Rather easily it seems. Nolan and his team have crafted, not just the best superhero movie of all time, but also a masterfully crafted crime film filled with human pathos. Don't be fooled, this is not your typical superhero movie. Hell, this isn't your typical movie. This is Nolan crafting the single best Batman story ever told. Yes, better than "The Killing Joke," "Year One," and "The Dark Knight Returns." This is the ultimate Batman film. The ultimate Batman story.
Jonathan and Christopher Nolan have created a masterful script where every character is presented with an lesser of two evils question at least once in the film. None of them make stupid or bad decisions either, which you do see in even the best of superhero movies. Nope, all of the characters take time and weigh their actions and make a decision that way. All except for one character that is. Another interesting thing I loved about this film is that the Nolan's have been known to mess around with how they tell their stories. Now, they don't tell it out of sequence here as they have in the past. However, there is a point in the movie that they decide not to fully explain everything. It is slightly disorienting as you feel as if you have missed something important. The thing is, every character is in this state in the film at this point and the Nolan's have just shoved you into his "world without rules" and you are at the exact same state the characters in the movie are. That is brilliance.
Christopher Nolan has also improved as a director since "Batman Begins." A complaint I still have about that film is that hand-held was used too much. Here, Nolan is steady and knows exactly what he wants. His action scenes are extremely well crafted and the tension and danger in all of them are high. In fact, from the opening moments of the film, you know that you are in for a dangerous film. There is not a moment in this movie that isn't taught and full of suspense. You never know what is coming next, mainly because the main pulling the strings doesn't either.
That man is of course the JOKER. He is demented, sick, twisted, brilliant and just plain crazy. The worst part of all of it though is that he KNOWS he is. In fact, he embraces his insanity. There is the main difference between he and Batman and he knows how to expose it. The Joker in this movie just does what he wants. He has no reason, no point other than to "introduce a little anarchy." Strangely though, in the final scene you feel sad for him. Not very sad, but empathic. He thinks he can turn anybody to him, but when he realizes he is alone... There is a definite look of defeat on his face. Note have I haven't said that Heath Ledger puts this in the character, because Heath is gone here.
In fact, every actor disappears in their roles here. Also, everyone gets at least their 15 minutes in this movie. None more so than Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. He is the center of the movie. The lynch pin. The man everyone is after and the man who is after everything. He wants justice and will do anything to get to it. Bruce sees this in him, but mostly, Bruce sees Dent as his way out. His way to his old life. Dent, however, sees Batman as a symbol the city needs. Dent's decent into madness is extremely sad and depressing with an incredible and shocking pay off. In fact, the best moments in this moment aren't the giant action scenes, but the pathos driven smaller scenes. The climax of the movie is so powerfully tense and it involves 5 people.
God damn it, quit reading what I'm saying about this movie and just go out and see it. NOW! Everyone is incredible and I could just go on and on about this film. What's the point though? Just go experience the first truly Oscar worthy film this year (other than In Bruges for best original screenplay). I'm not just saying that as a fan boy of Batman either, I'm saying that as a film fan. If this doesn't get Best Adapted Screenplay and Supporting Actor (for Leger definitely, and maybe even Oldman or Eckhart) Nominations, it'll be a downright shame. This is going to be a classic, so see it for yourself.
