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Christian Bale, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy ... see more see more... , Tom Wilkinson , Rutger Hauer , Ken Watanabe , Mark Boone Jr. , Linus Roache , Morgan Freeman , Gus Lewis , Michael Caine , Sara Stewart , Larry Holden , Richard Brake , Mark Boone Junior

The origins of the Caped Crusader of Gotham City are finally brought to the big screen in this new adaptation of the perennially popular comic-book series. The young Bruce Wayne (Gus Lewis) leads a pr... read more read more...ivileged life as the son of wealthy, philanthropist parents, both of whom stress their commitment to improving the lives of the citizens of crime-ridden Gotham City. After his mother and father are murdered by a mugger, however, Wayne grows into an impudent young man (Christian Bale), full of rage and bent on retribution until encouraged by his childhood sweetheart, Rachel Dawes (Katie Holmes), to search for answers beyond his own personal vendettas. Wayne eventually finds discipline in the Far East under the tutelage of Henri Ducard (Liam Neeson), a member of the mysterious League of Shadows who guides him in the study of martial arts -- and the ways in which an ordinary man can hone his senses to an almost superhuman acuity. After seven years away from Gotham, Wayne returns, determined to bring peace and safety back to the city. With the help of his faithful manservant, Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), a scientist at his late father's corporation, Wayne develops a secret identity as Batman, a masked fighter for justice. But when a shady psychiatrist (Cillian Murphy) joins forces with the criminal underworld, Wayne realizes that putting an end to their nefarious plans will be very difficult indeed. Batman Begins also features Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon and Tom Wilkinson as the crime boss Carmine Falcone. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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PG-13, 2 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Release Date: June 15, 2005

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DVD Release Date: October 18, 2005

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Flixster Reviews (79,544)

  • garyX
    May 9, 2012
    garyX
    Christopher Nolan had already proved he could do characters and dialogue and in this latest reinvention of the classic comic book character, he proves emphatically that he can do action too. Taking cues from Tim Burton's previous attempt to bring the character back to its dark ro... read moreots, Nolan's vision is so gritty and believable it makes Burton's film seem as comparatively camp as the Adam West TV series that preceded it. This origin story has no radioactive spiders or associated sillines; just an intelligent examination of a man's guilt and desire for revenge and the psychology of fear. This combined with unlimited resources that wealth can provide, Batman is born utilising some brilliant production design that not only looks fantastic, but also looks plausible. Bale was the perfect choice for the role, bringing a single-minded intensity to the character and is just as convincing in his pimpernel-esque role as billionaire playboy. The supporting cast of genuine actors including Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman add a lot of dramatic weight and the script is cleverly fleshed out. Possibly the only flaws are the fact that although Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy are both great it lacks a focal villain (something obviously rectified quite spectacularly by Heath Ledger in the sequel) and Katie Holmes is a bit of a dead zone but these gripes are insignificant compared to Nolan's achievement in bringing Batman to believable life. For me, this is the best superhero movie ever made and it stands up handsomely to repeated viewings. A future classic.
  • aquateen2
    May 7, 2012
    aquateen2
    [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img]

