Gotham City now Cliché City

Rating: 7/10 (25 July 2008)

I've seen this movie once, but I've seen its make-up a hundred times elsewhere; Fox and Alfred introducing Batman to new gadgets in James Bond; 'unstoppable force meeting immovable object' (haven't heard that before); semi-trailers and high speed car chases through big city underpasses (that's creative, which 'Die Hard' or 'Terminator' did they clip that from); high-flying cable wiring and and bombs on hostages (how unique), my home town of Hong Kong in the story line (every second action film does that now); and, Joker standing down Batman in the street (seen that before in the first Batman!).
And, as for the pre-Oscar chat for Heath Ledger; well, any reasonable actor can play a half-baked idiot, just ask Tom Hanks (Gump) and Russell Crowe (Beautiful Mind). Nicholson was head and shoulders a better Joker; as was Tommy Lee (Two-Face).
This movie will set box office record from now until doomsday; my burning question is why? It's not that good and its all been done before.