Let's break it down. Bruce Wayne and his insiders - Fox, Rachel, Alfred and Commissioner Gordon.

Bruce plays a conflicted hero really well. Should he be Batman and "save the world" or should he bow out and get a life of his own. Does Gotham really need him? It's a conflicting way to live I think. But Alfred said it best, "But that's the point of Batman, he can be the outcast. He can make the choice that no one else can make, the right choice." I could see how that would make your life a bit complicated. Save the world and be an outcast or let the world die and live free.

Fox is still played to parallel the fabulous M from the James Bond series. He is the keeper of all the toys. I need someone in my life like that. I want an awesome car that when it gets blown up can turn into a motorcycle. That would be so awesome. Morgan Freeman is still fantastic as the dependable employee who helps Batman successfully save the city time and time again.

Rachel was much stronger this go around. There's something about Katie Holmes where she will always be one of Dawson's River kids. That is going to be a hard persona to get away from. Of course being in a cult with Tom Cruise will also make it hard I would think. But Maggie Gyllenhaal is such a strong actress. She can play a tough gal who doesn't put up with anyone's bullshit very nicely. I'm glad they replaced Joey Potter.

Commissioner Gordon and Alfred. Well, what I can say about them? Oh yeah. Michael Caine and Gary Oldman are flawless. I love Gary Oldman.

And how about the villains? Joker, Scarecrow, Two-Face.

Let's start easy. I was glad to see the Scarecrow return even if it was for a brief moment. He was such a fantastic villain in Batman Begins. Scary, crazy, wicked smart. A perfect nemesis for someone with lots of high tech toys. Alas, it was just a cameo. Fortunately, they filled the void with a handful of mob bosses and run of the mill criminals. Who were of course out done by the Joker.

The Joker. So much has been said about Heath Ledger's character. He did an amazing job. He was crazy, dark and at time a bit scary. However, I think since he's still the Joker, there were many times where he had the comic relief moment. Like watching him leaving the hospital dressed in drag waiting for the building to blow up. All but one of the bombs go off and he turns around and tries to figure out why his detonator doesn't work. It was a moment right out of a Tom and Jerry cartoon. It was funny. Sure it was dark and awful - he was blowing up a hospital for goodness sake, but it was still amusing to me.

It's so sad that we lost Heath so young. I have enjoyed him since 10 Things I Hate About You. He has truly grown as an actor. He started as a teen heartthrob, moved onto a controversial cowboy and finally a psychopathic killer. That my friend is what we in the biz like to call "range." I think he could certainly earn an Oscar nod from this film, although, I think he'll be hard pressed to win. Characters from "fantasy" movies rarely win. We'll see next February.

And finally Two-Face. Now, I have liked Two-Face since Tommy Lee Jones did it in Batman Forever. Harvey Dent is such an interesting character. He's Gotham's White Knight who is going to clean up the city. Yet, at the end of the film, all he wants is revenge. He is probably as complex as Batman if not more. He wants the city's crime cleaned up, but he also wants the bastards to pay for killing his true love. The special effects on his make up were fantastic. It wasn't a pink rubber mask like Tommy had to wear. Instead it was reminiscent of the Mummy with muscles, eyeballs and tendons all showing. A bit creepy, but certainly in the vein of this darker Batman series. The only question I'm left with is, "Is Two-Face alive or dead???" That is the true burning question.

Who is going to be the villain of choice for the next film? Any guesses?

So, I really enjoyed The Dark Knight. I think it is a brilliant sequel. The first sequel in a long time that can stand on its own and serves its own purpose rather than being a link from the first to the third movie. (Matrix Reloaded I'm looking at you, you piece of cinematic crap.) That was a nice change to have a movie that was more than just a link. It will definitely be a movie that I buy (or make Jeff buy).

If you like superhero or comic book centered movies like X-Men, Superman or Ghost Rider then I think you'll dig this movie. If you haven't seen it yet (and you read all this?) then you're probably one of ten people in the US who haven't seen it. Well, you and my folks. But you should see it. It is really good.