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Just read Justin Richards’ review of The Dark Knight, and I also have to say, it was terrific. Not by any means a perfect film (if such exists), but a truly awesome flick. I had to pick my jaw off the floor after the first half-hour, thanks to one twist after another, and a couple of action set pieces raised the bar. It’s pretty telling when not a single soul leaves his/her seat in a sold-out Imax theater on a Saturday evening to use the restroom during a two-hours-plus movie. I didn’t see one go. Once.

Was it the performances? The visuals? Or the gut-churning, undeniably timely subtext? Or all of the above adding up to one hell of a summer sucker punch?

Christopher Nolan continues his masterful strokes with turning narrative on its ear. I remember reviewing one of his early films, 1998’s Following, a decade back and knowing it was the start of a great career; Memento certainly built upon that and remains one of the best movies in recent history. But Dark Knight marks a new triumph for Nolan — not to mention Christian Bale, of whom I’ve been a huge fan (yes, we’re Baleheads) since opening night of American Psycho. (Ah, who am I kidding, since, Empire of the Sun.)

I have minor quibbles with character development — or lack thereof (and no, my beef isn’t with the cipher that is the Joker; on that note, Heath Ledger’s even better than people rave). I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything more from Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Rachel Dawes than the girl/arm candy role, but really, I did, in fact, expect more from Nolan (and Gyllenhaal). And though an imdb.com trivia search didn’t shed any light, I’m awfully curious if The Joker’s final screen appearance was revised, post-Ledger’s death.

One other thing: I loved the way a certain article was used (as a nod to the old comic book legacy). Everytime someone mentioned “The Batman…” Exquisite.

If you can at all see it on Imax, do so.

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