piece of crap.

It was a great dark thriller. Actors are amazing. Very well directed. And... THE PLOT ! What a script ! I loved the bats, the batcave, every single bat-thing. It was reinventing Bruce Wayne and the Batman. Very well done. Just Katie Holmes annoyed me a bit.

I watched The Dark Knight and believed it was the very best a superhero film could be. That means when I get started with its precedessor I do not hope that it would be as much a masterpiece as TDK. The feeling is totally reversed after watching the movie. How on Earth could an action-based movie be both mind-absorbing and intricate at a time like this ?

One of the best movies I've ever seen.

A very good movie in almost every aspect, with the only bad thing being Katie Holmes as Rachel. Then again, Dawes was a newly created character just made for the movies. Just second to The Dark Knight.

Best Film of the Year!

The best superhero movie ever. The way I felt at the end of it was the way I should have felt at the end of Revenge of the Sith, but didn't. Everyone was top notch. It may be impossible to top in a sequel.

this is probably the best film of all the batmans, and the bst of the summer. nolan has a great mind for these sort of films and it is shown. everyone acts great, superb sequences and overall great story. all these reviewers above don't no s**t.

A bold, stunning, wonderful movie. Fantastic!

This is by far the best Batman movie EVER made, topping Tim Burton and putting the two 90s attempts to shame (well, more shame then they already had).

O.K. for all you naysayers out there, the movie is good - borderline great. I know I'll get flack for saying I've seen it but I work for Warner Bros. and they had an employee screening....and I loved it! I'm not saying this because I'm paid to...in fact; Warner's hasn't had a good movie come out since last years Million Dollar Baby. Batman Begins is dark, gritty, psychological and a little scary if that's possible. The sound is great, the acting is superb (except for Katie Holmes, the weakest link) and above all the plot makes it all worthwhile. Now, I love the comic books. I can already tell you that those that have given Batman Begins a negative rating have either never read the comic or did not care when they were reading. For anyone who cares about batman and how he came to be this movie is pure heaven. For anyone who could care less but just want to be entertained; they’ll love this flick. For all those self righteous critics who think that the Royal Tanenbaums or Waking Life was the most profound experience they have had....will be disappointed. I'm not saying that this movie is fluff, on the contrary it is the most serious of them all, but at the same time it's not quirky, it’s not a comedy and people....STOP trying to say that the Adam West TV show/Batman is the standard. A great classic quirky take...Yes, but the comic book hero we love no. If anyone has any questions about the film, go ahead and leave them and I will be glad to see what I can do to answer (no spoilers). Otherwise, bask in the glory that you will definitely get your money's worth when you buy a ticket, and you probably will want to go see it again.… Expand

Best Batman movie ever. Best comic book movie ever. Best action movie ever. Best movie ever. And the critic for the New Yorker who asked what Batman had to do with Eastern martial arts obviously has no clue.

Not just what I wanted in a Batman movie- but what I NEEDED in a Batman movie.

Wait till they get a load of this!

One of, if not the best comic book movie of all time! even non comic fans should enjoy!!

I had some pretty high expectations for this after seeing the trailers, and they were met and exceeded. The writing, direction, and acting were all top-notch--the only real flaw in the casting was that poor Katie Holmes was completely outclassed. Bale is absolutely perfect as both Batman and Bruce Wayne, and Liam Neeson plays the character that Qui-Gon should have been. The quick cuts and close-ups during the fight scenes were a little confusing and nausea-inducing, and the score was disappointingly bland, coming from Hans Zimmer. Aside from those minor issues, though, it was an outstanding film that transcended the genre. I'm already making plans to see it again as soon as possible.… Expand

Like Gotham itself, the previous four Batman films showed a gradual decay into a Batfan's worst nightmare. Batman Begins erases the past and rights the wrongs. It is simply perfect in every way. Thank you Mr. Nolan!!

Not just the best Batman movie, but the best comic book movie ever.

A near perfect telling of one of the few american mythologies. let's consider as a country we have been around a short time, and in two thousand years Batman will be as important a symbol of American culture as Zues is to the Greeks. In this manner, we have a scrpt that takes great care crafting an American style mythos. sometimes it seems trite, as in the training in martial arts in the east. But that theme is a repetitive story becasue America derives it's identy both from embracing other cultural experience and contrasting it. and the rest is fresh and exciting. bringing balance to the rubber suit and the American ideal.… Expand

This is by far the greatest Batman movie ever.

