I think Bale is one talented actor. I think he's VERY talented. However, I think he's starting to become one dimensional as far as his choices of roles go. I mean, I know it's good marketing for him and it'll hold onto his cult audience but does he really have to keep playing dark, tortured souls? He hasn't played them in EVERY movie, but still, he always finds a way of having these characters who in some way have a cult appeal to them, even in Reign of Fire. I DO think he's a very good actor but I think he and Nolan both chose to do Batman for reasons other than trying to pay TRUE homage to the iconic character. I think it was a very good vehicle for both of them fanwise. I mean, hell, anybody who made a dark Batman film after the travesty of "Batman and Robin" and didn't completely screw it up was going to be called a hero. They just got there first. I don't think "Batman Begins" is very clever, well told story-wise, or that Bale makes a very deep Batman, but I do think that career wise, Bale knows that playing Batman in a "gritty" film version would forever label him as great in the eyes of today's anti-hero loving fans. There are a lot of flaws with this movie but the facts that
1) it was a "dark" take on Batman
2) it starred an actor known for playing dark characters
and
3) it didn't completely suck story-wise
have made it completely over-rated in my opinion. I agree, Bale would be a better Bond-like character than Batman. I hate the direction this series seems to be going casting-wise. All these hunky sex symbols playing heroes and villains. Make mine Keaton.