Excellent, but far short of the fanfare

Rating: 6/10 (26 January 2016)

Beginning with "Batman" (1989), I never watched any of the Burton / Nolan films because 1) I avoid franchises where the public responds like a herd of crazed sheep, and 2) the Batman movies, in particular, exuded a darkness so deep that I refused to allow my psyche to get sucked into the abyss.
When my younger son asked me to watch with him, I agreed. In this situation, though, I didn't log critiques or interesting quotes as I would while watching a movie by myself. Here are highlights that I retained by memory:
* No Robin. Hmmm.
* "Tumbler" Batmobile and Batpod motorcycle initially stun the audience with their speed (a simple film production trick), yet they lack creative ingenuity compared to the plethora of devices found in the Batmobile from the 1960's television series.
* Heath Ledger's performance as Joker doesn't match its hype accumulated over the years. Excellent--yes. Contributed to his death in real life???--one example of why I avoid franchises where the public responds like a herd of crazed sheep.
Not sure whether Joker's hunched-over gait works. Rather than adding to his persona as a "maniacal criminal mastermind", whenever I saw the drooping shoulders, I felt a tinge of condescending pity for him. Would have preferred to feel 100% abject fear.
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The movie begins to drag after Joker's visit to District Attorney Harvey Dent in the hospital. The kidnapping of Commissioner Gordon's family and all surrounding events should have hit the editing room floor.