Batman Redux

Rating: 4/10 (6 June 2002)

This movie wasn't awful, but it wasn't as great as the critics want you to believe. The plot after Peter Parker's fateful encounter with a genetically altered spider is essentially taken from the original Batman movie, except it's not as dark. The special effects are circa 1999 but they do offer the audience the feeling of what it's like to swing through NYC. The acting was solid, especially from Macquire, who I was concerned about before seeing the film. On the whole though, even though I've waited for a Spider-Man movie for what seems like a lifetime, the movie took no risks and accomplished nothing new for the genre. The first two Batman movies are still the best superhero movies ever made and, if you've seen the first Batman, you've basically seen a darker, better version of this movie.
Bottom line: Don't believe the hype. While critics bash Star Wars for its cheesy dialogue and half-sketched characters, this movie, as well as most others for that matter, has its fair share of groaners and stereotypes. Watch Batman again, it's better.