I've always been a fan of the Batman for as long as I can remember. As such, I usually hold my breath whenever a new movie is announced for fear that they'll further bury the Dark Knight in a tomb of overhyped rubbish. When Tim Burton unveiled Batman in 1989, I was thrilled at the way he reminded us how much we love the Caped Crusader. Burton single-handedly revived the public hunger for Batman by presenting the gritty and serious world of Gotham from the comics alongside the campy satire of the 60s TV show. Those who loved the comics or fondly remember the odd angles and garrishly colored villains of the TV show were both left wanting more. Since this that time, however, the series seemed to have lost it footing and fallen from the rooftops into a pit of neon and freon—thanks Joel! Enter 'Batman Begins'. Based closely on Frank Miller's (Sin City) Dark Knight series and completely devoid of the television camp, this film flys from the Schumacher pit like a bat out of . . . well, you get the idea. Straight from the pages of 'Batman: Year One' are the childhood origins of Bruce's fear of bats, the training and conditioning in Asia and even his less than stellar first night out. From the gritty realism of a city corrupt and rife with crime beneath a an oblivious high society to the 'practical' designs and explainations for Bruce Wayne's skills, equipment and methodology, it's all here. No clumsy romances to trip up this Dark Knight. No more day-glo villains. This Gotham is a real place with real problems. Christian Bale is turns in the BEST Bruce Wayne/Batman performance yet as he potrays a man in conflict with his own inner demons—pets he ultimately learns to wrangle and unleash on those foolish enough to cross him. Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox and Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon are inspired casting choices while Cillian Murphy (28 Days Later) turns in a creepy performance as The Scarecrow. Even Katie Holmes managed to play a strong character never allowed relationship with Bruce Wayne to become the typical Hollywod chink in our heroe's armor. I've never written a review at MetaCritic before and may never again but I already know I've written too much about a film which I can't praise highly enough. This is the reinvention Batman has been waiting for—the right cast, the right direction and just the right amount of 'gee whiz' elements to leave you wanting more. If this is just the beginning, I can't wait to see what's next.… Expand

Hands down the best comic adaptation on screen, not just of Batman but perhaps of all comic characters. This is the kind of movie where you go in expecting another rehash of the prior flicks, and walk away having seen something new, different, and genuinely special. Perhaps the best Batman tale ever, between film and comic; a movie I could take my wife to, and which we could both enjoy. Bring on the sequel, please!… Expand

Definitely the best Batman movie ever (sorry Tim). Probably the best super hero movie ever made. I still like the X-Men series a lot, but this one was remarkable.

This is a fantastic movie. I felt the same excitement as I did when I was a 9 year old boy watching the first Batman. Iit was quite strange to have that feeling since its so rare that a movie can do that anymore. This is by far the best of the Batman series and in a way invalidates the older ones by truly capturing who Batman is and how he came to be. Amazing character development, amazing filmwork and brilliant pacing. I can't wait for the next one.… Expand

The Thinking man's Batman. Very good movie and up there with the other really batman movie, the first one, and edging out Batman Returns (I'm not even going to mention the two atrocities that Joel Schumacher contributed). Christian Bale is easily the best batman yet and both Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy make great, realistic villians. Can't wait for the sequel.

Lacks a good pace or flow, some sorta of sense of sweep or storytelling that the Burton films had. And its action scenes are mostly shaky messes totally lacking in grace and buildup. BUT: it gets just about everything else right. So here's hoping the next one has a bit more flare and bounce.

The best batman movie......period. blows all others away.

Much better than I thought it would be, it opened up the Batman mythology in a whole new perspective.

The deepest and most striking of the Batman movies. It has a real sense of purpose in each and every frame and all the actors do a brilliant job. My fave has got to Johnathan Crane aka The Scarecrow. The guy oozes evil and sadism. Wonderful entry in the Bat mythos.

Hard, dark, and real... fun, sharp, and sexy... what more do you want in a movie?

Too many villains hurt this film, but it certainly captures Batman's real character. Christian Bale was a good choice and the supporting cast is great except for Katie Holmes who doesn't seem old enough for the role. I think they should have saves Ra's Al Ghul for later.

