I saw the movie yesterday as part of a double feature with friends of mine (Dark Knight followed by Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D). I've got to say that while I thought it was good, I did not think that it lived up to the hype.

Now before you go tearing my head off, hear me out. I'm not saying that the movie was bad, it was in fact good, it just didn't fully deliver. I tend to visit a bunch of gaming sites, web comic sites, and fansub sites, and all I keep seeing is "Go see The Dark Knight, it's the greatest super hero movie, EVER." That'd be all well and good, except for the fact that it really didn't feel like a super hero movie to me. It seemed more like a crime drama/action movie to me, that just happened to include Batman. Yes, I know that Batman doesn't have super powers, but that doesn't mean he can't be portrayed as a super hero, rather than just a martial artist fighting crime. To me, a super hero movie is something like the first Superman, where you actually see someone being heroic, and taking action, rather than just being reactionary.

The other reason that I didn't think the movie lived up to all the hype was the fact that focused too much on the surrounding cast, and not enough on Batman. Yes, Heath Ledger was a very dark and sinister Joker (leaving aside the fact that I preferred Jack's version, it just wouldn't fit in this reimaging of Batman), and wonderful performances were delivered by Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, and Maggie Gyllenhaal (aside from the fact that Gyllenhaal is not attractive enough to play Batman's love interest), but this movie wasn't called "Joker, Two-Face, and the Surrounding Cast (Oh, and The Dark Knight)." I went into the movie expecting to see a lot more Batman, a lot more Bruce Wayne, and actually seeing the Bat Cave (after that scene at the end of Batman Begins). Instead, Bruce is set up in a penthouse as the Manor is still being rebuilt, everything he does is a reaction to the plans of other people, and the Bat Cave is reimaged into a temporary hideout beneath a shipping yard.

In conclusion, if you want to see a good performance by Heath Ledger, or are looking for an crime movie, go see The Dark Knight. If you want to see Batman kick a lot of ass, go watch Batman Begins again.