Definitely better than Batman Returns...yet ironically similar in ways

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2008)

This movie has a lot in common with Batman Returns. Yet ironically enough its better than that one. Michael Keaton played Batman twice before ditching the role. Batman returns being his second and ultimately final go at it.
Like Batman Returns this of course is Christian Bale's second go as Bruce Wayne/Batman. This also is the second Batman sequel to feature the bat-glider variant of Batman's costume with the same actor from the prior Batman namely Christian Bale in the same role.
The main villain in Batman Returns was the penguin and he had a messed up childhood he attributed to his overall criminal development. Likewise the Joker in The Dark Knight attributes his messed up childhood to his criminal development going so far as to share how he got his first "smile".
Yet for all these similarities betwixt Batman Returns and The Dark Knight? Everything it uses it does better and expands upon it in someways. The glider costume for instance isn't a one trick pony Bruce Wayne uses once. He uses it multiple times throughout the movie once as an attack tactic at a crucial moment near the end. It still remains to be seen as to whether Christian Bale will be willing to done the cape for a third go around. Also I can't help but wonder who if anyone will take Lucius Fox's place perhaps that guy Reese?