We return to Gotham City, and things have become slightly better. However, as Lieutenant Gordon promised at the end of the previous film The Joker (Heath Ledger) is around causing all sorts of chaos, and now with Batman cornering the mob The Joker has been let loose on him. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) has emerged as the public servant that will stand up to the criminals and isn’t afraid to attack them with the law. Harvey Dent represents what Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) wanted to inspire people to become when he decided to become Batman. So now with two heroes and one bigger than life villain we enter a rollercoaster ride of a movie that makes us lose our minds and somewhat find it again. “And here we go”

Now, I’ve never been a believer in giving out a perfect 10/10 score to movies. For the simple principle that we live in an imperfect world and that nothing [not even movies] can be perfect. So don’t think I didn’t spend hours pondering where the imperfection lies in this film. I did. I laid in my bed rethinking the experience of watching The Dark Knight and tried to find a moment when I was in the theatre, and for a second wanted to let my mind wander away from the screen. THERE ISN’T ONE. I love this movie and if you don’t go to the theatre and watch this movie it means you’re a Nazi!

Now I know I haven’t exactly picked the most controversial of movies to try and put my credibility on the line. Like how hard is it to like a movie that most critics range between 9 and 10? And also climbed to number one on the IMDB top 250 list in it’s opening weekend [which I think may slip off in the end but still a huge feat in itself], and also has broken nearly every box office record in America? It grossed about $18Million from the midnight showings in America alone, and it had sold out for the opening weekend from maybe three weeks in advance. So seriously is it not expected for me to geek out over the movie?

I think I need to start out by explaining my “Movie-Going Experience” for this movie. I believe that the experience at the theatre definitely affects your overall feelings at the end of the day, and it’s true for this movie. The Dark Knight was released Friday, July 18, 2008 in America. As most of you know, I am a resident of Jamaica. And any of you out there reading from Jamaica know of our local Palace Amusement has a tendency to release films that I want [and on occasion you as well] late. Now this summer I consider that Palace has been pretty good to us [in comparison to past summers]. They have released the big films on the same day if not slightly earlier than the US of A. Iron Man, Indiana Jones 4, and Hancock were all released all on time, and I love them for that. But honestly if they decided to release those three movies I named a month late each and release The Dark Knight on the day I would have been without complaint. I had to pay twice the price of the regular admission to go to a “Premiere” of the film which was six days late. And for those who were not able to catch this “Early” release will have to wait another nine days for the slated release of August 1[rumour has it] in Jamaica. I’ve had to avoid all forms of spoilers and comments on the internet for the last almost week so that I wouldn’t screw this movie experience completely. And I don’t know if I could last another 2 weeks in order to see this movie.

But let’s forget all of that, I saw the movie and I’m happy. They sold me my ticket with promise of free pizza [had a cool Dark Knight pizza box, snagged one a took pictures] and they had wine [I like alcohol as much as the next guy, but who the frig cares… I want a movie]. As I hope most Premiere’s go, there was someone at the beginning speaking, thanking everyone for showing up and what not, I applauded him and prayed for the movie to start. Eventually he did and the movie WAS FREAKING AMAZING!!!!

I literally sat in my seat after it was over and kept shouting to the projectionist “AGAIN!!!” hoping he would indulge me with even a replay of one scene. I don’t applaud at movies EVER, but this was the first time I stood and applauded to the screen after it was over. I had my fingernails in my mouth the entire time, gnawing at them watching the confusing nature of the Joker entice me. The movie kept me literally on the edge of my seat the entire time.

It’s easily defined as a perfect performance by an actor when you watch them and not even for a second do you think of him as an actor, but rather always as the character they are portraying. This movie had so many people like that, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, and Heath Ledger as The Joker were perfect. I never once thought of them as Ledger and Eckhart; but rather as Joker and Dent. Maggie Gyllenhaal was a great move by the studio [even though I’m sure Katie Holmes turned down the opportunity to reprise her role], I loved her in this movie and for sure a step up from Katie. Bale, Freeman and Caine reprise each of their roles in the movie, and even though they don’t make any huge mistakes or do a bad job, they definitely are the weakest link in the movie and are overshadowed by our hero/villain of Eckhart and Ledger.

The Joker definitely steals the show here. Like he is exactly what he should be, mad and for no reason. Every time you see The Joker [I call him the Joker because it is not Ledger on screen, it is The Joker] you have no idea of what he is going to do. You’re not sure if this is the moment he laughs at or with you, and you hope he to hell isn’t laughing at you. And eventually you get the point during the movie that you realize that the joker isn’t doing it to make money, to kill the batman, or to scare to crap out of you, he’s doing it because it amuses him. It amuses him to watch order become completely invisible and for anarchy to be the only thing in this world that you know. He “just wants to watch the world burn”.

Chris Nolan has made the greatest comic book movie ever right here. When he did “Batman Begins” he definitely made a movie about fear, and here he made it all about anarchy and chaos. You never know what’s going to happen next, and that is what anarchy is. If you knew what was going to happen “you wouldn’t panic” but as you hear every maddening plan from The Joker you can do nothing but feel dread. Chris Nolan tends to do this with all of his movies, he presents them as each story requires, which is why he is one of my TOP TEN DIRECTORS, from “Memento” to “The Prestige” to “The Dark Knight” every movie is presented differently and as it is needed. Unlike many other directors who love to make spectacles of their films, and use glamorous shots and wide angles, if it isn’t needed Nolan doesn’t do it, WHICH I LOVE ABOUT HIM.

Overall, there is no other movie to watch at the theatre. When it comes out go and watch it twice maybe three times. When the DVD comes out I will buy every edition that is released. This is right now my favourite movie of all time, only time will tell if Reservoir Dogs re-emerges as my overall favourite again.

IMDB says 9.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes says 95%

I say 10/10