The Godfather of Superhero Movies

Rating: 10/10 (1 June 2010)

I had written a review of this upon its release but feel that I should write a renewed review, mostly because over time your reactions and opinions about films begin to change. Plus, when you leave The Dark Knight, having just seen for the first time, you get a kind of Christopher Nolan "high."
Watching this now, and experiencing it all over, time and time again, I can't help but think about future views of this film, and thoughts in retrospect. And when I think about what's to come, I think about how people will be saying, if criticized for making a poor Superhero film, "Well its not like I'm trying to make The Dark Knight here."
The reason, I think, this film will be kept in such high regard is not because of Heath Ledger (RIP), and not because of the action and whatnot, but because of the direction and the writing and the film's sheer audacity towards the medium. Sure, people will remember "Why So Serious?" and they'll remember the action and the fight sequences, and they'll remember this as Heath's last completed work, but the true standout areas of the film will be the brilliant, clever storyline, and the dark, foreboding atmosphere. They'll remember a film that wasn't afraid to take itself seriously.
While watching it now, I've always seen it (and the script) as being some form of sponge for the millions of ideas and concepts that Nolan(s) vomited out on here. There's no formula with The Dark Knight, and the moment I realized this (along with every one else in the theater) was when Rachel Dawes, the love interest in this film, was engulfed in flame inside of a warehouse rigged to blow. Nolan's genius really shows through here, and from his undeniable consistency so far in his career, we can all have faith that he won't let us down with whatever sequels he is planning with this franchise. We can trust that he'll make the right decisions. And if he decides to go through with the third film, which as I'm alive he will, than we all know that it will be far from disappointing in way, shape, or form.
Congratulations, Mr. Nolan, your hard work and your ingenuity has been greatly rewarded with the success of the greatest Superhero film to date, and possibly your greatest work, The Dark Knight.