I actually clapped when the credits rolled - so did about 10 other people

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2005)

You know the story, you know the outcome, but nothing is lacking here. Thank God, even Rutger Hauer underplays his part - how good is that? The cast is perfection (yes Katie Who? does a fine job) and I won't mind looking forward to the sequel, the remake of the sequel, whatever they will call it. Bring the Joker on. Makes a real case for the fact that the right cast means absolutely everything. This is entertainment and comic book characterization come to life. Christian Bale's Batman makes Ben Affleck's tortured Daredevil character look absolutely ridiculous (sorry, maybe that is really not giving Christian enough praise - he deserves all he gets). Since we are in for a few more years of comic books as movies dominating the scene, I vote for more like this - made for adults, not children, with superb casting, and Hans Zimmer (with the help of Lisa Gerrard, maybe Moby, and the like) scoring the music. I felt that in no way was I cheated here - unlike so many other movies that I see where the corners that are cut are bleeding so profusely that you can't help but notice. See this on the big screen. Worth every moment.