Good new telling of an old tale

Rating: 8/10 (26 June 2005)

Being of the old school, which i cannot avoid, it's that age thing I expected more humour from the Batman franchise than this newest kid on the Gotham City block provides. One goodish line I can recall on the Batmobile: "does it come in black? does not a rib-tickler make. Michael Caine's Alfred reminds me too much of Parker the chauffeur out of the puppet series Thunderbirds but that is a minor personal hang-up. After it's slow start Batman Begins itself begins to gain pace and interest when the next actor to assay the bat suit and in his case the American accent both pulled off well I thought our man (he's English)cuts a dashing figure around the rooftops and suave party scenes at ground level. My enjoyment levels dipped when midway through the pirate filming my copy of the DVD let his baseball cap edge into and out of shot for the remainder and I realised why it was so cheap so there was more humour to be had from that particular viewing. Notwithstanding which I do recommend it thoroughly as the best Batman since the great Adam West first camped the part up rotten on our screens. The innovative quality showed more imagination than it's predecessors, very cleverly based in more realism particularly the tank-like car inspired maybe by James Bond.Other Bond-like elements struck me not least Morgan Freeman's "Q" style character kitting out millionaire Bruce Wayne. All in all a darker but as visually accomplished vehicle for Batman to carry him to yet greater heights and the realistic bat scenes shows the producers of this one had their radar spot on and scored a palpable hit.