"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We're tonight's entertainment." You certainly are.

Rating: 9/10 (20 July 2008)

That. Was. Brilliant. Do yourself a favor and go and see 'The Dark Knight' right away. If you've seen it already, go and see it again. It is by far the darkest, most multi-faceted and entertaining superhero movie ever made and the best movie of 2008 so far. All the ingredients are perfect: the cast, the plot (which cannot be summarized without spoiling the story, so I won't), the cinematography, the locations, the dialog, the tone, everything. That's right, fawning over TDK like a fan-boy is my new occupation.
It is perhaps controversial to say this with regard to Heath Ledger's performance, but I actually think that TDK is Aaron Eckhart's film. He plays district attorney Harvey Dent, the 'white knight' of Gotham City, so-called because of his unwavering duty towards eradicating all crime in the city, and is the focus of Batman and the Joker's attention, both looking to use him as a figurehead for the infallible good or the temptation of evil. It can be compared to the 1960s when the United States and the Soviet Union used Vietnam as a battleground for their respective ideologies. Dent cuts a tragic figure; one minute he has it all, the next he has become that which he was dedicated to fighting against. By the climax, the audience may experience something of a malaise regarding his fate.
Mentioning Heath Ledger is difficult without sounding like a sheep. Sure, he plays the role of his life and yes he'll probably earn at least an Oscar nomination for it, but I believe this is down to the direction of Christopher Nolan as much as it is Ledger himself. Nolan doesn't overexpose the Joker (unlike Tim Burton's 1989 original), preferring to keep him out of sight until main events occur. There are no scenes of the Joker's plans being prepared or his mental state being assessed or put into perspective. As Bertrand Russell would say, he "just is", existing as an absolute to test the Batman.
Completing the triumvirate of magnificent performances is Christian Bale's, whose Batman is subtly different from when we last saw him. His thirst for revenge seems to have cooled slightly although his level of brutality remains bordering on the malicious (like when he pushes a criminal out of a window just to break his legs.) Bale shows Batman's rising frustration as he turns to increasingly morally questionable methods in order to combat the organised chaos of the Joker, who presents himself as the id to Batman's overwrought superego. The interaction between the two is electrifying and builds throughout the film, so much so that when the finale eventually arrives, it is literally impossible to avert one's eyes from the screen.
It is clear to see that Christopher Nolan assessed the shortcomings of 'Batman Begins' and actively sought to avoid them this time around. Gone is the utterly misplaced comic relief element in Lieutenant Gordon (played by the ever rewarding Gary Oldman) and the suspension of disbelief elements like the violence-inducing hallucinogen and millennia-old secret ninja society. TDK remains much more grounded in reality. The criminals use firearms to obtain what they want in a city that looks like New York. Deaths are shown unflinchingly and frequently. With the exception of the Joker, every character is shown to be vulnerable. There is no expectation that "Batman will save us" here. It sets a much darker tone than the first film and is ultimately what elevates it from other standard comic book fare.
Overall 'The Dark Knight' not only lives up to expectations, but far surpasses them. Although over two and a half hours long, it leaves you feeling satiated and content but with a willingness to experience it over and over again. This is one franchise that needs more sequels and soon. As Bruce Wayne aptly says, "Batman has no limits."