This was kind of hoaky, which could have been expected for your typical teeny-bopper girl-movie. However, there should have been a few re-takes on scenes which lacked "flow" and had plenty of "awkwardness." Decent casting, and I would say it did stick to the book quite well. The score was obtuse during some key moments. I hope the sequel gains some production value.
The hype is real, folks. Ledger's much anticipated performance is raw and dark with a comical twist. I found myself rooting for the villain at times. The film is quite long, but action packed and well worth the wait. I see Heath in contention for an Oscar and recommend seeing this in the theaters at least once. The performances by Bale and Ledger rival Keaton and Nicholson's. You heard it here...Batman is cool again.