Amazing on so many levels

Rating: 10/10 (20 July 2008)

Considering all the hype leading up to this movie's release, such as WB's marketing campaign and the publicity surrounding Heath Ledger's death, it was possible that we could all be underwhelmed come release day with a movie like Spiderman 3 that was maybe good on its own but worse than its predecessors. Well, The Dark Knight did not disappoint. Not only is it better than its predecessor, Batman Begins, it is better than any comic-based movie ever made. I have yet to see all of them but I am still confident they are not as good as this movie. I would even go as far as to say this is one of the best movies ever made, as the ratings on IMDb will speak for themselves. Christopher Nolan strikes the perfect balance between preserving the authenticity of the Batman mythos with his own realistic, dark approach to the series. His characters are believable and well developed. The Joker is truly the highlight of the film, as Heath Ledger creates a character that is less comical and "funny" than his previous incarnations as he is sinister; he is the pure essence of evil and his desire to witness chaos and suffering drives the riveting plot. Harvey Dent, Gotham's City DA is another character whom I thought was well portrayed by Aaron Eckhart, and his battle with Joker for Gotham's sake is a beautiful tragedy that not only takes a toll on the city but his life as well. And of course you have Christian Bale's Batman, who is as good as ever. He's dark, mysterious, vigilant, but he's also Bruce Wayne, and his human side is tested to the fullest when the Joker wreaks havoc upon Gotham City. As if the mature and dark nature of the film weren't enough, Nolan has outdone himself with the creation of action scenes that are well-choreographed and stunning. Batman Begins, being an origin story, was a bit slow and heavy on the dialogue but The Dark Knight lets viewers see Batman in full-fledged action in his quest to save Gotham City. This movie is long (about 2 1/2 hours) but there is no filler; it cuts to the chase. It is a well-crafted, gripping, suspenseful movie that will leave some sort of impression on you, but a good one I promise. It's only been out for a few days but I'm already waiting for a sequel that will kick as much, if not more. The Dark Knight is an excellent movie, bar none and if you haven't already, do yourself a favor and watch it.