Just got back from the theater, and I was absolutely staggered - this is miles beyond any superhero movie you have ever seen. That even includes Iron Man, which was a proud achievement in its own right.

By now, you've already heard that Heath Ledger probably deserves an Oscar nomination for his performance as the Joker, but everyone else does a phenomenal job as well. Christian Bale portrays a realistic hero in peril in a way Toby Maguire should have in the last two Spidy films. Also, the already impressive supporting cast improves its contribution. In every way, you get the sense that all the stops have been pulled out, from the complex moral dilemmas to the grotesquery of Two Face's injuries.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this movie is the new standard-bearer for the smart action film. Amazingly, it seems almost as good at throwing deep symbols at the audience as it is fiery explosions.

Of course, all of this is tinged with despair in the wake of Heath Ledger's death. But perhaps we can take solace in the fact that he will be remembered as a cornerstone of such a brilliant project. I can hardly think of a better swan song than a movie which fires on more cylinders than the Batmobile itself.

Anyone else seen it yet? What did you think? Will the series ever bring back the Joker, or end it with Ledger's performance?

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