Quite good Batman movie

Rating: 9/10 (27 July 2008)

This is a very good Batman movie. Now, there are things I liked about the older Batman movies with Tim Burton directing and Michael Keaton acting, especially the offbeat humor (emphasized during the second film since Daniel Waters, who I really love, wrote the script). I won't bother mention the next two except that they made me disinterested with the franchise, but Batman Begins under director Nolan and Christian Bale rekindled my interest in Batman. This sequel to Batman Begins has many good things about it, most prominent is the writing, the acting, the cinematography and the visual effects. Many other comments have gushed over these things so I will try not to repeat them here. Now, while the excitement is still fresh (I'm writing this in July, a few days after watching), everyone seems to think how towering the movie is over other movies (presently 9.5 in IMDb's ratings, replacing Shawshank at no. 1, which I don't think deserves that rating anyway, and the Godfather, which I think does.) I gave this movie a sober 8, which is pretty high for me (I'm not like other people who rate who would give this movie a 1 or 2 to "balance" the rating, I honestly think it deserves an 8.) Some problems I have with the film: while the themes are grand and some of the lines truly wonderful, I do wish they would show rather than say some of these lines. It seems to have the same problem as Brad Pitt's Jesse James (with the long title) movie, a tendency to say rather than show. Next, Nolan has the same problem as Burton. They are both bad action directors. I thought in Batman Begins the first time Batman drops among Falcone's thugs it was a blur of action and confusion, a good decision, to show how unprepared the criminals are against Batman. But apparently, that is how all of Batman's action scenes are shot. I remember reading that Nolan saw Michael Mann's Heat and was inspired by it. I think Nolan should take more notes on how Mann directs, because his Heat, his Last of the Mohicans, even his Miami Vice, had breathtaking action sequences that were crystal clear. Lastly, and this is a minor, minor point, I still can't get over how bad Bale looks in a Batman costume. I try to figure it out, but this combination of the actor's face and the Batsuit is truly awful. I sometimes wish we're back to Adam West (no, not that bad, I guess.) I think it's because when Bale speaks his upper lip twists a little and it gives the impression that the cowl is lopsided when it really isn't. And his cheeks look like Alvin Chipmunk with the Batsuit on (yet without it he has an incredibly lean face). In the end, I did like this film and its ambitions. I'm sorry I put up my reservations (which is why I gave it a mere 8) but all the praises have been more completely and imaginatively said everywhere else.