Batman Begins is the movie that proved superhero films could be prestige cinema, and it mostly delivers on that promise. It's smart, well-crafted, and treats its audience with respect.

But let's be real about the 'PG-13' rating: this is dark. Not in an edgy-for-the-sake-of-it way, but in a 'we're going to spend 140 minutes exploring childhood trauma, fear as a weapon, and the moral ambiguity of vigilante justice' way. The Scarecrow sequences genuinely freaked out some adults in theaters. If your kid struggles with scary imagery or gets anxious easily, wait.

For mature tweens and teens, though, this is rich material. It's a legitimate conversation starter about justice, power, and whether one person can actually make a difference against systemic corruption. The filmmaking is excellent, and unlike many superhero films, it hasn't aged into unintentional comedy.

The main knock: it's long, and the pacing sags. Some kids will be bored by all the talking and brooding. If they're used to Marvel's quip-a-minute style, this will feel like homework. But for the right audience—thoughtful teens who can handle intensity—it's genuinely great.