As someone who has not read the comics, I was not thrilled with the first movie. I know some people had a problem with Katie Holmes, but for a non-comic-reader, the Liam Neeson storyline was boring. After "Batman Begins," I missed my Michael Keaton days.
I enjoyed the second movie more, but was kind of put off by the hype of Heath Ledger's last performance, although he did play an awesome Joker.
So this movie, for me, just didn't have to suck. And it didn't. It did not feel like 2hrs 44mins. It was paced just right, with a good balance of emotion and action. I left the film satisfied, and ready to see it again in IMAX.
I enjoyed myself last night. I hadn't read the book in ages, and I think that helped. A friend who went to see it with me was VERY angry about the changes. I just want to remind everyone that the movies and the books are telling similar, but not identical stories. I only wish they'd explained the title like Rowling did in the book; this was the first time I thought that reading the novel would really have helped explain something.