Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Written by: Christopher Nolan, Johnathan Nolan

Actors: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.

 

At this point, another raving review of the single-most successful movie in years would just add to the hype machine "The Dark Knight" has been generating daily since hitting theaters last week.  But there is an easy explanation as to why this movie is creating such a buzz and here's a hot tip: It's that good.

Yes folks, the rumors are true; "The Dark Knight" is easily the best superhero movie ever made and quite possibly the best movie of the year.  Yes, Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker is as incredible as everyone is saying and I whole-heartedly agree with critics who are predicting he wins the posthumous Oscar this year.  This is the rare case in movie sequels where the second installment not only improves upon the originalâ€- it sets a whole new standard.  Every single performance across the board is top notch.  The plot and storyline are complex, engrossing, and unpredictable.  The action scenes (especially in IMAX) are soon to become standard demos of home theater systems across the globe and although the runtime is over the two-hour mark... every minute is more than worth it. 

And I can't rave enough about IMAX.  For those who have the opportunity to see this movie in an IMAX theater, do yourselves a favor and fork over the extra four bucks.   It's well worth it.  This is the first major motion picture to actually film certain scenes with an IMAX camera, which utilizes the entire screen at key points in the movie.  These scenes are incorporated flawlessly, never once taking you out of the moment once they revert back to their standard (but still amazingly massive) size.  The digital surround sound presentation is an entirely different monster altogether, fully immersing the audience from every angle with a symphony of explosions, gunfire, dialogue, and music that swells and startles masterfully.  Granted, the film is just as good without the IMAX perks, but it's definitely an added bonus when viewed at 50 feet as opposed to 50 inches.

In closingâ€- go see this movie.  Batman fans will not be disappointed.  Fans of good movies will not be disappointed, and now that I think of it, fans of bad movies won't be disappointed either.  This is the Real McCoy, folks.  If there's one movie to see this yearâ€- "The Dark Knight" is it.

Movie Review: 5 out of 5 stars

Overall IMAX Experience: 5 out of 5 stars

• Visitor Comments