(ie you're reading this only because you've already seen the film)
I went in knowing little other than that this was not going to be Batman: Year One. Right away however, I started to put some things together. I knew the League of Shadows was going to be the point of the film once they introduced it: Ra's al Ghul is too minor a Batman villain to be given more than one movie. So, ok, I thought, this is really not going to be Year One. Fine.
I completely agree with all the points you've outlined Civ. I'm a big Bat-fan and saw all these things play out on the screen and noted each one. However, I also made sure I went into the film prepared for divergences from what I knew to be Bat-fact. I wnted to make sure that I watched this movie asa movie goer and not just a Bat-fan. I wanted to see how I liked this movie as someone who maybe didn't know anything about Batman. As such I loved this film. I really think it does justice to the character of Batman and that for me was the real thing I was lookingfor out of the film.
It certainly would be great if they had followed the Year One a little more effectively and your Sin City example is a great analogy. I will be interested to see how this looks when it hits the screens here. I have a feeling it will work extremely well.
But all-in-all this film, comic story background aside, really is a fantastic ride and well worth the price of admission.