Not bad

Rating: 7/10 (15 June 2005)

The film is marvelous in vision. Gotham really pops as a real, grimy city. It's almost as if the writers wanted to see Batman in the real world where motivation is not cut and dried. In previous incarnations, emphasis was placed solely on Batman instead of Bruce Wayne. Here, Nolan rightfully explores this new Gotham through the eyes of Bruce. He, like us, is a newcomer to this rough grit.
Nolan really shines in terms of character which is brilliantly portrayed by the actors. It will be difficult to reassemble this cast for another film. Sadly, the action cuts are so fast that I really could not tell who threw what punch. Nolan is not an action-oriented director. I want to see Batman in full frame, stomping people flat.
Other worries were the tacked-on villain aspect. Was it really necessary to have the Scarecrow? Aside from appeasing those who read the comics, Scarecrow (brilliantly played by Murphy) did nothing in terms of structure. All of his screen time would be better invested in Ra's Al Ghul. This fellow is THE Moriarty of Batman. By the end, I had little interest in Ghul as an individual. He came across as iconic in that he was just a really smart bad guy. Batman is too good to simply beat up bad guys. This is the Cadillac of super heroes. A wealth of potential exists within the comics (Bride/Son of the Demon anyone?). Part of what makes Batman so appealing is the whole duality between him and the villain. How are they alike and where do they differ? More than one villain merely detracts from any connection I had with the characters as people, rather than icons.
I smell a sequel. STOP READING if you do not want to know A SERIOUS SPOILER....
I have serious fears as to how the sequel will deal with Joker. This is a character with such an amount of weight that he stands on equal ground with Batman (largely due to Jack Nicholson's stint). The rules of this new franchise must be followed. Gotham is a very scary place. I do not think that "the clown prince of crime" sort of Joker will be acceptable. Nor do I think that a likable Nicholson Joker will pass either. This Joker will have to be sickly perverted. I do not want to laugh with this Joker. He must be dark, nebulous, and sick.
Tremendous kudos to the cast and Nolan. I loved every set, costume, angle, etc. The cutting was too quick and the villains were shallow.