The Dark Knight (Sir James Bond)

Rating: 9/10 (27 July 2008)

I was a bit conflicted with this one. This is being haled by many as the greatest comic book/superhero movie of all time. I have to say I disagree. Don't get me wrong, this was a great film. It had great story/script and very good performances, with a great one by Ledger as the joker (no one could ever make Nicholson look so bad!). I say it even could be up for best picture consideration this year. Ledger HAS to get at least a nomination, if not a win.
So how can I not say it was the best comic/hero movie ever, certainly no other was deserving of such praise (you may be asking)? Well, I'll explain.
I am a huge Batman Begins fan. I feel it's the best of the genre because it took a comic hero and made the story real and believable, but kept the awe, wonderment, and nobility of the character. With all superhero movies, you Want to be that hero! I never thought I'd say that taking it further into reality would be a detriment, but that's just what happened in Dark Knight.
With this installment, people die....many people die, and the Joker is a sinister and deranged as any serial killer. The movie is intense all the way through, with only one moment (one) of comic relief. The tension in the theater was palpable, and it needed a few more moments relief. More importantly, while Batman's "goodness" never really comes into question, and I don't recall him killing anyone himself, he is pushed to the edge and is often depicted almost as brutal as the villains. In addition, at some points in the movie he doesn't want to be the hero any longer, and you understand.... you don't want to be him either. And THAT was its greatest flaw.
So, while I think this can be viewed as a great Crime Drama, I didn't leave thinking that it was the best comic/hero movie because, for me, it lacked that necessary element... evoking the desire to be the hero and the uplifting/noble feeling that comes with it. Some may call this semantics, but so be it.
One critic show compared it to "The Departed", and I found myself thinking "James Bond" (the new version). If you go in thinking Action Crime Drama, you will definitely enjoy it. 8 out of 10.