Why is this masterpiece?

Rating: 10/10 (7 September 2008)

Why is this masterpiece? Because Nolan has done something that - although seemingly simple - no one has done before: He has exorcised the comical and the farce out of the comic.
First, for the first time, Batman, the one who was always a freak, a mascot for Gotham, and a superhero who was sneered at, is bestowed with an expansive soul, and the soul is not black or white, evil or pure, but full of shades of gray, full of uncertainty, self-doubt and ultimately full of humanity. Batman is now a true hero, not just a caped superhero.
Secondly, every character - and there are so many of them in th is film- whether major, minor, or even forgettable, has a story to tell and that story is told, sometimes in as small a space as 10 seconds of screen time, such as the cop with a wife in the hospital or the bank manager in the movie opening. How could Nolan do that is beyond me, but he has proved himself a master story teller and has weaved together a truly amazing piece of movie literature.
Lastly, Ledger has done what only Hopkins has been able to do before him. Like Hannibal Lecter, the Joker is not a villain without a conscience but he is villain who has an anti-conscience. There is no outwardly or material gain sought by him in what he does. So even criminals shudder at his presence. How do you deal with a villain like that? Nolan does, by sacrificing its best characters and wounding the hero permanently.
What a great movie!