Batman Begins Batman Begins is the greatest super hero movie ever.

[Nathan Petrelli]

There is nothing wrong with this film, if you don't nit pick that is at the pronunciation of Ra's Al Ghul or if Batman has nipples or not, everything in this movie topples over past Super Hero flicks. Christian Bale as Batman is the greatest casting choice since... Christian Bale as Patrick Batemen, or Jack Nicholson as the first Joker, or Frank Sinatra as Mr. Ocean or even Bela Lugosi as Dracula. I hope Christian Bale does not decide he is done with the series, it will be a great loss, maybe even bigger than the presence of Nolan.

Anywho, back on subject. Begins has everything, although I could have used more of the Scarecrow, the revelation of Drucard being Ra's kind of kicked my minor complaint out the window and it didn't really bother me anymore as I saw him as a pawn.

The acting is top notch, the dialog is great, the chemistry between Michael Caine and Christian Bale is A+.

This movie beats any Super Hero movie you can list. I hope the Dark Knight can live up in its predecessor's footsteps

 

[BlueLightning]

I love Batman Begins, it´s so diferent from other superhero movies. Even doesn´t feel like one. It is a great movie altogher, it seems more real, more human. Although I love Tim Burton´s Batman and Batman Returns, they seem so symbolic, so exact, so stylized, and even sometimes forced because of that, I prefer Begins because its Batman the way it should be, real, smooth, not making us think at the border of suspension of disbelief.

Everything at that movie is great, but if you are a harcore comic book fan, you will have a lot of complains about "...its the rubber suit", "Batman voice is...", "It is pronounced Raysh...". You must have in mind that a movie BASED on something has to be sort of diferent, but at the same time respecting what is stablished. And I really love the aproach Christopher Nolan has done with the franchise, it is diferent but in a good way.

So there are my two cents.

 

[Cain]

Well I'm a hardcore comic fan have been for 20 years and I don't care about changes in the films. Honestly film is a completely differeent medium and the keyword is "adaptation" period. I'm not expecting a verbatim copy of the source material and that would be boring especially since own hundreds of Batman comics. I just want something that respects the spirit of it and keeps me entertained.

Alas the latter was my gripe with BB it just didn't captivate me or entertain me enough I really really wish it had but the first act was the only true glimmer of brilliance I saw in it. Everything after the docks scene was just bland to me and at times forced with some greatness sprinkled throughout so it made it a very uneven experience for me, and that's why it's the only movie in the live action WB series with the lowest replay value for me besides B&R.

So I can't agree with it being the greatest superhero movie. The best post-2000 superhero movies I've seen are still Spider-Man and Iron Man. They're the ones that satisfied me the most as a movie goer and it didn't hurt that they also left me with a turd eating grin on my face when ti comes to the comic fanboy in me. They were more faithful than they had any right to be and again that's by no means a pre-requisite of mine but if it's there it certainly helps.

That being said I'm thankful for BB and everything it's done for the relevance of the character in the eyes of the greater general public again.

TDK on the other hand seems waaaaaayyyyyy more in tune with my sensibilities as to what I wanted from a Nolan directed Batman movie. I really think that's gonna be the one that is going to deliver everything I wanted in spades. From what I heard from some industry peeps who have seen it already all my expectations will be met this time around and the difference between it and the original is dramatic in a tremendously great way.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

I find Batman Begins very good, but not great. Four stars, not five. It's a little dry, a little uninvolving. It's like a DIY video guide on how to become Batman. The romantic subplot is weak and forced. There is no mystery to Batman, no secret to him.

The Dark Knight, now that looks like a classic.

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

batman begins is nowhere near the best superhero film ever, it's not even the best batman film....

lol

 

[Matt.S99]

Odin, i LOVE ur sig! my fave song from OMWF

 

[Lobster Charlie]

There is no romantic subplot. Just a lil' something at the end, which, IMO, doesn't even put a dent in the film altogether.

 

[Nathan Petrelli]

I don't think I would have enjoyed a lovey dovey subplot, too many Super Hero films has an undertone of "I LOVE YOU [insert ladies name here]!" and then "[Insert name here] is kidnapped, come or she dies!".

 

[Odin's Lapdog]

Odin, i LOVE ur sig! my fave song from OMWF

Ah yes, they are some real cool lyrics...

thanks...

