A hodgepodge of mediocre special effects, cliché, and sub-par acting, with an awkward and predictable plot.

The only unpredictable part of the film is it's piecemeal nature: almost every character begins as one standard Hollywood persona and without motive changes to another cliché at least once during the film. One can never know what is going to happen next since the sequence of events is only a random permutation of rote super-hero movie themes. The only certainty is that the next event in the chain will be as unimaginative and overused as the last.

The sound quality is terrible (it is impossible to understand the villain or Batman at several points) and the pacing is awkward as the first hour covers plot over some weeks and the last hour covers the events over some months without indication.

The finale is most disappointing of as the film descends in the realm of utter cliché, even corniness. The slightly surprising twist is once again completely non-sequitur and seemed to be thrown in as a cheap afterthought to give an illusion of depth to the movie. Of course what is one to expect when the villains are nothing but inexplicable anarchists with unclear motives other than a random desire to blow up the world. They are completely unrealistic as characters, as are the heroes.

Strong points include Bane's voice (which though undecipherable is powerfully creepy), and a tastefully low use of special effects. This film is not a special effects orgy; the viewer is unfortunately confined to derive enjoyment from the plot.