Go see it in an IMAX theater!

Rating: Null/10 (7 August 2008)

If you haven't seen The Dark Knight yet, just go see it in an IMAX theater. This superb action thriller is worth every cent of the gigantic screen. And the crystal clear resolution of the IMAX shots is astonishing. You can see through the windows of the well lit skyscrapers! One warning though: There are certain action scenes that might appear too busy on the screen for some viewers to capture entirely; after all, it's an eight-story tall screen. But it's OK to lose a little bit of details because most likely you'll want to watch the movie again.
The two 70+ legendary actors are just amazing. Michael Caine said that he had all the funny lines at the London premiere, and he's absolutely right. He adds humor and wisdom to this dark film. Morgan Freeman plays the elegant scientist so well, and his subtle facial expression seems to tell people: I know what you're thinking; I know it all.
Maggie Gyllenhaal did quite well, much better than Katie Holms. But she failed to convey the struggle in choosing between 2 men. But perhaps Nolan's idea of Rachel isn't a woman with strong emotions. She is an old friend of Bruce's, best friend since childhood. She admires Bruce for what he sacrifices (his normal life) to save Gotham. But she might never have loved him. She made it clear that life with dual identity wasn't the kind she wanted Bruce to lead. She didn't commit anything to him at the end of "The Batman Begins" except an ambiguous promise. So maybe we have to factor this in when we judge Maggie's performance.
Christian Bale, our leading man, is very convincing in portraying a hero with moral burdens. He once said that he didn't have to act Batman's rage because of the headache caused by the tight mask. I can't say that he has "acted" well this time because it seems to me that he didn't have to act again given his recent news. Whether that's true or not, he is the best incarnation of Bruce Wayne / Batman, and I hope Nolan will write Christian a bigger part that lives up to its name in the 3rd installment, which I'm very much looking forward to.
Overall, this is a movie that I don't regret seeing 3 times in theaters. Every time I got something new out of it. If you have the patience to watch a movie over 150 minutes, TDK is definitely the best choice of this summer.
"The next most anticipated film" submitted on July 28th
The Dark Knight is a movie worth seeing at least twice. No wonder it's breaking one record after another in the box office.
The first time around, you'll be thrilled as you ride the roller coaster with many unexpected turns. Director Christopher Nolan has created such a suspense atmosphere that throughout the movie, you'll keep wondering what's next and you can't help guessing but you won't guess them all as the film is full of surprises. The awe-inspiring music, the spectacular skyscrapers of both Gotham and Hong Kong, the racing and flipping of cars and trucks, and the swift switches between scenes of simultaneous events which Nolan is famous for as his intriguing way of storytelling, all and all drive your adrenaline level high and heart beating fast; it leaves you little space to fully appreciate the wonderful acting of every actor. Except, of course, you'll be immediately overwhelmed by Heath Ledger's unprecedented and unsurpassable performance as the Joker. His portrayal will leave a long lasting impression in every viewer, fan of his or not.
That's why you should see it again. This time, with the storyline in mind, you can relax while watching and you'll find that literally EVERY major actor, Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal has done a superb job playing his / her character. Even those who play smaller roles deliver. Maybe the baleheads will find Christian not being seen enough in his titular movie, and that's probably the only small disappointment in this film for them. The real disappointment, and pity, in reality, is the death of Heath. Toward the end of the movie, you'll already start expecting the 3rd installment in which the 2 uncompromising enemies continue their entangled fight. But that's difficult to fulfill now because finding a replacement to play the Joker for the late actor is almost impossible (I personally think it's impossible, but let's give many talented young actors out there the benefit of the doubt). Whoever dares take this challenge is admirable and will be under tons of pressure trying to meet such a high benchmark, let alone exceeding it.
The huge success of the film deserves celebrations, but hopefully it won't become a burden for Nolan and Bale and thus delay the next sequel, which will be the next most anticipated film. Setting high standards for themselves, they won't settle for something that doesn't surpass the Dark Knight. The long waiting process begins.
Edited on August 4th
To answer Mr. Alex Billington's question whether TDK will beat Titanic, I think it's possible. This movie is my only one to see in theaters twice. And I've been invited to see the IMAX version by the friend who accompanied me to see it the second time. At first she questioned why I needed to see it twice, but now she's more fascinated than me. TDK has altered my personal movie-viewing habit and set the record as the only film that I believe I'll ever see 3 times in theaters. With the lackluster performance of the third Mummy, and no other major blockbusters opening this weekend, TDK may keep its reign for 4 weekends in a row. Even if TDK doesn't outsell Titanic in the box office, I predict it will on DVD.