I just got back from watching the movie at IMAX and my goodness, it looked AWESOME on like a 10000 foot screen with ridiculously amazing sound :smoker:
Now for the movie itself.
I had heard a lot of things about the movie and how some people think that it's the second coming of christ and all that jazz. I kept hearing best movie of the year talk and best actor award for Heath Ledger and so forth.
Well, overall I thought it was a very good movie. Good pacing, good character development, especially by Harvey Dent's character. I think the situations presented and the whole cat and mouse aspect was handled well enough and allowed for the exploration of the human psyche.
I wish they could have pushed for an R rating so the movie could have been darker. There are a lot of implied things that could well have been a slam-dunk but c'est la vie.
Christian Bale was perfect yet again and I really think Michael Caine needs more screen time. His little conversations with Bale just add so much to the movies
Morgan Freeman was dependable as always and Aaron Eckhart was excellent. I have heard some people claim he was the weak link but, in my opinion, he outshone all the other actors INCLUDING Heath Ledger. He personified the character of Two-Face and unlike Star Wars Episode 3, where Darth Vader turns to the dark side on the promise of more candy or a better parking spot or something equally ludicrous, Two-Face's introduction is very believable.
Maggie Gyllenhall was an adequate actress for a decent role but I really don't think her character could have been worse than Katie Holmes personification
Gary Oldman has a lot more screen time and again, he excels. I think he did a better job in the first movie but, by the end of this new movie, he reaches the levels of the previous installment.
Heath Ledger did a great job given the material and his take is a lot darker than Jack Nicholson's. Was it better? Does he deserve and oscar? I can't really say because the movies were completely different. Jack Nicholson did a fantastic job and his role is a classic. I think in time Heath's too will be considered a decent role but as of right now, I am not ready to give the "instant classic" label to the movie.
Also, I personally don't think it's an Oscar worthy role. People are getting a little carried away with their gushing about him. Javier Bardem was much more sinister and really DESERVED his oscar last year, as did Daniel Day-Lewis.
The movie itself, a must-see I think. Nothing really weak about it beyond Michael Jai White. What a terrible job he did.
4/5 OSNN stars.