While Ironman was a fun comic book movie, full of laughs and action, The Dark Knight is something more.  It is an EPIC. 

2 hours and 47 minutes of action, intrigue, suspense, and nitty-gritty heroes and villians.  While Tim Burton’s Batman had character that looked like they had walked out of the comic books, Christopher Nolan’s Batman series has people that grew up in a very real Gotham city.  There are no cartoon smudges, just real people – people flawed in their own ways.

I don’t want to give anything away and frankly, after watching the movie, I feel like I need time to process all the subtle nuances of the story and pacing. 

Everyone did a fantastic job, and Heath Ledger does deserve the kudos he is getting, though it is sad that the “important” people in the business are only noticing because he is dead.  Their take on the Joker for this film was more terrifying than any Joker I’ve seen before.  His make-up applied haphazardly, sometimes running from his sweat, making it look as though he has been crying.  Aaron Eckhart makes Harvey Dent more likable then I had ever imagined.  What could easily be yet another slimy lawyer turns into a man that wants to save his city.  Gary Oldman’s return as Gordon was welcome, and Maggie Gyllenhaal was a far more mature and likable Rachael than Katie Holmes could ever pull off.

Probably the best Batman movie yet.  I am already wondering what they could possibly do to follow this up…