Legendary film critic Roger Ebert reviewed seven Batman movies prior to his death in 2013, and two stood out as his clear favorites. Revered for his engaging writing style and keen eye for high-quality cinema, Ebert established a reputation as a pioneer in the film criticism world, as his reviews were highly regarded by the general public. The highlights of Batman’s many installments on the big screen for longtime DC fans include the Tim Burton-directed Batman and Batman Returns of 1989 and 1992, starring Michael Keaton as Batman aka Bruce Wayne. Following that, a new era of Batman began in the 2000s and 2010s with Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises. Christian Bale’s Batman in Nolan’s trilogy still remains the most acclaimed version of the iconic DC hero.
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The only Batman movies to receive a perfect four-star rating from Ebert fell into the later, and are 2005’s Batman Begins and 2008’s The Dark Knight. For comparison sake, Ebert awarded just two stars to Batman (1989), Batman Returns, and Batman and Robin; and a balmy two-and-a-half stars to Batman Forever.
The first two movies of Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy were highly praised by critics at large, scoring 85% and 94%, respectively, on Rotten Tomatoes. Thus, Ebert’s adoration of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight generally fall in line with the views of the masses. Still, the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic had some insightful observations that explain why he enjoyed Batman Begins and The Dark Knight more than any other Batman movie he had seen.
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What Roger Ebert Loved About Batman Begins and The Dark Knight
While some fans consider Batman Begins the weakest title of Nolan’s trilogy, Ebert was enamored with the movie. Expressing his attachment to Batman Begins, he wrote, “This is at last the Batman movie I’ve been waiting for.” Ebert went on to note a longstanding affinity for Batman over other superheroes, in large part because of his status quo as being “darker and more grown-up” than some of his DC counterparts.
Ebert also shared tons of praise for the newest portrayal of Batman. “Bale is just right for this emerging version of Batman,” he wrote. “It’s strange to see him muscular and toned, after his cadaverous appearance in The Machinist, but he suggests an inward quality that suits the character.”
Three years later, Ebert was blown away by Nolan’s sequel, The Dark Knight. Featuring a terrific performance from Heath Ledger as the Joker, the film remains one of the most iconic comic book movies of all time. Ebert’s review reflects the outstanding achievement of The Dark Knight, as he wrote, “Batman isn’t a comic book anymore. Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight is a haunted film that leaps beyond its origins and becomes an engrossing tragedy. It creates characters we come to care about. That’s because of the performances, because of the direction, because of the writing, and because of the superlative technical quality of the entire production.”
Ebert was enthralled by The Dark Knight‘s characters and acting performances. In addition to Ledger’s Joker and Bale’s Batman, Ebert praised the impressive cast as “powerful” and noted that the “spectacular special effects” never upstaged the likes of Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, Michael Caine’s Alfred Pennyworth, Gary Oldman’s James Gordon, Cillian Murphy’s Scarecrow, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Rachel Dawes, and Morgan Freeman’s Lucius Fox.
Finally, the film critic said that with his first two Batman movies, Christopher Nolan “freed the character to be a canvas for a broader scope of human emotion.” This is no doubt high marks for a franchise which Ebert never awarded anything higher than 2.5 stars with its earliest films.
For those curious, Ebert praised Nolan’s final Batman movie, 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, with a three star review. Ebert noted that even though that movie failed to live up to the high bar set by The Dark Knight (thanks to a weak villain and unclear narrative), he still called it “an honorable finale.”
Ebert’s Praise of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Highlights the Two Movies’ Standout Qualities
Although Ebert was far from alone in his appreciation for Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, the critic’s reviews shine a light on the excellence of Nolan’s movies. Batman Begins introduced fans to a rougher and grimmer world than comic book fans are accustomed to, while Bale established himself as a compelling rendition of Batman and Bruce Wayne. The Dark Knight‘s spectacular action sequences and superb supporting cast elevated Nolan’s top-notch direction to legendary status. As Ebert noted in his reviews, the two movies aren’t defined by their fight scenes or outstanding visuals. Nolan achieved the remarkable feat of delivering a gripping story heavy with emotion and personality. Always thoughtful and perceptive in his film reviews, Ebert was right to pinpoint Batman Begins and The Dark Knight as the two best Batman movies of his time.
Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are currently available to stream on Max.
