The Dark Knight Doesn't Disappoint

I hate going into movies with super-high expectations. Especially summer movies. I was already surprised this summer by how much fun I had watching IRON MAN. I just loved IRON MAN and really admire the makers for pulling off a highly entertaining super-hero movie. I don't think super-hero movies are easy to make, especially the first ones in a series when you have to tell the dreaded "origin" part of the story. So many times the second super-hero film is better because you can just dive right into the action.

But what about the Dark Knight. I was afraid the hype would overwhelm my movie-going experience. That I would be too sad about Heath Ledger to properly pay attention. That I would be too distracted by how hot Christian Bale is to properly pay attention. But, no. None of that happened. I was sad after seeing the film about Heath's death, but his performance is so all-encompassing I dare you to think about anything else but his character when he is on the screen. There is so much talk about a post-humous Oscar for Ledger's performance - I hope there would have been the same talk had he not died, because he really put 90 percent of the actors who have portrayed super-hero villains in past movies to shame.

He's scary, and mad, and frightening, and he scared me. I think this was the most disturbing PG-13 movie I have ever seen - and that's counting me being intensely freaked out as a young girl about the whole pulling the heart out of a living person in INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Christopher Nolan did a fantastic job of weaving together multiple storylines, moods, action sequences, and kept everything going at such a good pace I felt ready to see more, even after 2 and a half hours.

And Christian Bale, in addition to being fun to look at, does a great job of not being a super-hero. Because Batman isn't really a super-hero in the traditional sense. He's just a guy. A guy with Bat Gadgets and seemingly unlimited wealth, yes, but he's still just a man. Hopefully Bale and Nolan will be back for more in a few summers.