Before I start I would just like to say, I like both films but I think Batman Begins is the better movie here is why:
Caught off guard:
After that disaster known as Batman and Robin, my faith in any other Batman films had diminished. Batman Begins was released and I decided not to go to the cinema to see it. Months later it was released on DVD and it was my day off, so I decided to sit down and watch it. Four words: IT BLEW ME AWAY ! This film completely surprised me, I was speechless. I couldn't believe that someone had managed to make, such a great Batman film. From that point, I was fully on board with any other films that would be released involving this series.
The Origin Story:
Most people complain when it comes to an origin story but to be honest, the origins are always my favourite. A good origin tale always displays character development and growth. When you see a character grow before your eyes, I feel you become more emotionally invested. You care about the character's outcome. The first quarter of the film focuses on Bruce and his hunger to battle injustice. We see him as a child, watch his parents lives slip away and I feel that when most human beings watch a tragedy on this scale, we want our protagonist to claim his much deserved justice because we have become emotionally involved. Once he becomes Batman nothing is more satisfying when he goes after Falcone. Falcone asks "What are you?" to which Bruce responds "I'm Batman".
The Symbolism:
Whilst symbolism has been featured in both films, Batman Begins contained more than The Dark Knight. One of my favourite themes in Batman Begins, is the concept of fear and how it can cripple a man. When Bruce is training with the league of shadows and has to confront his fears, It literally brought a chill down my spine. We are all afraid of something and to see someone overcome their fears, is inspirational.
What I found even more compelling, was the fact that Batman, has to go head to head, with someone that uses the concept of fear as an advantage against his enemies. This of course was Scarecrow, played by the phenomenally talented and under-rated actor Cillian Murphy. The thing that intrigues me the most when these two collide is that they are very similar to each other. Batman uses fear, to psychologically take control of the situation, just as Scarecrow does.
The Batcave:
When going in to The Dark Knight, I was expecting to see a new version of the batcave. Unfortunately it was not featured in the film because Wayne Manor was still being constructed at the time. For me, the batcave is apart of the character and I could not help but feel disappointed. It brings that dark brooding atmosphere that is expected of Batman. In The Dark Knight, his equivalent of the batcave was practically an empty room and the worst part of it for me, was the fact, it was bright. It just felt a bit off in my opinion and made it feel less like a Batman film.
More Of A Batman Film:
The tone of Batman Begins is considerably different, to The Dark Knight. Even though The Dark Knight was darker in story, it wasn't visually in my opinion. Seeing Batman in Begins, scramble through the narrows really brought home the gritty feel of Batman. The narrows is a dark, brooding place and really fits in well, with the overall tone of the movie. I found it more visually, striking than the visuals in The Dark Knight.
Also the addition of Arkham Asylum immediately gives Begins the edge, in my opinion. The Asylum is a key location, in the majority of the Batman mythos, so it was great to see it. Instead of going for the gothic look, like the previous series, this Asylum was depicted as gritty, rotting and harrowing.
Ra's Al Ghul:
Ra's Al Ghul has been one of my favourite villains in the series so far. The reason for this is because he is the reflection of Batman. They both have the same goals, with one significant difference. Ra's, is willing to kill in the name of justice whilst Batman refuses to.
Now this is the interesting bit. Bruce would have most likely ended up the same as Ra's if he had not had Rachel to tell him the difference between revenge and justice. Ra's, wife was killed and in a way it almost appears that he seeks to revenge her death, by taking it out on society. Batman on the other hand, decides to go the opposite direction. Instead he seeks justice, whilst remaining in the boundaries of society. Rather than destroying society he decides to help it.
Both men have suffered tragedies in their life and both men want the same thing, just from different ends of the spectrum. The conflict between these two characters, was my favourite dynamic of the movie.
Conclusion: Both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight are excellent films, there is no point trying to deny it. I do prefer Batman Begins over The Dark Knight because to me it feels like more of a Batman movie. The Dark Knight had some great moments in it but I preferred the overall pacing tone of Begins.
So now to ask you: Which film did you prefer ?