I have to admit, I was not a fan of the previous Tim Burton installments of Batman. I thought it was campy and silly and that Jack Nicholson stole the show. I was in the minority, as the movie was a giant box office success.
That said, this re-invention is a triumph. Well done. Christopher Nolan of Memento and Insomnia fame has done a fine job. So well done that you are happy to forget the last four versions.
Acting wise, Christopher Nolan was the best Bruce Wayne yet. All the supporting characters (Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Rutger Hauer, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson) were tremendous and brought great depth to all the subplots. The only acting that missed the mark was Katie Holmes as some pompous self-righteous DA who really could never be pleased. She is just annoying. My advice to her is to marry Tom Cruise right away, and get half, because her star is fading.
Direction was stellar. Cinematically the film was beautiful and kept true to the dark character of Gotham City. The scenes of Batman perched atop Gotham landmarks were spectacular. The fight sequences were very good.
Storyline/Plot. They covered a lot of ground in a small amount of space and did a great job of introducing Bruce Wayne'e evolution into Batman. The movie's plot was excellent and the attempt at a love interest with Katie Holmes was just a waste of film. She wasn't even helpful moving the plot along.
The political undertones of the film were subtle and interesting. We see Wayne's parents as wealthy philanthropists with liberal ideals whose generosity could redeem Gotham City. It is only when Bruce Wayne adopts takes a more conservative approach to Gotham's woes that we see tangible results.
I assume that this movie is a springboard for sequels. I do hope so, but with the caveat that they manage to keep the strong cast together and dump Holmes.
As of right now, this movie is the best of summer 2005.