This installment of the seemingly never-ending series of Batman films makes all the others seem like silly little larks. It is a great action film, but it is also a great drama, a great crime story, a great comedy, a great psychological thriller, etc. The fact that it is about Batman is almost secondary. The performances are all fantastic, but Heath Ledger blows them all away. Before I saw the film, I felt bad for him having to recreate the Joker after no less an actor than Jack Nicholson carved him in stone. Ledger surpasses the master in this one. Maggie Gyllenhal is far superior in acting talent to cutsie scientologist Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman is perfect in his role, etc. Go see it, and don't wait for the dvd. You won't be disappointed.