If so, Heath Ledger's haunting performance as the Joker is certainly deserving. He was the stand out of the film, but was supported by great acting performances throughout. (Loved the replacement of Katie Holmes with Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose acting chops are more...shall we say...'seasoned'.) And the script was perfection. The Dark Knight stays true to its name and ends on a rather dark note, but my first thought as the credits rolled was to wonder how long I would have to wait for the next Christopher Nolan gem. The audience even clapped -- does that ever happen anymore? The Dark Knight looks to be the highlight of the summer releases. Do not miss this film.