Over-hyped and dull

Rating: 5/10 (24 October 2005)

What is it with the rapturous acclamation of this film? It's really not worth it. For the most part this is OK - it has a a suitably dark and brooding Gothic cityscape and some fine actors including Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy (particularly good here as the creepy Dr Crane/ Scarecrow) and of course Christian Bale himself as a more psychologically explained and brooding Batman than we have formerly been accustomed to. Although it must be said, the standout performance is Michael Caine who is hugely endearing as Bruce Wayne's loyal butler. Linus Roache is affecting too in his foreshortened role as Bruce's father.
But the narrative itself is meandering and vague. The non-linear structure in the early stages is simply not well-managed enough by Nolan's direction and can be confusing. The training sequences were too drawn-out and deathly dull - a fault common in this film; sometimes the director just does not know when to say 'cut'. This is especially true towards the end when the film drags badly.
In short, Batman Begins is really rather boring. I found I couldn't care less about Batman's vengeful mission or his guilty obsession with his poor dead father. Notably his poor murdered mother was barely commented on throughout this gloomy Freudian nonsense.