Leading up to the release of The Dark Knight I heard a lot of people comparing Heath Leger's portrayal of the Joker to that of Jack Nicholson, and I don't think that there should be the comparison. Mr. Nicholson was the perfect actor to portray the character in the much lighter themed "Batman." After seeing The Dark Knight, which is a much darker movie, Heath Ledger was ASTOUNDING in his portrayal of the Joker, and in this reviewer's opinion, made the movie. I strongly recommend this film to both comic book fans and non-fans, as I feel that not only is it an action powerhouse, but it also has deeper meaning interwoven through the entire story.