Let's be honest - They should just call this movie "The Joker"

Rating: 8/10 (18 July 2008)

Let's get this out of the way right off the top: Heath Ledger is nothing short of amazing in this film. ** Heath Ledger's Joker makes Jack Nicholson's Joker look like Cesar Romero's Joker. ** Less cartoony and far more menacing, this Joker actually feels dangerous. Every moment he's on screen your eyes are simply glued there, just soaking in this iconic performance. His look, his mannerisms, his voice... they all come together to make the perfect Joker, and probably the best villain ever seen on screen in a superhero movie... or any movie, for that matter. It's really quite a shame Ledger passed away, as I would love to have seen him portray that character again and again.
Does the rest of the movie match this level of excellence? Well, not entirely... It's got plenty of action, just enough humor, and a good script for the most part, but there are a couple minor things that bothered me slightly:
If they have to recast Rachel Dawes, fine, but Maggie Gyllenhal is a big step down; Bale's gruff "Batman" voice still sounds a little over-the-top and almost humorous at times; and the movie takes a few unnecessary turns, especially towards the end. Much off this is due to the involvement of "Two-Face." This film didn't need a second villain. His time on screen does nothing but make the audience wish they'd hurry up and get back to the REAL villain. I've never cared for the character, and I suppose it's good they didn't wait to try to use him as the sole foe in a future film, but he simply didn't do anything for me. Aside from those aspects, however, it's difficult to find much to criticize in this movie.
I struggled greatly with the rating for this one, as without The Joker, the rest would only have made for another above-average film like Batman Begins. But Ledger's Joker is undeniably the star of this show, and based on that performance alone, I spot it the higher rating. Forget The Dark Knight - they should just call this The Joker. Ledger simply OWNS this film.