Paint-by-numbers action flick

Rating: 6/10 (3 January 2007)

I've heard a lot of hype regarding Batman Begins as an effective re-imagining of Batman's cinematic origins, but ,though I can't claim it's a dreadful film, I did feel underwhelmed by it.
I guess the main reason is the fact it all feels so... routine. Yes there are exciting action sequences, some snazzy CGI effects, and a pretty strong cast, but somehow all these factors come together to form something that feels not at all spectacular.
I understand that for many people, this film represents an antidote to the campiness that the later Batman sequels adopted, a return to the Tim Burton-esquire moodiness we were treated to in his earlier cinematic outings. Visually this is certainly achieved, Gotham is gloriously brooding, as is Batman himself,but it's disturbed by fanboyish moments like focusing excessively on the bizarre reworked batmobile, east Asian martial arts mysticism and the compulsory " cop observing the action enters witty line here" moments.
I also was not entirely convinced by Christian Bale's performance- he just felt a little stiff in places, and there are moments of dialogue that are obviously supposed to profound but come away as laughable. Similarly Liam Neeson is miscast, as he was is Star Wars Episode I- some people just weren't meant to fight on screen. The twist involving his character is again a moment of drama that comes across as comedy or worse, it is cringe inducing.
I have to say Katie Holmes is a shining star amongst this. Before watching the film, friends had described her role as tokenistic, and unnecessary to the plot, but I felt quite the opposite. Her role, in many respects, forms Bruce Wayne's moral compass, and Katie Holmes manages to convey her passion, and her dedication to justice beautifully. It's a stark contrast to her counterpart Christian Bale.
So overall, I would say the film is certainly worth renting, but perhaps not the amazing retelling of Batman's origins that you may have been led to believe. It's fun in places, thoughtful in others, but doesn't mesh together to form a coherent whole, and with it's fair share of ropey moments, it is anything but extraordinary.