One of the best films ever, not just comic book films

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2008)

When it comes to comic book films, there is no competition: The Dark Knight is the greatest comic-book adaptation ever, blowing the runners-up (Spider-Man 2, Iron Man and X-Men United) out of the water. But this is not what The Dark Knight aspires to be. It aspires to be the most ambitious, the most artful and simply one of the greatest cinematic achievements ever. And I believe it succeeds.
Powerful acting performances are embodied by the late Heath Ledger's simply awe-inspiring performances as the psychotic anarchist, The Joker. Like other comic-book aficionados, this critic has been waiting for this Joker for a long time. True, Jack Nicholson's performance as Batman's arch rival was iconic, but Ledger's disturbing portrayal of the villain will go down as one of the greatest villain performances of all time, up there with Hannibal Lecter, Norman Bates and John "Jack" Torrance. You leave the theater truly fearful of the possibility that somewhere in the world there is a human being out there capable of such cruelty against their fellow man. Christian Bale is again perfect in the role as the Caped Crusader, essentially eclipsing Michael Keaton as the face of the genre, and Aaron Eckhart is underrated in his portrayal of Harvey "Two Face" Dent. He deserves a supporting actor nod.
Everything about this movie exudes excellence. From its amazing cinematography to its realistic action. This movie feels like it can truly happen in real life, and when art imitates life to this extent, it goes beyond a typical movie-viewing experience. For those who saw the film this weekend, we witnessed arguably the greatest action film of the past three generations.