What makes a lunatic? What drives a person to conceive of and execute heinous acts? What makes a hero? Why does he fight for good? What does it take to change a man in a monster? Why does any of it matter? These are some of the questions that are explored unlike ever before. The very essence of evil, and the nature of the good-hearted are pitted against each other in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight.

Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City’s new district attorney. He wants to clean up the streets of Gotham and catch the evil that plagues it’s streets. And with the help of Batman (Christian Bale) and James Gordon (Gary Oldman) a ray of hope begins to shine on the dark city of Gotham. Until the Joker’s (Heath Ledger) insidious plans bring more chaos to the downtrodden city.

This film floored me. I am truly amazed at the brilliance of the script, the vibrant performances and the razor sharp direction. Christopher Nolan has crafted not only the most solid comic book movie ever, but also quite easily, the best movie I’ve seen this year. His work with each detail of every scene is superb and well crafted. Too many times in modern filmmaking CGI is thrust in front of us as a substitution. Misguided Hollywood moguls too caught up in making the ‘buck’ have no eye for artistry; therefore major films are blasted out in front of us with miss-used budgets. Much success is often found in such films, but where is the substance? That’s not to say that there isn’t some CGI in this film. There is, but it’s thoughtfully placed and excellently engineered. The Dark Knight proves that great films are about story, performance, and artistry. A major Hollywood blockbuster can still be a work of art. This film renews my faith in true quality in modern cinema. This newly re-created dark comic world is unlike anything audiences have ever seen. It’s intense, raw, and deeply intriguing.

Heath Ledger’s searing performance as the sardonic Joker was everything it has been hyped up to be and more. This isn’t you’re father’s Joker, he’s maniacal, frightening and everything you could hope for in an arch nemesis. Every nuance of his performance as this chaos driven monster just fits, he was brilliant. Seeing him perform at this level highlights the tragic loss the world has experienced in his passing.Christian Bale’s depiction of Batman and Bruce Wayne was even better than in the first film. Even though his voice as Batman still just seems off to me, he’s still the best Batman to date. Aaron Eckhart is also a fine actor and he pulls off the character Harvey Dent with heart. It’s easy to feel for this man in his truly noble desires to help a lost city, and to see him in all his miss-guided desperation. Maggie Gyllenhaal was great as ‘the woman torn between loves’; a much better performance than from Katie Holmes in the first film (thanks for saying no to this one Katie). Gary Oldman as Lt. James Gordon, excellent. Michael Caine as Alfred, yet again perfect as this character. And of course Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox, also great, we expect nothing less from him. This cast, under Christopher Nolan’s direction, proves that comic book movies can really have a pulse.

This film is beautiful and superbly imagined. I had the privilege of seeing it in an IMAX theater. For the first time in history (for a feature film) scenes were actually shot in the IMAX format. So the format changes from 35mm to full IMAX format. It’s a six-story tall ultra high definition image. It looks more real than any other screen or format. If you have the opportunity to see this film in an IMAX theater, it’s an experience you will not regret. It is truly breathtaking. Even if you can’t see it at an IMAX, the film is so sharp and colorful, yet dark and gothic, it’s sure to dazzle you.

The Dark Knight has everything going for it: deep character development, charm, style, humor, awesome Bat-gadgets and vehicles, beautiful cars, explosions, mind-bending stunts, stellar performances, incredible visuals, intrigue, and some of the best scene direction I’ve seen in a long time. Don’t miss this film, it must be seen in the theater. All 2 hours and 30 minutes are engaging and fast paced. It’s sure to impress even the harshest of critics and skeptics. Even if superheroes and comics aren’t your thing, this is one of the best crime dramas in a very long time. I loved this film, an instant modern classic.

-Nick Wolfwood