Twelve hours ago I showed up to Harkins Theater prepared to be disappointed.  There was no way possible that this movie that I had waited to see for months would live up to the hype.  Heath couldn’t be as good as they said he was; the action wouldn’t make the grade.  Batman Begins was a fluke, and Christopher Nolan wouldn’t be able to pull it off twice.  This doesn’t happen very often, but let me say this, “I was wrong.”  This film was everything that I secretly hoped for and more.

Sure, sure, I know what you’re thinking, “what does this girl know about comic books?”  Well, more than most.  I grew up reading, among others, the Batman series.  My dad and brother were huge fans and as soon as they were done, I scooped each comic up and poured through it page by page.  The dark imagery, the tales of a conflicted hero, good vs. evil.  Screw Sweet Valley High and the Baby-Sitters Club.  Comic books were more captivating and addictive than any of that painful teen girl angst crap, and as an adult, my love of both comics and the movies based on them has grown.  That’s the brilliance of what Christopher Nolan has done with the Batman series.  Unlike the first few, this Batman captures the essence of those comic book pages without losing the entertainment value of the fictional city of Gotham.

From the opening scene til the closing credits, The Dark Knight had me on the edge of my seat.  The action scenes were phenomenal and unpredictable.  The special effects were killer without being over-the-top.  The acting was… wow.  There really aren’t strong enough words for the job that Heath Ledger did as the Joker.  The true test for me of an actor is the ability to forget who the actor is and only see the character, and Heath accomplished this.  Except for his tell-tale locks, Heath is only the tongue-flicking psychopath.  If he doesn’t win an Oscar for his commitment and performance, it will be a shame.  Christian Bale, beyond his hotness, was Batman and a perfect compliment to Heath’s Joker. Ying and Yang… the completion of each other.  That’s what Batman and Joker have always been, and these two actors nailed it.  Then, just because it was amazing enough, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckart, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman all are incredible as this story unfolds.

To ensure that we don’t spoil anymore of this movie than I already have, I’ll stop gushing now.  All I can really say is go see this movie.  If you love comics, hate comics, have never read a comic, are a boy, are a girl, have skin and a pulse, you need to see this movie.  It’s worth the camping out for hours before the show, and I know personally I’ll see it at least two more times before the summer is out.  Also, if you need someone to see it with you, hit me up.  I’ll make sure you don’t have to face The Joker alone.

Overall: 6 out of 5 (perfection!!!)