Good but not great

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2009)

This is quite a good Batman movie with plenty of the usual audio-visual delights we come to expect. I honestly think that while the late Heath Ledger does an excellent job playing "Joker", that doesn't make the film great.
The "bat-cycle" spawned from the remains of the Batmobile didn't sit well with me. Not just because of the dubious physics (it's only a movie) but more because it just felt bulky and clumsy, with the illusion of speed being poorly constructed.
As for Christian Bale, he's actually makes a good "Batman" but with one flaw - that really irritating hoarse whispery voice he affects when in Batman mode. Instead of sounding deep and menacing, it sounds like laryngitis!
I give this film a 7 based on its overall performance within its genre. It's good...but just not great.