As a movie lover, I know from experience that sequels can be the kiss of death for a franchise. Thankfully, that wasn't the case for "The Dark Knight." True, many people went to see the movie because of the buzz around Heath Ledger's performance, and it was buzz that did not disappoint. He was phenomenal in bringing a dimension to the movie Jack Nicholson couldn't a few decades ago. I am certainly curious as to who Heath's competition will be for Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards. It's truly a shame that Heath won't be around for another sequel, and I hope Christopher Nolan and his brother don't even entertain the idea of thinking that someone else can fill the Joker's shoes. What made this movie so wonderful, however, is the fact that the story, characters, action, and actors were all solid. Everything made sense and I never lost focus on what the movie was trying to tell (sneeze! Pirates of the Caribbean 3). I would recommend this movie to anyone who can handle it. The action was thrilling and well worth the 2 hour, 30 minute running time. It was so captivating, there were several people who literally watched until the credits stopped rolling.