" the plan always has a flaw and is discovered before the major damage is done - and they catch the criminal!"

Yes. That's what happens in the movies, Ron. Alas, real life is neither so neatly arranged nor so kind.

Was John Kennedy saved at the last moment? Was Bobby? Was Martin Luther King? Was Lincoln? Was the Maine? Was the Hindenburg? Was the Reichstag? Were the Twin Towers?

Nope. Major (in fact total) damage was done in all cases.

Plans can have many flaws and still succeed.

Example: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

flaw number 1: The American aircraft carriers were safely out at sea when the Japanese airstrikes came in.

flaw number 2: The Japanese sank a bunch of old American battleships...ships which proved to be of relatively little use in the coming war.

flaw number 3: They neglected to destroy the fuel tanks and naval repair facilities at Pearl. If they had done that, instead of sinking some old battleships, then the US fleet would have had to rebase itself in distant California rather than in Hawaii, and it would have made a huge difference to the Japanese logistical advantage.

flaw number 4: The Japanese attack was seen coming in on American radar. Fortunately for the Japanese, the radar report was misunderstood and no alert was sounded.

flaw number 5: The Japanese could have sent in a third attack wave and smashed up the oil tanks and repair facilities anyway. They didn't.

flaw number 6: It was not a smart move pschologically to hit Pearl Harbor, because it infuriated the American population, thus making America's will to fight like a will of iron.

So there you had a whole bunch of flaws in a plan. Nonetheless, the Pearl Harbor attack plan basically succeeded in its tactical objectives. It achieved surprise and great damage at a small material cost. It was a major tactical victory for the Japanese...but a Pyrrich one in the long run.

All of which has nothing to do with Batman movies...but I do enjoy history. ;-)