I thought that the pre-release buzz may have been more about hyping the movie than the movie itself, but I was so wrong; this movie was EXCELLENT! The movie moved along at a great pace. There were hardly any lulls in the film and it holds your attention throughout. You are sitting there for 2 1/2 hours, but it really doesn't feel like it. Heath Ledger's performance stole the film and is Oscar-worthy. The movie was darker in tone than any of the previous films, but it was necessary in order to portray the depth of pychosis the villians possessed. Well-written, well-performed, well-shot, this film does everything well.