Without a doubt a modern masterpiece....

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2008)

I know there are a lot of people out there touting the greatness of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight, and even I was skeptical about whether or not it would hold up to the hype. For once a movie that everyone (critics and fan-boys alike) said was a masterpiece actually was. The Dark Knight manages to take on so much complexity and depth without losing it's audience to boredom. It has the feel of the old epic movies like the Godfather with it's grandiose and methodical nature.
All of the performances are as good as they are said to be. Christian Bale's Batman/Bruce Wayne grows and matures throughout the film and doesn't become stagnant, as many established superhero characters sometimes do in their sequels. And yes, Heath Ledger really is that good as the Joker. His body language alone sets the tone for this version of the Joker, so that when he opens his mouth and speaks the wonderful dialog he has in the film your already sold on his lunacy. But I must say that the surprise of this film was Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two Face that really gave this film its heart. He was a surprise in the role and instantly went to the top of my own favorite character's list. Apart from those big three, all of the supporting cast, including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, ad Gary Oldman do an excellent job of keeping their characters grounded and definitely make this an ensemble piece.
This is the definitive comic book movie now, but it transcends that stereotype and becomes something more. And I'll leave off with the words of the Joker; You've changed things, Mr. Nolan. You've created something that has pushed beyond the limits of what everyone, including myself, thought a comic book movie could do. I recommend this to anyone looking to have a good time, regardless of whether you've ever seen a comic book movie before in your life. You won't be disappointed.