The Dark Knight

**** 1/2 (4 and 1/2 stars)

The Dark Knight (2008)
Genre: Action/Superhero
152 minutes - PG13 rating
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman

Brief Plot: Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham's new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker, whilst other forces plot against them, and Joker's crimes grow more and more deadly. (IMDB)

Best Audience: The followup to the hit movie Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan's sequel should appeal to the coveted 18-35 demographic but will also score a hit with teens and older adults who are Batman fans. Be warned though, there are some grotesque and gruesome images and some scary moments.

My Review: The Dark Knight is spectacular. It truly is. I am positive you will not find another movie this summer that has as much to offer as this film. It blows away all other competition. Sorry Hulk, move aside Iron Man, the Dark Knight is king now. Sure the movie is very long for one sitting, yes it has an incredible thicket of plot to take in, and yeah it is darker and not as uplifting as the first; but you get what you pay for with this film. The cast as directed by Christopher Nolan shines, in particular Bale, Oldman, and of course, Ledger.

I don't even know where to begin with Heath Ledger's Joker. I think it is almost impossible for him not to get an oscar nomination (and win) for his role. It's just perfect. In my opinion he blows away Daniel Day-Lewis' lead actor win in last year's academy awards, and this in a supporting role! Clearly the best acting of Ledger's brief but bright career and perhaps the most chilling, gripping performance I have ever seen. It is a great memorial to the late actor.

The Dark Knight is not just good because of the Joker, however. It is just oozing with action, and is cleverly and darkly humorous, gripping and suspenseful. Think about Batman Begins and just double - or triple - every ounce of fight scene, cool gadgetry, twists, turns, adrenaline and humor. Just when one thing is resolved we are chaotically thrown into another situation, which would certainly earn the Joker's approval. The Dark Knight just really sticks out in it's field and genre because it isn't as simple or cheesy or cooked by recipe as other films of it's kind, and we need more movies like that. It is definitely one of the best, if not THE best, superhero/comic book film ever made.