Excellent revamping, surpasses the other installments

Rating: 7/10 (15 June 2005)

I wasn't extremely thrilled with Return of the Sith, and so I went to see this film hoping to get a little more for my dollar since the trailer made it look pretty decent. I've got to say, it was pretty slick. Gone is the ridiculous plot and corny humor of the past installments. This movie has a more serious storyline than its predecessors, explaining the origin and training of the Dark Knight to-be and then delivering butt-kicking goodness. High points are the nearly believable explanations of Wayne's acquisition of technology (suit, gear, ride), the edgy cinematography with abrupt, mid-conversation scene changes, and excellent supporting acting by Neeson, Cain, Oldman, and Murphy. I'd say the low points are the rushed nature of Batman's coming of age, but I guess that's understandable given the necessity for Batman vs. Gotham time the already long duration of over 2 hours. And sorry, but I'm not going to say anything nice for Ms. Holmes because I never was a big fan of hers and I'm already sick of the media fiasco over her and Tom Cruise. Anyway, if you want a Batman movie that isn't as over the top as the last ones and is as believable as possible, this is the movie for you. I wouldn't be surprised if it ends up being the top critically acclaimed action flick of the year.