Welcome to the second entry of the film fight series, where popular movies face off in rounds to determine which is the better film. Now, I’m sure you’ve all seen Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. And I bet you either hated it or loved it. Either way, you’re in luck! This won’t be anything like it.
Below, I’ve established three rounds to determine which franchise reboot is better: Batman Begins or Man of Steel.
Think you know the outcome? You may be surprised. Or not, you may not be surprised at all.
Round 1: THE HERO
Batman Begins: Batman wants justice, pure and simple. After his parents died at the hands of Gotham scum, he’s wanted to avenge his parents and put an end to the crime and corruption so common in the city. To fulfill this goal, he trains with the League of Shadows, a group which also seeks to rid the world of injustice. Not wanting to fulfill justice through killing, Batman leaves the group and takes justice into his own hands, thus becoming the Dark Knight. A clear motivation for why he pursues justice is what makes him a well developed character. Also, having weaknesses, which we see in the movie, makes each conflict suspenseful and meaningful.
Man of Steel: Superman wants to save the world from General Zod, the Kryptonian who is bent on destroying the earth and Superman. A lot of Superman’s inner conflict comes from his desire to save people and the desire to fit in and hence, suppress his powers. We see this struggle for belonging throughout a lot of the story, and it’s a strong motivation for some choices he makes. He realises the powers he has as he grows up, and then understands how to harness those powers when the time comes.
This is a close one, but Batman has a clearer set of motivations as a character, and also goes through more development than Superman does in Man of Steel.
Winner: Batman Begins
Round 2: THE PLOT
BB: In the first film of the Dark Knight trilogy, Bruce Wayne seeks the ultimate training to face his fears and become the immortal symbol of justice Gotham deserves. He trains and investigates the crime syndicate of Gotham, eventually finding a way to stop the League of Shadows from destroying the city.
MoS: The plot of Man of Steel introduces us to the death of Krypton and the birth of Superman. A lot of the plot focuses on Superman learning about his past and embracing the powers he has to use them for good. In the end he defeats General Zod in an epic battle and saves the day.
Batman Begins’ plot is more structured and contains less plot holes and conveniences than Man of Steel, so the winner is clear in this one.
Winner: Batman Begins
Round 3: THE CLIMAX
BB: In Batman Begins we get to watch Gotham tear itself apart in fear because of the toxins that Scarecrow and Guhl release into the air. The villains use a device to vaporize toxins which were in the water system, but before hitting Gotham’s main water supply, Batman is able to stop the train. The climax is well structured even though there’s a lot of chaos.
MoS: In Man of Steel we see an epic conflict between Superman and General Zod. Their fight in the middle of metropolis destroys a ton of buildings, probably killing thousands of people. The conflict ends with Superman snapping Zod’s neck. People often complain about the property damage and death rate being a bit too much, but what gets me is the fact the’re both indestructible, which takes away the weight of the conflict. When neither of the characters can die, then where’s the tension?
When it comes to climaxes, Batman Begins steals this one without question.
Winner: Batman Begins
Batman Begins wins this fight 3-0.
Are you surprised at the result? Not at all? Well now it’s scientifically proven, Batman Begins shines above the reboot of the Superman franchise. When it comes to a well-structured plot, a developed protagonist, and a stunning climax, the film is miles ahead.
Crazy thing is, Nolan worked on both movies.
Thus concludes the battle against the two reboots of the most popular movies in the superhero franchise.