A fun ride from start to finish, that just doesn't get boring. However it just doesn't hold a candle to the Tim Burton vehicle of '89, which remains, obviously, the best batman film, and the reigning king of all superhero films.

Best movie I've seen all year. Bale plays Batman/Bruce Wayne to near perfection. The rest of the cast is great as well. I was really amazed how the story unfolded, everything from the gadgets, the villains, the chase, and especially how there was more depth and focus on Batman/Bruce Wayne. That was a factor in the other films that i felt was lacking. The only aspect of the film that bothered me a bit.. Just a bit.. Were the fight scenes. I wish director Chris Nolan would've pulled the camera back a bit more and maybe let a few shots play out a bit longer for the audience. I'm glad that at least the final fight between Batman and ***** was a lot less confusing and more enjoyable. That's the only thing keepin me from givin this movie a 10. Hopefully the sequel will have eveything that worked great for this movie and better fight scenes.… Expand

When Bruce Wayne dons the bat get-up, Christian Bale uses a different voice, which is a nice touch because the secret identity is always going to be a contrivance if Clark Kent sounds exactly like Superman. Bale's bat-voice sounds, at first, like bad acting, and Alec Baldwin with laryngitis, but it's a realistic detail. Although director Christopher Nolan will undoubtedly disappoint the Sundance hardliners, he appeases those cinephile idealists by cleverly referencing Bale's most famous role-to-date, until now, that is, when Wayne and Rachel talk about surfaces. And contemplate what you'd call that gift Wayne gives to Rachel after its been in her possession for a couple of years. It's another fun film reference for film geeks. "Batman Begins", surprisingly, is a relatively graceful major studio debut for Christopher Nolan. Sure, there's the genre requirement that there be a big, noisy chase, but there are also scenes like the one in which Bruce Wayne's parents get murdered that has the gravitas of an actual tragedy. And our first look at the batcave is another instance of disconcerting filmmaking; disconcerting, because some of us don't revere the comic book/graphic novel. There's a real sense of wonder. On the downside, Katie Holmes looks a little too young for her role. She should've been a plucky intern working under the mentorship of a seasoned prosecutor like, I don't know, anybody but Katie Holmes.… Expand

I read a lot of critics calling it humorless. Well, when was Batman meant to be the class clown...I appreciate the fact that Chris Nolan approached this film as a serious film with a story to tell...Not to satisfy the viewers with snappy one liners..The first true great movie I saw this summer..Seriously I don't remember the last time I had so much fun watching a movie at the theater...Now Im willing to shell another 15 bucks to watch it IMAX...… Expand

Definetly the BEST Batman ever. Really makes the character a legend like it was meant to be. And for once Batman can emote. Like Matt A says " The thinking man's Batman" Also the batmobile has to be the best ever too ..

I went in with high expectations based on clips and other assorted hype and came away with those expectations exceeded by this film. Nolan and Goyer were exactly the team needed to revive the Dark Knight. The only real weak spot was side-of-the-mouth talking Katie Holmes, who still seems too much a little girl to pull off the tough D.A. role. Bale was superb in the dual role, finally giving us TWO distinct characters. This movie can stand alone but we can only hope and pray that Nolan signs on to do another...if not more.… Expand

This is the Batman we've all been waiting for. It was like watching the pages of Neil Adams come to life. The acting was superb from all counts, the effects intergreted perfectly with the real, and the fantasy was well interwoven with realism. This film could have easily been longer and still not lose it's tempo. My only dislike was that the film's score was a bit too much. Not every scene needs to have music in the background, but none the less, it did not take away from the fact that Nolan and Bale delivered the best comic book to film movie ever. Bale delivered the depth and anger of the Batman. Awsome!!! This film's production is exceptional and it's actors are quality. Finally, hollywood has got it right for once.… Expand

Best of everything. Camp, Action, Drama, Humor. This is an essential comic book movie. Not a motion picture comic book, like Sin City, but a passionate film based on characters developed through comic books.

Simply Amazing. There will be haters, but never has a comic movie captured the intensity of a character in this way. The rail scene toward the end was the best action scene ever in my opinion, I almost ripped the armrest on my chair it was so intense.

