Bat-ting Average

Rating: 7/10 (23 December 2007)

This is a dark, brooding film that explores the origin of Batman. Bale makes a good Batman, playing him as an earnest young crime-fighter. The cast is impressive, including such veterans as Caine, Freeman, Neeson, Wilkinson, and Oldman. Murphy makes a creepy villain while Mrs. Cruise is OK as the love interest. The problem is that the plot becomes too convoluted and the story is basically a rehash of previous Batman and Spiderman films. Ultimately, it amounts to nothing more that what it is: a silly comic book with lots of explosions and gadgets, including the ridiculous masks that change with emotions. The Batmobile looks more like a tank than a sleek sports car.