    Christopher Nolan proves here that he understands the symbolism and importance of Batman in this reboot of the franchise. His direction and script is amazingly smart, but if one thing's for sure, I just ... read morecannot resist smiling at the sight of Gary Oldman driving the batmobile. Christian Bale's charisma, charm and voice brings The Dark Knight to life and really makes the character study work well. It's an extremely dark comic book adaption and unlike any Batman film before but it's also original, exciting and filled with thrilling action sequences. Essentialy, it's an entertaining and deeply mature art house film about ideas, with a budget.
  • fb1463751009
    March 9, 2012
    fb1463751009
    The character development/theme/plot all mended together so well. In my opinion, better than iron man. Great movie.
  • paulkoh110
    March 5, 2012
    paulkoh110
    Its a great introduction of a darker batman from director christopher nolan. Truly a treat!
  • CloudStrife84
    February 17, 2012
    CloudStrife84
    Just saw this for about the fourth time now and it's still as fantastic as ever. Although The Dark Knight has pushed it down to a runner-up position for all-time best Batman feature, it's still a masterpiece of a comic-book film, that I hold in very high regard. My utmost ... read moreadmiration for Christopher Nolan, who took the mythos of the character and made him the coolest, most believable superhero to have ever existed on the big screen. Thanks to his amazing genius, we finally got the Batman movie of our dreams. One that gets everything right and leaves you with an imminent desire to watch it again.
  • CreedsDelight
    December 18, 2011
    CreedsDelight
    Batman Begins is a visual masterpiece. It isn't much of a comic-book film, but a crime saga. Christian Bale gives an exceptional performance as the rich Bruce Wayne. Despite 'The Dark Knight' having a clear superiority to 'Begins', by no means does that put this film down, they a... read morere both the best Batman films made and the greatest films by Christopher Nolan. While this is no 1989 Batman, there are still some very impressive and well-excecuted action sequences, but the film succeeds as a crime drama more than an action film, which is what makes Nolan one of the best directors in the business. Highly recommended.
  • sanjurosamurai
    November 25, 2011
    sanjurosamurai
    the best sound and cinematography Ive ever seen in a movie. a great restart to a film series about this figure of american mythology. every actor delivered leaving me salivating for the next films in the series. the training sequence was brilliant and the development of the ch... read morearacter bruce wayne was as complete and interesting as one could have hoped for.
  • fb100002535597619
    September 24, 2011
    fb100002535597619
    A great Batman movie that was released after years after the abysmal Batman and Robin. Batman Begins discusses Batman's origin and delves deep into Bruce Wayne's psyche. The only negative points against this movie are the zoomed in fight sequences and the lack of the "Scarecrow... read more" character.
  • mumby1988
    August 22, 2011
    mumby1988
    The words 'substance' and 'blockbuster' are rarely found in the same sentence. Nor indeed are the words 'auteur' and 'commercially reliable'. But Christopher Nolan is living, breathing proof that the two can come together and make astonishing work. Having won over mainstream audi... read moreences with Memento and Insomnia, Nolan uses his particular blend of non-linear storylines and visual hyper-realism to breathe new life into a long-dead franchise.

    With all the acclaim being accorded to The Dark Knight (most of which it deserves), it is easy to forget just how good or how strong Batman Begins is. It's not just good by Batman standards, or by prequel standards; it has its own, stand-alone identity, a headstrong independence which defies and ignores all that has gone before it. Gone are the Gothic spires of Tim Burton's Gotham City, or the day-glo camp of Joel Schumacher's costumes. This is a new whole new world, in all its meticulous and frightening glory.

    All of Nolan's films are stunning to behold, but Batman Begins takes his craft to new heights. He is famous for not using a second unit, allowing him to supervise and construct every shot just the way he wants it. This means there is no jarring difference between the film's dramatic scenes and the external effects designed to show us the city. Even in the most effects-heavy parts of the film, we never question who is behind the camera, guiding these scenes and determining their significance.

    Nolan has the same gift for visual verisimilitude as Ridley Scott, whose masterpiece Blade Runner was a major influence on the young filmmaker. Both directors are able to construct seamless, immersive worlds on screen which are simultaneously strange and familiar. They have a beauty which both comforts and surprises us, allowing the filmmaker to play with the clichés and always come up with something new. But while several of Scott's films are truly style over substance (Legend, Someone to Watch Over Me), Nolan has yet to make a film which forsakes narrative substance for the sake of visual splendour.

    What makes Batman Begins so rewarding, so gripping, and arguably so radical, is that there is a constant and unrelenting focus on the story. No matter how much we jump back and forth in time, or how many bad guys get hit, we never doubt that the movie is in control of itself and is yearning to move on to the next important piece of character development. The fact that we have to wait an hour before Christian Bale even dons the bat-suit is a clear sign that the filmmakers want to do this properly. They have avoided falling into the trap of either the original films, which often put the narrative on pause for a kid-friendly set-piece, or the Star Wars prequels, which waded through years of turgid back-story for a few minutes of vaguely dark action.

