Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Family movie night? There's an app for that

Download our new mobile app on iOS and Android.

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

Batkid Begins

By Betsy Bozdech, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Tremendously heartwarming, positive docu for all ages.

Movie PG 2015 87 minutes
Batkid Begins Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Abby4
Abby4 Parent of 5-year-old
February 1, 2019
age 7+

Heartwarming - but a lot of talking for little kids..

I watched this with by 5 and 8 year old. Both were a bit confused by the "documentary" style of the movie. They were expecting a regular movie. The 5 year old complained a lot about the talking and wondering when the real movie would start. My 8 year old thought it was interesting. In terms of content, the movie is great- nothing I felt uncomfortable with my kids seeing or hearing. I found it fascinating, inspiring, and full of examples of how people can get involved and be kind. I would absolutely recommend it.
emilyc77
emilyc77 Parent of 7-year-old
November 16, 2018
age 6+
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

On November 15, 2013, much of San Francisco became Gotham City -- complete with the Riddler, the Penguin, and a Batmobile -- to help fulfill the Make-A-Wish dream of 5-year-old leukemia survivor Miles Scott in BATKID BEGINS. The young superhero fan from small-town Tulelake, California, told his parents he wanted to be Batkid, so San Francisco Make-A-Wish Executive Director Patricia Wilson made some plans and eventually sent out an email asking for a few hundred volunteers to help out. Word quickly spread through social media, and soon Wilson and her staff were flooded with more offers of assistance than they'd ever expected; ultimately, tens of thousands of people keen on helping Miles' dream come true flooded the city, cheering on the young Caped Crusader as he rescued a damsel in distress, fought villains, and received a key to the city from San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee -- not to mention well wishes from the likes of Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, and even President Barack Obama.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (5 ):

If you find yourself on the verge of tears throughout much of this tremendously heartwarming documentary, don't worry: You're not alone. Like the massively popular 2012 short film Caine's Arcade, Batkid Begins is, above all else, about doing something nice for a child -- and since Miles is a sweet, innocent young boy who seems to take his whole adventure completely in stride, you can't help getting caught up in the emotion of it all. Much of the credit for that is due to the tireless Wilson and her partner in crime/creativity, Eric "EJ" Johnston, the inventor/actor/acrobat/former game developer who plays Batman to Miles' Batkid and consistently puts his young sidekick's needs above everything else. One of the film's most poignant moments is when EJ talks about initially dismissing the need for his own Batman costume to be particularly convincing, since he knows that everyone will be looking at Miles. But then someone reminds EJ that Miles will be looking at him -- his hero -- and it kind of takes his breath away, reminding him of just how important his role is in the day. Pass the tissues!

It's also great to see an example of social media -- so often ranted about and railed against -- being used in such a positive way. At some point in the film, someone refers to Miles' time as Batkid as "the day the Internet was nice," and it really strikes a chord. Seeing so many people come together, both in person and virtually, to support something fun and creative, is enough to restore your faith in, if not humanity as a whole, at least humanity's ability to occasionally rise above its own selfish concerns and think about someone else. Thanks, Batkid -- you really did save us.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the role that social media plays in Batkid Begins. Can you think of other examples of people using tools like Twitter and Facebook for a worthy cause?

  • What do you think made so many people want to participate in Miles' day? What was it about this event that captured the public's attention?

  • Kids: How do you think you might have reacted if you were in Miles' place? Did his day look exciting or overwhelming to you? How did the adults involved make things easier for him? Do you have any grown-ups in your life who fill that role for you?

  • Some people criticized all of the work and money that went into fulfilling Miles' wish, arguing that the resources could have been used to help many people instead of just one. Do you think that point is valid? Are there longer-term benefits that might not be obvious?

  • How does Batkid Begins promote teamwork and compassion? Why are these important character strengths?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Related Topics

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate