The Batman movie Burton and Schumacher didn't want us to see

Rating: 10/10 (2 July 2014)

I never thought that there would be a comic book adaption so intense, thrilling, complex and entertaining before I watched this movie. From the beginning to the end it's just one wild ride of a roller-coaster!
The casting is superb: Christian Bale as caped crusader is in perfect shape, Michael Caine as his devoted butler Alfred shines as always. But it's the supporting cast that takes the stage: Gary Oldman as Gordon puts his acting skills to new heights, Morgan Freeman does the best he can do out of his small role. Above them all, the two villain characters rise to the top! Aaron Eckharts Two-Face is the maniac he always had to be. Tommy Lee Jones portrayal in Joel Schumachers "Batman Forever" was way too much and with the addition of an overambitioned Jim Carrey came along as a mad clown in a circus. Eckhart transported the tragedy, the emotion and the insanity of his character perfectly. He would have been the star of this vehicle, if there wasn't a character so diabolic, I had to carve through all the other actors just to save the best for last but Heath Ledger's Joker is definitely the highlight of this movie. How he inhabits every scene he's in, gives the Joker a chilling, unpredictable, and yet charming side, is truly remarkable. His achievement is the best I have ever seen in a comic book adaption, and I have seen a lot. He even manages to erase the memory of the great Jack Nicholson in Tim Burtons first Batman interpretation. As sad as it is to mourn his way too soon death, he leaves the scene with a very big bang. The Oscar is sooo well deserved.
This is definitely the highlight of Christopher Nolans Dark Knight-Trilogy. What he build up with Batman Begins, the atmosphere, the character development, suspense, little doses of humor, evolves in a 2 1/2 hour extravaganza that puts every other summer blockbuster in the corner. Instead of delivering flat jokes, scene on scene explosions, CGI effects and over-the-top-stunts, Nolan gives us a wise-cracking, profound, dark tale of good and evil, even with good references of the actual present. Every minute of this action flick is pure entertainment. It will be interesting to see if the next generation of Batman movies will manage to come anywhere close to this one. I highly doubt that!