This film was the least entertaining film the Coen brothers have put out. It was semi-interesting at the beginning, but the story flops at the end. The performances were as good as could be, but the ultimate climax was not satisfying in the way the loose ends were tied up.
The Dark Knight was a decent follow up from Batman begins. Nolan has proven over and over that he knows how to make a movie deliver a powerful punch. The performance of the Joker by Heath Ledger was magical and I truly believe he would have received similar reviews even without the tragic ending to his life. He may deserve an academy award for following up the large shoes of J. Nickolson and stepping it up a notch.