They FINALLY got it....

(There are spoilers here)


Most of you know this already, but in case you don't know, I've been reading comics since I was five years old, and own over a thousand of them at this rate. In addition to that, I've probably seen every Hollywood film that's ever been related to the genre. Now, with all that being said I can honestly say that "The Dark Knight" is the absolute best of them all. First and foremost, the story is not a "superhero" story (though it is broken up like a comic book story-arc), in the traditional sense. Rather it's a crime story, that happens to use characters such as Batman, much in the same way as the brilliant Jeph Loeb/Tim Sale graphic novel "The Long Halloween." Speaking of Batman, Christian Bale has perfected his Bruce Wayne. He really captures the tortured resolve that should always drive the character. Gary Oldman is terrific as Jim Gordon. Aaron Eckhart delivers a knockout performance as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, who is perhaps the most important character in the film. It's Dent that represents what Batman can never become, at first he's the public hero, the hope, that Bruce can never be. Later on in the film he represents the opposite end of what Batman can never become, driven mad by vengeance, he abandons any sense of morality. Speaking of Dent's vengeance, Maggie Gyllenhaal delivers a respectable performance as Rachel Dawes. While the character is still nothing to write home about, but she's better then the wooden Katie Holmes. I'm saving the best for last here in Heath Ledger. It's a shame that Heath's death is fueling speculation for an Oscar nod, because he would deserve it no matter what. His Joker is truly riveting. Is he Jack Nicholson? No. Nicholson's joker is a totally different interpretation, a great one, but a different one in a different film.
Ledger nails down the psychotic, twisted nature of the Joker, and both he and Bale seem to have a perfect understanding of the dichotomy between Batman and the Joker. The film was outstanding both standing by itself, and it truly treated the medium with respect. Between this and Iron Man, 2008 has been a hell of a year for comic movies. If only DC and Marvel could do as well.....