Disappointing

Rating: Null/10 (7 September 2007)

Batman needed an infusion of new blood after Joel Schumacher turned the franchise into a candy-colored nightmare in the '90s. "Batman & Robin" is likely the worst superhero movie in cinematic history. I wanted to like "Batman Begins," and it certainly arrived with an impressive pedigree. Nolan's "Memento" was dark and intriguing. Bale was impressively nasty in "American Psycho."
So what happened? Why was BB such a bore?. I'm all for a "darker" Batman, but where "Batman and Robin" was campy and stupid "Batman Begins" is plodding and pretentious. It took itself way too seriously. There were some cool individual scenesBatman stalking bad guys in the shipping yard, Bale facing (and embracing) his fear of bats in the soon-to-be Batcavebut the last half hour was one long action set piece we've seen 100 times before.
Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman has zero charisma, which came as a surprise coming from such an impressive actor. And what was with that gravelly voice Bale used while in costume? I know Wayne's trying to protect his identity, but it just sounded goofy to me. The worst casting choice was Katie Holmes. First, she looks 17, and second, she doesn't have the gravitas to pull off this role. If she's an assistant DA than they might as well have cast Pauly Shore as Batman.