"Not only is TDK the best superhero movie ever made, its quite honestly one of the best movies period."

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2008)

First off, Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight is not a superhero movie. It has nothing to do with comic book movies really. TDK is so far beyond the limits of its supposed brethren its really in a class of its own, with comparisons to Iron Man, Spider-Man 2, and even Batman Begins doesn't come close to touching upon the greatness of this film. Not only is TDK the best superhero movie ever made, its quite honestly one of the best movies period.
Nolan has really outdone himself here. Not just himself, but everyone else that has made superhero flicks. He doesn't just adapt a comic book, he has created an entire world, one that just happen to involve comic book characters. His take on Batman is the most inspired I've ever seen; getting the character's inner conflicts so right and make them ring so true is incredible. Christian Bale is great as the Caped Crusader (although his harsh growl is still the lone weak spot in his performance). Thankfully he has an excellent supporting cast who all get their time to shine. Michael Caine is perfect as Alfred, who keeps Bruce from falling from grace and helps him when he just doesn't know what to do, and their banter is fun to watch. Morgan Freeman also shines as Lucius Fox, a mentor of sorts to Wayne who, like in Freemans best roles, just radiates wisdom. Aaron Eckhart is simply powerful as Harvey Dent, a district attorney who's character arc is one of the most tragic story lines in any movie. Maggie Gyllenhaal gets the short stick here, as Nolan just doesn't know what to do with her character.
They may all be great, but two performers here easily trump them all: Gary Oldman and Heath Ledger. Oldman gets a bigger, juicier role as Jim Gordon, Gothams Lieutenant who helps Batman and Dent to try and stop the rise in crime thats plaguing the city. His story arc is compelling to watch. That explanation leads me to one of the most inspired and creative villains ever conceived: the Joker.
Heath Ledger is simply incredible as the Joker, a man who has no past whatsoever (which is emphasized by his contradictory explanations of the origin of his scars), who seems to live just to create destruction. He is chaos incarnate, someone who wants to burn down Gotham just for the fun of it, and a part of you will want him to just see how he'll do it. He has no remorse, he is twisted in every way, and he is in short, brilliant. Ledger puts everything into this role. He is the Joker, he'll make you laugh at all the wrong moments, and he will make you cringe so much you're face will get stuck. His performance will stick with you for a long time. Hes an instant icon. All the Oscar talk is not hyperbole. Give the guy an Academy Award, he deserves it. Its the role of a lifetime, the role he was made for. Saying hes the best Joker ever portrayed is underselling him. Hes one of the best villains ever portrayed.
In Batman Begins, my one big complaint was that the action, while sometimes invigorating, was handled poorly, with the close ups and shaky cam inducing a sense of nausea instead of suspense. He not only fixes these problems, he expands on the overall action. When Batman fights, he takes them in quick succession, using the kind of lyrical poetry unlike nothing I've seen since Bourne Ultimatum. The big explosions don't matter however, as with the best of Nolan's work, a lot of the action is psychological. The movies plot rises to epic status because the characters within it are so compelling. It makes the tragic story resonate more than it probably would have otherwise.
Simply calling The Dark Knight a superhero movie is wrong. Its an epic crime drama that just happens to be based on a comic book. It trumps everything and everyone that has come before to be one of the best movies ever made. When the movie ends you may find yourself applauding, as you have witnessed a masterpiece unlike anything you've ever seen.