The Dark Knight Fulfills its Quest

The latest installment in the Batman franchise The Dark Knight is arguably the best action film since 1989's Die Hard. Christopher Nolan's latest super hero story expertly combines tight action sequences, cat and mouse games, ensemble casting, and psychological enthrallment to create a high octane film that's actually pretty smart.



At the heart of the film's brilliance are not the tight, invigorating performances of Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, et al., but rather great writing. Running 2 hours and 20 minutes, the film has no dull moments as gripping action scenes alternate with bone chilling dialogue that is mentally and emotionally captivating.

Of course, the acting is superb, and the ensemble construction of the story allows every character to shine, from Michael Caine's enigmatic and mouthy Alfred to Ledger's creepy face-painted Joker. This movie is a no holds barred excellent film and has quite a few nominations headed its way.