Batman

(Spoiler alert!!!)

Finally saw it.
Liked it.
Liked it a lot.
It's not often any action film, much less one from the crowded superhero genre, leaves you with much to talk about afterwards, except maybe the special effects.
But "Dark Knight" does. The philosophical questions the film asks ... and answers ... are worthy of serious consideration.
How far does a "hero" go to save the day?
What price must he -- and those around him -- have to pay in the fight for right?
When does the "hero" cease to be a hero?
Good stuff. Meaningful stuff. And done well enough here to have some folks pretty dang mad.
My buddy Bill Mitchell -- a Batman aficianado for 30-plus years -- swears this is a love song to George Bush. (Bill is definitely not a Bush aficiandado and I suspect some election year paranoia may be kicking in.)
Others have echoed similar complaints, though I think their linking the message to President Bush may be more their idea than that of writer-director Christopher Nolan.
There's a lot to like here, but first a few quibbles.
The snarl-grunt that Christian Bale uses to speak as the Batman makes some of his dialog hard to pick up. Also, it makes it sound like he needs to clear his throat. Distracting.
Gary Oldman is miscast and dull as Gordon. The same for Maggie Gyllehnahll, who isn't a beautiful woman, no matter how many times the male characters say she is.
The movie twists on at least one segment too long. The elongated final act weakens the last quarter of the film unnecessarily. A major flaw.
I hate it when demented killers -- in this case Heath Ledger's wonderfully bizarre Joker -- tell the audience why their crazy. How about just crazy for crazy's sake? Why the need for a tired "Mama didn't love me enough," tale? Irritating.
For many folks, Ledger steals the show and I am on board with considerable praise for the late actor's effort. But the breakout performance in the movie Aaron Eckart's Harvey Dent, the too-good-to-be-true DA. His transformation is beautifully accomplished.
The special effects and stunts are fantastic, if not always exactly logical.
There enough big action for young people and enough real story for people who want more.
"Dark Knight" is a terrific film and wears its flaws like medals. Great? No. But it reaches for the stars.