What doesn't kill us makes us stranger

So, I watched the Dark Knight... I admit it, everyone was saying the movie was so good that I expected it to suck. But no, it didn't, it was just too cool for words.

First of all, let me just say this. I wish I could write a more comprehensive review. You'll understand in a minute. I'm sure you probably don't feel the movie is 2 1/2 hours long, but I certaily did. The thing is I went to the theatre at 2:30 pm and had skipped lunch. So I treated myself to popcorn and soda: BIG mistake! My bladder was so full that it kinda spoiled the second half of the movie. Even so that when the credits rolled, I just RAN, almost hitting everyone in the way.

And, no, I refuse to get up in the middle of a movie, even for a nature call. I'll follow up with some cranberry juice tomorrow just to be safe. BTW, this will be a long review, so feel free to take a potty break and come back?

Relieved? Ok. Now, back to the movie...

Initially I didn't think the movie was all that, but it's been stuck in my head for a day and a half now. And that's a good thing.

Get this: the movie is about the Joker. Ok? Batman sucks next to him. There were times I was rooting for the joker. And it's just because of Heath Ledger. He stole every scene in the movie!

Batman, Police, Gordon, DA Harvey Dent & Co are supposed to fight the Joker & the mobsters in Chicago, I mean, Gotham City. Except they are always outsmarted by the Joker, he's always thinking ahead of everyone. You never learn his name, or his history. His just a nutjob who decided he wants chaos.

The plot is really interesting, full of twists and turns. Some are predictable, some are not. The dialogues are just great, and there's action. Oh, a lot of action. A few new gadgets, a new Batman suit, and how cool was that Batman motocycle?

The acting: one thing that bothered me tremendously was the freaky Batman voice. It was just plain weird. I wanted to give Christian Bale some cough drops. Oh, and there's Eric Roberts. He's very stiff, but he didn't bother me too much.Maggie Gyllenhall was great, not as annoying as K. Holmes. There's Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, all good people. C. Bale doesn't even need to act, I could just stare at him all day long.

Aaron Eckhart was really good too. His transformation into the Two-Face was very subtle and believable, and the pep talk he got from, well, I'm not going to spoil the movie, but that was one heck of a scene.

I'm sorry, but Gary Oldman's characterization of Comissioner Gordon looked exaclty like Ned Flanders. And who knew the mayor of Gotham City was part of the Dharma initiative - eyliner and all... LOL

And, of course, Heath Ledger, who put his heart and soul in the part. Created maneirisms, added personality and humanized the villain - making it worse than it already is. I feel bad the marketing campaign was more about his death than the movie itself, and that the movie made more money because of it. It's a pity, because the movie would have been a great sucess even without all the circus.

Last, but not least, one of the themes of the movie is hope. Hope that there will be change, hope that there are still *good* people among us. Even when we're living in chaos.

So, as a friend of mine would say, go see the movie and then buy it on DVD.