Strong writing, great performances and a decent story. Took the appropriate time to get to the part where he evolves into Batman. That is, Batman is a little careless and clumsy at first, his gear not quite refined. I don't think that you need to be a Batman fan, or a super hero story fan, to enjoy this movie. Perhaps best of all, this is the first mainstream filmthat I have seen in a while that did not have any product/logo placements anywhere!! think about just how rare that is in mainstream movies!.. I appreciated it. Oh yeah, saw it on IMAX which was an additional treat.… Expand

The best Batman film ever? Definately. Why? Because it's exactly what the original comics needed to honour them, it's exactly the film we true Batman fans have been waiting for...forever.

Rousing.

"Batman Begins" is not only the best Batman movie ever, but also one of the best super hero movies of all time. Nolan nails exactly what a Batman film should be: deep, dark, and realistic. Bale portrays Bruce Wayne as a multi-layered character, complex character, unlike the actors from the previous films. In addition, the villains were all great. Some of the critics were obviously expecting a well-known classic villain such as the Joker, and it is shallow of them to bring down the movie just because Batman's foes are a little obscure. I thinks it's a good thing Nolan didn't feel like he had to resort to having the Joker in the first film, rather than telling the story he had in mind. "Batman Begins" is an excellent film, much better than the new Star Wars. It will probably be the best mainstream movie this summer, and you are missing out if you don't see it. This is a great movie, not just a great super hero movie (ie Spider-Man 1).… Expand

Pretty much the best Batman movie ever concieved. Go out and see it right away, let the WB know that this is how a super hero movie should be done.

I am a huge Batman fan, and going in, my fav was Returns, and I had seen this Christopher Nolan's work before, I knew it was going to be good, BUT that movie passes good within the first 5 minutes. Without a shadow of doubt, I can honestly say that this my friends is the greatest Batman movie ever made, and right up in my top 5 Best Movies EVER MADE! If they can keep Nolan and Bale for the sequel, this fanchise will smash them all!… Expand

It has been said too many times that today’s comics represent the Mythology of our time. I never truly believed that until seeing Batman Begins. The introductions of motive, character and plot are so finely woven this story will indeed stand the test of time. I brought my son to the movie and it was a story that spoke to the both of us. Skillfully written, perfectly cast, wonderfully acted and beautifully shot... it is no myth that Batman Begins is a movie for the ages.… Expand

Very very unexpected. I figured I'd like it, but wasn't prepared to call it my favorite comic book movie ever.

Any critic that gives this brilliant work of art a bad review sucks. I thought that Spidey-2 was the best super-hero flick ever but I was wrong. It's funny, scary, intense and it kicks ass. See it, now.

This is the best superhero film made thus far. The capture why batman is batman and why he puts on the mask. He is the dark knight and the villians take a back seat. Great movie with amazing sound effects. Any real critic that gave it a below 90% rating should be fired. The fans matter and have spoken. Can't wait for the sequel as long as its done just like the first, and Crispin Glover is the joker!… Expand

1st hour was slow for the kids, but was great retelling of why Batman is Batman, great action and great dark atmosphere to movie.

Nearest thing to a real dark knight. Maybe not for kids, but awsome to long-time and older fans.

Great acting! Bale is the BEST Batman/Bruce Wayne yet! The movie is pretty intense. It can also be a little drawn out. If you're not a patient person and want to see it just for action, you may not like this movie. But if you're looking for an in depth story about a Bruce Wayne and how/why he becomes the Dark Knight, this is a great version.

Didn't really know what to expect from the previews, but I was happy with the movie. I thought the action sequences were great and the effects were good as well. There was alot of back story before the action kicked in and I can't wait for the next movie because I expect that there will be even more action since the backstory has been taken care of already.

The first hour makes everything so real and believable. When Batman finally appears, you don't see him as a cartoon character but as a menacing masked vigilante....just as how Bob Kane intended.

The movie to see this summer!

Batman Begins ...in a word, Awesome! Finally a character driven story of Batman given a serious screen treatment. Excellent acting & directing. The pacing of the film builds to an exciting thoughtful , powerful climax leaving the viewer wanting to a sequel immediately! This is the Batman fans have been waiting for! Now go see it! The Darkknight will not disappoint!

