From start to finish, this is great movie making. Most sequels only try to re-capture what made the original movie work. The Dark Knight actually advances the storyline. There is real character development and progression – in addition to all the things that made Batman Begins work. The pace is really fast; without being cluttered. There are no wasted scenes. Heath Ledger gives a truly great portrayal. His is now the definitive Joker (sorry Jack).
This isn’t just a good Batman movie, or a good “superhero” movie – it’s a good movie!