    Mark Kermode once described this film as "a little independent, weird, art movie, trapped within the body of a $140m blockbuster." And he wasn't far off. Batman Begins is much less a superhero film per se than it is a detailed philosophical examination of the nature of fear and morality in a chaotic world. Both our protagonists and his many enemies have fear and intimidation as their source of power -- the former by their bribes and weapons, the latter by stealth and an incorruptible desire to do good. But rather than keep it as a straight fight between good guys and baddies, the film questions the motivations of our hero on a frequent basis. The supporting cast, particularly his old flame, push him on his motivation for doing what he does, in the way he does, regardless of how little they actually know.

    This is a film in which the desire to do good can so easily be blurred into the desire for power; in which the lines between justice and vengeance are frequently re-drawn; and in which the triumph of good over evil is neither complete nor reassuring. In the film's closing scenes, Gary Oldman warns Batman that he is potentially doing more harm than good; this enemy may have been extinguished, but a darker menace lurks on the horizon which will be harder to defeat.

    At the centre of all this is the idea that to defeat evil, one must understand it and even adopt part of its methods if the ends justify the means. The League of Shadows, headed up by Ra's al Ghul, are a symbolic forewarning to Bruce Wayne of what he could become should he fully embrace his fear. Liam Neeson's character is a Nietzschean figure, who has channelled his desire for justice so purely that it has consumed all his remaining humanity. Bruce Wayne should if anything be more brutal, since he wishes to atone for the death of his parents. But when he is asked to slay the farmer, his humanity intervenes and he refuses. This pivotal scene confirms Wayne's incorruptible nature; he may become feared, but he will never let the fear become him.

    One criticism of this film from some quarters is that this new emphasis on darkness and philosophical soul-searching has taken all the fun out of the character. In fact one of the pleasant surprises about Batman Begins is the extent to which humour still resides. Not only do we get impressive popcorn-worthy action sequences, but we also have a script which grows more sarcastic and playful as all the battle lines are drawn. There aren't any laugh-out-loud moments, but that's not why the film exists.

    The film is inhabited by one of the best all-star casts outside a Robert Altman film. Christian Bale is brilliant as Batman, drawing on his great work in American Psycho to make Bruce Wayne totally three-dimensional. He plays Wayne with a tortured intensity which makes his pain all the more palpable. The supporting cast is completely solid, with the best performances coming from Cillian Murphy as the chillingly creepy Dr. Krane and Michael Caine as the affable father figure Alfred. Special mention should also go to Gary Oldman as Gordon and to Liam Neeson, who gives one of his best performances in years.

    The only real flaws with Batman Begins come when it attempts the widest possible appeal. The last twenty minutes, is completely over-the-top and rather cavalier on the part of the director. It's not so much a punch in the face as a flick on the nose; not especially painful, but you still feel annoyed that it happened. Moreover the opening scenes, before Bale reaches the monastery, are very jumpily edited so that only the most devoted will be pulled in.

    Nonetheless, Batman Begins is a really great film which does not deserve to be neglected in the wake of The Dark Knight's success. It is a stunning combination of style and substance which avoids all the pitfalls of its counterparts and predecessors. Together with The Dark Knight, it has become the gold standard against which all subsequent superhero films have been measured, and more often than not come up short. It may not be Nolan's best film -- that remains Inception -- but it is a fantastic demonstration of how art and money are not so easy to separate.
  • skeletonking101
    August 8, 2011
    skeletonking101
    Batman has always been one of the greatest comic book heroes of all time (my personal favorite superhero,) because of how he is the fine line between a superhero and a villain because of how he actually questions his morals and decisions and if he should be a hero or villain, and... read more this film definitely shows this. Christian bale does a fantastic job as Bruce Wayne/Batman, and this film is much more dark than the past films, and one of the main reasons for this is because of the villain Scarecrow, for exposing people to their fears and all those scenes almost make this film a horror movie to me, as well as the character himself. Liam Neeson also does a fantastic job as Ra's Al Ghul, But theres not much to say about this character aside from that Neeson does a great job and does a good job at developing this characters motives. The side characters are good too Katie Holmes, though not being in the film for more than 20 minutes, does a good job, as well as Michael Caine as the butler Alfred and Morgan Freeman as the friend to Bruce. The only real complaint I have with this film is that the action is all shot in close ups and is hard to tell whats what when the fists are flying, and the slow pace is also not helping the film either. But overall this is a good comic film but mainly for Batman fans