 

[marukisu]

I agree. It is probably the best superhero movie made. especially since if you watch it you can see where it could have been horrible, but it was so well written that any gripe that someone might have had isnt major.

 

[Mutagen]

It certainly has competition out their, but BB is very well made movie that I enjoy watching numerous times. I like Iron Man a lot to tho, but thats after seeing it one time. Anyways I love BB, one of the best that's for sure.

 

[Go God Go!]

Transformers, Iron Man, Batman '89, and Airport '74 were all better.

 

[Mr. Socko]

As a product of more dark and whimsical things I unashamedly prefer Tim Burton's Batman films but without doubt Chris Nolan is the one who made the final transition of the bar being raised from simple 'comic' to cinematic films with serious tonality. Bryan Singer took the first step with X-Men 1 and Chris Nolan has cemented it, thus raising the bar(which comic book directors such as Jon Fav now acknowledge).

I'd say this is greatly attributed to the character himself, Batman is a superhero without superpowers so this allowed Chris Nolan to place the character on the same level of tonality as presented with most other 'real' characters in serious films of the crime genre and such. Strategically, Batman is also one of the very few superheroes who could achieve this status. Other comic book films will still simply be looked at by critics as "films with superheroes that have gimmicks such as flying, laser eyes, etc." I will go so far as to say critics are simple minded and the reason no other comic book film has achieved the critical acclaim as Batman Begins is because this character can be presented as real as possible. Most other superheroes have superpowers so they in turn are automatically looked down upon by those who consider the only great films to be real life dramas such as The Godfather.

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 2 and Bryan Singer's X-Men 2 came as close to great critical acclaim as any superpowered superhero will ever possibly come. I do not have the mentality as the average film critic and honestly prefer the more enjoyable fun movies that also go further by providing a deal of substance as well. As such, I am a person who prefers Raiders of the Lost Ark to Citizen Kane and Empire Strikes Back to The Godfather Part II.

Conclusively, my favorite superhero films are Superman: The Movie, Batman & Batman Returns, X-Men 2, Batman Begins, Spider-Man 2 in that order.

 

[BlueLightning]

Totally agreed, I prefer Batman Begins over X-2, but I like both of them.

 

[Cain]

Most other superheroes have superpowers so they in turn are automatically looked down upon by those who consider the only great films to be real life dramas such as The Godfather.

This is fairly true and it's also why movie critics hold 0 weight with me it's like they forget how to have fun with a movie at times. No need to be so damn pretentious all the time. You mention Citizen Kane for example which they always cite as this great thing but I always felt Touch of Evil by Orson Welles was pound for pound not only more entertaining but much better directed by Welles. Yes it wasn't technically innovative but it struck a greater chord with me and I have no problem contesting that with anybody who may deem it as something blasphemous cause it's not the general consensus.

While I do personally rate films on a scale of 1-5 (1 being poor and 5 being excellent) I only rate movies within the context of their own subgenres not on a universal level. While there are a lot of comic based films that hold it down with the serious dramas our Ghost World's and Perdition's and American Splendor's for example it's unfair to try to critically paint something like Fantastic Four with the same brush I'd use on Raging Bull.

I also think movies are to please the audience and for you to have fun with not something for you to use to feel superior next to anybody else. While I do love my North By Northwest and Godfather level films I also greatly enjoy stuff like Repo Man, Surf Nazis Must Die & Sgt. Kabukiman or an old school Van Damme or Seagal movie. I have no shame telling people Weekend at Bernie's, Police Academy, Next Friday and Class Act are movies I have always found funny yet the critically praised Blazing Saddles is coincidentally still my favorite comedy of all time. But what do I know I just watch movies to be entertained period. lol let me digress cause I went way off topic there but your great post just inspired me to let all that out.

 

[Batman jr.]

Transformers, Iron Man, Batman '89, and Airport '74 were all better.

Transformers? No thank you.

Iron Man was good, not better. The same for B'89.

 

[sasquatchs]

Good concept saddled with an awful, uninsightful script

I find Batman Begins very good, but not great. Four stars, not five. It's a little dry, a little uninvolving. It's like a DIY video guide on how to become Batman. The romantic subplot is weak and forced. There is no mystery to Batman, no secret to him.

The Dark Knight, now that looks like a classic.

 

[Cain]

Transformers? No thank you.

Iron Man was good, not better. The same for B'89.

