"I'm Batman"...no you aren't....

Rating: Null/10 (15 July 2005)

I've been interested in Batman for over forty years and every once in a while I hear something about a new BATMAN project and I get my hopes up...by now I should know better what they mean is a NEW Batman project. Okay kiddies, write this down, there has never been nor will there ever be a really faithful BATMAN film. Batman now exists in so many incarnations that there is now way to remain true to the character enough to please all the fanatics ready to dissect it. While I confess relief that there were many reviews here that didn't care for the film I had to laugh at people who disputed the character elements based on post Bob Kane creations. If someone other than Kane was allowed to change Batman's character than anyone should be allowed the same privilege provided they do it with good intention. The film itself is actually pretty good for the first half before it falls apart in the second half (a very common malady these days in film).I thought the supporting cast was pretty strong. The two leads, however, are a different story. Katie Holmes is not worth writing about (regardless of what we think she will be a big star...it's written in the Tom Cruise wedding contract). Christian Bales tries, but fails, as Batman. Shallow as it may sound, if you are going to have your lead actor don a mask among his attributes must be a good lower face and voice. Bales upturned corners of his upper mouth kept making me think he should be Catman rather than Batman. His voice is terrible and its raspish disguise reminded me of Lord Humongous from Road Warrior. I say that in order to segue into another thought...film is best at "Superhero" type film when it creates it's own myth and character. The Road Warrior is a perfect example of this. Writer and director create their own characters and turn them into mythical beings. There is no argument from the viewers about whether Max would really have done this or had that type of car. And the end product, in MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR ,is a film far superior to any hero/fantasy film done since.