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Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman
September 7, 2011
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

It's not just the birth of Batman we're seeing in this triumphant interpretation, it's also the dawning of Gotham City's age of greed. Full Review

Desson Thomson
February 3, 2007
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Here's how any great franchise should start: with care, precision and delicately wrought atmosphere. Full Review

Ken Tucker
May 12, 2006
Ken Tucker, New York Magazine

A nonstarter. Full Review

J. R. Jones
June 17, 2005
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader

For all the hype about exploring Batman's damaged psyche, Nolan and Goyer haven't added much beyond a corny opening in which he falls down a well and is attacked by bats. Full Review

Terry Lawson
June 17, 2005
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

If you love Batman, then Batman Begins will the best Batman movie ever made. On the other hand, if you love Batman movies, Batman Begins may leave you wondering where the Joker went. Full Review

Rex Reed
June 16, 2005
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Batman Begins is for morons. Full Review

Lisa Schwarzbaum
June 15, 2005
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

A confidently original, engrossing interpretation, with a seriously thought-through (but never self-serious) aesthetic point of view that announces, from the get-go, someone who knows what he's doing ... Full Review

Geoff Pevere
June 15, 2005
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

Apart from the lumbering pacing and embalmed tone, the movie is densely forested with oaken dialogue, wasteful in its casting...and incoherently over-edited in its action sequences. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
June 15, 2005
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Batman Begins leaks existential phoniness from the first frame. Full Review

Philip Wuntch
June 15, 2005
Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News

Director Nolan remains true to his own vision, which is largely that of the original Batman comics. As a result, Batman Begins has a unity not often found in these extravaganzas. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Henri Ducard: You traveled the world... Now you must journey inwards... to what you really fear... it's inside you... there is no turning back. Your parents' death was not your fault. Your training is nothing. The will is everything. If you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, you become something else entirely. Are you ready to begin?
    • Alfred Pennyworth: Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn, to pick ourselves up.
    • Alfred Pennyworth: With all do respect sir, why bats?
    • Batman/Bruce Wayne: Bats frighten me. Its time the world share my dread.
    • Henri Ducard: Anger does not change the fact that your father failed to act.
    • Batman/Bruce Wayne: The man had a gun!
    • Henri Ducard: Would that stop you?
    • Batman/Bruce Wayne: I've had training.
    • Henri Ducard: Your training is nothing! Will is everything!
    • Henri Ducard: A vigilante is just a man lost in the scramble for his own gratification. He can be destroyed, or locked up. But if you make yourself more than just a man, if you devote yourself to an ideal, and if they cannot stop you, then you become something else entirely.
    • Batman/Bruce Wayne: Which is?
    • Henri Ducard: Legend, Mr. Wayne.
    • Batman/Bruce Wayne: It's not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me.
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Batman Begins Trivia

  • Who played in Newsies, The Prestige, Batman Begins, Reign of Fire, and Equilibrium?  Answer »
  • In which Batman movie does Gary Oldman star?  Answer »
  • From what BATMAN film are this soundtracks from? VESPERTILLIO, EPTESICUS, MYOTIS, BARBASTELLA, ARTIBEUS,TADARIDA, MACROTUS,ANTROZOUS,NVCTERIS,MOLOSSUS, CORYNORHINUS,and LASIURUS.  Answer »
  • What actor placed himself on a crash diet that saw his weight dropping by a startling sixty pounds for the machinist in a matter of months, then gained exactly one hundred pounds in six months converting most of it into muscle for Batman Begins?  Answer »
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