This was a good movie. Not perfect but good. Well acted by all and well thought out. I went into this with not high expectations despite the initial glowing reviews. I expected to hate the batmobile and the bat costume. I'm a "batman does not wear armor" kind of guy and I despise what they've done in past movies. Surprisingly I was ok with the costume design. The cowl still looked like it wasn't exactly condusive to crime fighting but I liked that they said it could take all but a straight on shot. Not ideal in my world but close enough. As for the car l.... the look of it did not bother me as much as I thought it would but there was one chase scene that I didn't care for much. Let's keep the cars grounded please. My major complaint is the flying or I suppose, more correctly, the gliding. I understand what they were going for as they wanted to have a use for the cape but for me, they went too far. My minor complaints are the bat mobile and the action scenes. Again... I understand what they were going for. He strikes quickly and disappears. No long drawn out kung fu fights. I agree with that but I think there is a way to show a quick vicious devestating fighting style where you can still tell what's going on. An example of this might be in the early Steven Segal movies. In this movie I defy anyone to be able to identify anything that is happening in the fighting scenes. Those complaints aside, this is clearly the best batman movie to date. Most of the others were complete garbage and I'm not even a fan of the original Burton vision. Batman wearing armour. The Joker killing the Wayne's. The Joker shooting down the batwing with a hand gun. All horrible memories for me. I look forward to the next movie. Hopefully they'll ground the joker in reality. My vision of the Joker is more in line with the villain in the first Dirty Harry movie. Someone crazy enough to hire someone to beat him up so he could blame the beating on a cop. Bottom line for this movie is thumbs up. Go see it. It won't be the best movie you've ever seen. It won't even be the best Super Hero movie you've ever seen. But it will be good solid entertainment.… Expand

The movie takes itself a bit too seriously. other than this slight flaw it is great.

This movie leaves no questions unanswered in my eyes. This is a full introductory into the world of Gotham and the Dark Knight.

Unparalleled brilliance. This is without doubt the best Batman movie to ever grace the silver screen, and by the far the best movie of the year. I honestly don't see why the critics (some of them anyway) didn't like this more. But I suppose my opinion is a biased one, considering my complete verneration for Batman. GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!

If you can see it on IMAX by all means DO...it's phenominal!

By far the best batman since the first. Christian was great. The movie felt a little short or some of the story parts seemed to be rushed but still very well done.

Ok, it's not a bad movie. It's probably the best batman movie ever made, but that doesn't make it a 10. Personally I think they should have just gone and recreated 'The Dark Night' series and gone for the end of batman's career. Anyway, this is an ok movie but just doesn't thrill the way, xmen or spiderman does. And for some reason seeing Bale in the batsuit for the first time really struck me as silly. Silly to the point that I almost laughed out loud. Anyway, it's ok. For whatever reason walking out of the movie I couldn't stop thinking about how incredible the Spiderman flicks are. I guess I appreciate what a difficult task it is to make a 'comic book' movie that isn't just silly by nature. Probably a let down if you are expecting a Frank Miller style gritty batman (it's a dark and gritty film, no doubt, but without any real soul or substance unfortunately). Just average.… Expand

Dark and wonderful!

The acting and writing are terrific. Bale *IS* Bruce Wayne, and his interactions with Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine and (especially) Liam Neeson are tremendous to watch. The only thing bringing this down are some incoherently shot action sequences. Shaking a camera during a fight sequence doesn't make it more exciting, it makes it harder to see!

Let's see two action adventure movies. Mr. & Mrs. Smith was awful. Ah, but Batman rings the bell. Everything the former isn't, this one is. Don't miss it. Now this is a summer blockbuster. Kudo's to all.

It is amazing how so many professional critics got this right and an equal number missed the mark entirely. The fact is that the public is bye and large going to LOVE this movie. And not because there isn't a real JOKER in the deck, but because it shows the true definition of why the Dark Knight became Batman with his own personal demons. If ever there was a movie that was true to itself, this is it. Christian Bales is the best Batman ever. He doesn't overplay the character and instead explains his need to dedicate his life to fighting man's injustice to man. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are their usual excellent selves in that they make any role believable. The ongoing friendship/respect between a young (Commissioner) Sgt. Gordon is explained in a reasonable way. Kudo's to all for a great summer blockbuster.… Expand

Finally the Dark Knight as he was intended!