Effing Brilliant!

Rating: 9/10 (15 June 2005)

I'm one of those 'halfway' hardcore Batman fans. I started reading the comics around 1988. Once upon a time, Arkham Asylum was a NEW graphic novel awaiting my hungry eyes.
Years went by, and I lost my interest in comics. The story lines weakened, and the arrival of the Tim Burton Batman movies softened the tone of the ongoing arcs and resulted in an overabundance of utter garbage in the comic continuum. I respect the first two Batman movies for the artistry and timeliness. However, they got the Caped Crusader all wrong.
Finally, we have a portrayal of the Dark Knight I remember reading about. No more sappy, tongue-in-cheek silliness. No more style over substance. This is meaty, gritty Batman, and this amazing film embodies the heart and soul of what this comic was all about.
If you have been put off by comic book movies because of their overabundance of over-the-top cameos and half-baked plots, then I urge you to check out this latest installment of Batman. This is the benchmark for redefining a legacy. This is how it should have been done from the beginning.
My only criticism is for the clichÃ©' lovey-dovey scene at the end, though I understand its usefulness (mainly because Batman really doesn't get an opportunity to talk to too many different people, and therefore it's somewhat difficult to actually tell an emotional tale without SOMEONE from his past to provide some commentary on his journey).
I only hope they finally turn Arkham Asylum into a film. Perhaps it would be too dark for the younger viewers, but it would make one of my biggest geekboy wet dreams come true.