 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Batman Begins
- Review Date: October 17, 2005
- PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- 2005
Common Sense Media says
Smart and entertaining, but also very violent.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie features hard and fast violence, martial arts and shootings conveyed through dark, abrupt, sometimes scary imagery. Less cartoonish than the Spiderman and X-Men movies, these scenes are loud and rough. The caped crusader's origin story includes the murders of his parents, his ensuing depression and attempt to shoot the shooter, martial arts training and fighting, frightening subjective images brought on by hallucinogenic drugs, brief debauchery (drinking, smoking, and swimming-in-a-hotel-fountain with vacuous starlet-types), an even briefer kiss with his romantic interest, a faux drunken speech, and some raucous driving in a seriously armored Batmobile.
What's the story?
Traumatized by the murder of his parents when he was a child, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) loses his way. When tempted to assassinate the man responsible, Bruce instead watches as someone else guns down his parents' killer. Wayne then disappears for several years. When others try to recruit Wayne to join them in destroying Gotham City, in order to destroy its evil, Wayne instead returns to fight for her and rid her of the evil within. He enlists the help of butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and Wayne Enterprises gadgets-maker Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) in order to create the "image" of Batman. Intended to intimidate villains, the new hero wears an elaborate Bat-costume and drives a frankly awesome Batmobile, a futuristic all-terrain military vehicle painted bat-black and capable of all manner of vehicular acrobatics.
Is it any good?
A meditation on the different motivations for violence, BATMAN BEGINS is smart and entertaining, with some harsh action scenes. Bruce is full of grit and fury, a well as grim arrogance and a sense of comedy.
Self-righteous, flagrantly emotional as well as coldly rational, Batman's sense of mission aligns him with last good cop Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman). It also means his methods aren't always so distinct from the criminals', but he is effective, as deterrent and as what Gordon calls "escalation." Both villains and Batman can only do more.
Explore, discuss, enjoy
Families can talk about Bruce Wayne's relationships with various father figures, including his biological father (who is murdered), his martial arts trainer, his butler, and his gadgets-maker.
What's the difference between vengeance and justice as the film presents it? Do you agree?
How does Bruce put his anger to use for the "public good"? How does the film differentiate between "good" and "bad" uses of violence?
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Teen, 16 years old
May 30, 2011
AGE
must see movie
This is a really good movie almost better than the dark knight the only real issue is viloence i think
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Teen, 13 years old
June 8, 2011
AGE
Not as good as the next entry, but it gets pretty close.
My rating: PG-13 for intense violence, some frightening sequences and images, and brief language.
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Adult
April 9, 2008
AGE
Dark
I think that this movie is a good pre-quel to the stories in other Batman movies. There is a fairly heavy Eastern religion influence(I wish I had known that going in).
The movie is quite loud.
Great car sceens! I also liked the bits of engineering for Batman's gear.
My main objection is how frightening is is. The guy with the mask looks creepy--way too creepy. The fight sceens seem very real. When the crazy people are released from the asylum I was quite worried about the kids I was with.
Older kids ok, but with parental discussion.
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Teen, 14 years old
July 5, 2010
AGE
The saving grace of the Batman company
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Teen, 14 years old
September 13, 2010
AGE
This movie was very well made. Definitely a action movie, has some violence in it, and scary images, barely any swearing.
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Kid, 11 years old
July 23, 2010
AGE
THE BORE BEGINS
THIS MOVIE SUCKED HORRIBILY
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Kid, 11 years old
February 6, 2011
AGE
a nice movie review.
a good movie for your thrill seekers parents
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Parent of 11 and 13 year old
January 7, 2011
AGE
A movie for anyone!!
Batman has been around for a while now.I don't see nothing wrong with it.my two kids love it.I think batman is a good role model in this film
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Teen, 17 years old
October 22, 2009
AGE
Definitely not a children's movie
While I like this movie, I have to say that it is indeed very violent, with some rather intense martial arts scenes and shootings, and disturbing scenes with one of the villians, Scarecrow. I thought that the movie was well acted and well planned out, though it was a good deal darker and harsher than a lot of other superhero movies.
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Teen, 14 years old
February 14, 2011
AGE
Suggested MPAA Rating:
PG-13 for intense violence, disturbing images/terror, and thematic content.
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| Topics: | superheroes |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Christopher Nolan |
| Cast: | Christian Bale, Katie Holmes, Morgan Freeman |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Run time: | 141 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | June 15, 2005 |
| DVD release date: | October 18, 2005 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense action violence, disturbing images and some thematic elements. |
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