Ranking Every DC Comic Book Movie - From Worst to Best

3. Batman Begins (2005)

After the overwhelmingly negative reaction to Batman & Robin had seen the franchise lay dormant for eight years, Christopher Nolan was entrusted to bring the character back to the big screen. The director would go on to inadvertently create the yardstick by which all reboots are now measured, delivering a serious and more realistic take on Batman that offered a character-driven drama in the guise of a superhero blockbuster. Delving further into Bruce Wayne's backstory than ever before, Batman Begins traces the character's evolution from a rich kid struck by tragedy to Gotham City's protector. Giving the material a more psychological and atmospheric edge that had been sorely lacking from previous installments, the cast was packed with talented actors that elevated the material above the standard superhero fare. The action scenes are arguably the weakest part of the movie, but Batman Begins is more about the evolution of Bruce Wayne than large-scale set-pieces. Making such a well-known origin story feel so fresh is an impressive achievement, and the engaging narrative moves at such a brisk place you barely even notice that its almost an hour before Batman appears in his fully-costumed form. Although the climactic action scene descends into standard Hollywood pyrotechnics, Batman Begins is a comic book movie that is as intelligent as it is exciting, and the definitive cinematic origin story for the Dark Knight.