Totally worth the time and money spent

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2005)

I saw this on a vacation in London and that was before the film had premiered in Denmark. Not that it matters where I first saw the film, but I was so surprised to find myself enjoying this rather average pop corn flick that I was tempted to see it again when it opened in Denmark.
Christian Bale, who I have only seen as a child in "Empire of the Sun" is adequate if not totally convincing as the tortured soul that is Batman. The opening scene with Liam Neeson as his mentor are somewhat silly, especially when Bale is tested on his complete devotion to "The League's" cause. Of course, we can figure out which path he chooses because the other way is not in the spirit of his character. Later on, when he again has to choose a path is much more believable dilemma under the circumstances.
The one and only Michael Caine sinks his teeth into the role of Albert the Butler. Is it just me or has Caine always had master comedic timing. He plays the role in a much more street wise manor than the aristocratic Michael Gough in the previous four Batman movies. He totally steals the scenes from Bale in which they both appear and it is not often I use that phrase.
Now to a rather delicate subject: British faking American accents! Caine tried it in "Cider House Rules" and now we get Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty) doing it. I don't know what it is but it creeps me out to hear it. Maybe it's because I know it in the back of my mind that Wilkinson and Caine are not American. If they were totally unknown I probably wouldn't have noticed. That's one of the black marks this movie gets but otherwise the other supporting players couldn't be better, including the Cruise bride-to-be, Katie Holmes, and the truly frightening Cillian Murphy, even without the mask.
So not a perfect 10 but pretty darn close and I am almost hoping for a sequel because I thought I was in a very good state of mind throughout the whole ordeal.