This one really stuck with me...

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2008)

I could use words like "epic", "a masterpiece", "brilliant", or several other clichés to describe this movie (I guess I just did), however one indication that a movie transcends to a level that cannot merely be defined in words is when it simply sticks with you.
The Dark Knight sticks with you.
A day after seeing Christopher Nolan's second installment in the "Batman" franchise, I find my mind wandering to various scenes and events in the picture that literally affected my subconscious. It is truly rare when a film can generate that kind of immersion... but this is one of those examples.
As many other commenter's have mentioned, the cast all deliver excellent performances. I will also concede that Heath Ledger is indeed phenomenal as The Joker. However, the one performance that will likely get a fraction of the recognition it deserves is Aaron Eckhart at Harvey Dent/Two-Face. By comparison, Ledger's character intentionally has very little depth; we get no back story on the Joker's origins, nor any explanation of his motivations... but that was the point. The Joker represents chaos and anarchy, a soulless psychopath who just wants to "watch the world burn." From that perspective, it works very well. Eckhart, on the other hand, had the remarkable task of playing a character that starts out as "Gotham's White Knight", but slowly descends into a character full of hatred and vengeance because of the terrible tragedy that he endured. All the while sharing the screen with a Gotham villain that, by nature, "steals the show". Unlike the Joker, you can truly empathize with Harvey Dent's motivations... he is horrifying, yet draws a great deal of sympathy. Dent is the quintessential tragic hero, and Eckhart completely pulls it off. The real clincher, though, was the absolutely fantastic makeup/CG for Two-Face. I can say without exaggeration, that it is both shockingly haunting and believable at the same time... which is likely why that image still lingers in the back of my mind.
As a whole though, The Dark Knight pulls you in and never lets go. Perhaps it is fitting that Nolan chose not to include "Batman" in the title, because this movie could have functioned even without such a well-known protagonist. It is more a crime drama with DC characters injected into it, than a story built entirely around them. That's not to say that the characters take a back seat, however their personality traits and origins serve as inspiration for something even larger.
The Dark Knight puts Christopher Nolan among Hollywood's most elite directors. Dare I say it; he may have even undone the seemingly reputable damage to the "Batman" name that "Batman and Robin" caused. Forget those other movies, Nolan's Batman will be the one to remember.