BATMAN and Iron Man are better than Batman Begins but Transformers is pure unadulturated garbage.

Neither of you are right or wrong though nor am I. The concept of subjectivity is quite the novel one isn't it?

 

[Jack O Lantern]

I will go so far as to say critics are simple minded and the reason no other comic book film has achieved the critical acclaim as Batman Begins is because this character can be presented as real as possible. Most other superheroes have superpowers so they in turn are automatically looked down upon by those who consider the only great films to be real life dramas such as The Godfather.

It's a good theory, it's just a pity that Spider-Man 2 recieved better reviews than Batman Begins.

 

[ScarecrowJim]

There is nothing wrong with this film, if you don't nit pick that is at the pronunciation of Ra's Al Ghul or if Batman has nipples or not, everything in this movie topples over past Super Hero flicks. Christian Bale as Batman is the greatest casting choice since... Christian Bale as Patrick Batemen, or Jack Nicholson as the first Joker, or Frank Sinatra as Mr. Ocean or even Bela Lugosi as Dracula. I hope Christian Bale does not decide he is done with the series, it will be a great loss, maybe even bigger than the presence of Nolan.

Anywho, back on subject. Begins has everything, although I could have used more of the Scarecrow, the revelation of Drucard being Ra's kind of kicked my minor complaint out the window and it didn't really bother me anymore as I saw him as a pawn.

The acting is top notch, the dialog is great, the chemistry between Michael Caine and Christian Bale is A+.

This movie beats any Super Hero movie you can list. I hope the Dark Knight can live up in its predecessor's footsteps

AMEN TO THAT!

 

[MAKIEVELLI]

Iron Man was better than BB? There are few superheroe flicks better than BB and I can count them all on one hand:

Superman
Spider-Man 2(Debatably)
Batman 89 (Debatably-I however would pick BB in every category except maybe costume)

You guys must be high to think Iron Man is better than BB. More enjoyable, perhaps, but in terms of story telling and acting BB is vastly superior. It does, however, get dull at times.

 

[Hellstormer]

Yea Begins is definitely THE superhero movie. Other directors should inspire to be as good as that. To capture the character just right and make just enough changes to make it new and exciting for everyone. I really don't have anything bad to say about Begins. Its one of those movies where you can think of a complaint and than you go and watch it for the forty billionth time and you get so wrapped in it again that you don't care. I wish more movies could be like this. (notice I just said "movies")

 

[Cain]

You guys must be high to think Iron Man is better than BB. More enjoyable, perhaps, but in terms of story telling and acting BB is vastly superior. It does, however, get dull at times.

Actually I haven't gotten high in over a month that being said I think both movies had storylines that weren't all that great to begin with. However I feel IM is superior to the majority of the post-X-Men superhero movies including BB for 2 reasons

I found it to be better directed than most of these neo-superhero films.

I also found the characters a lot more engaging and believable than in any of these neo-superhero films save for Spider-Man (not 2 or 3, the original).

At the end of the day that made it a much more entertain experience and that is the primary reason I watch movies. I read into the themes and subtext of a film upon different viewings which is were replay value comes in hand so that's all secondary.

There was a natural ability in the characters in IM that I didn't find in BB where it felt like actors playing by the books to me.

 

[BlueLightning]

Actually I haven't gotten high in over a month that being said I think both movies had storylines that weren't all that great to begin with. However I feel IM is superior to the majority of the post-X-Men superhero movies including BB for 2 reasons

I found it to be better directed than most of these neo-superhero films.

I also found the characters a lot more engaging and believable than in any of these neo-superhero films save for Spider-Man (not 2 or 3, the original).

At the end of the day that made it a much more entertain experience and that is the primary reason I watch movies. I read into the themes and subtext of a film upon different viewings which is were replay value comes in hand so that's all secondary.

There was a natural ability in the characters in IM that I didn't find in BB where it felt like actors playing by the books to me.

It was because Iron Man had not finished the script so in most of the movie, actors were just improvisating. Still, I like Batman Begins better.

 

[DarkKnight245]

the reason I loved Batman Begins so much is the fact that we finally got Bruce Wayne's origin story told to us. It didn't feel like a comic book movie. It had a really good balance of being dark in tone but not too dark. I loved the cast and the direction from Christopher Nolan. It was a great way to get the franchise up and running again.