To say that I couldn’t wait to see this film has to be the understatement of the year and I wasn’t disappointed. As edgy and gloomy as the first installment, it has the same massive operatic scenes of mayhem and destruction that just take your breath away, especially if you see it in the IMAX. Not as existing or satisfying as Batman Begins partly because the back story in the first one was so unbelievably good and Liam Neesan was an awesome and sympathetic villain. Batman’s nemesis this time is the Joker played to the hilt by Heath Ledger. It’s a real shame that he won’t be around to enjoy the many accolades that will surely be his. This is an outstanding performance of evil that really does work on the audience (going by the nervous giggles that I heard around me). Christian Bale is once again terrific. This is a much darker and troubled Batman and the sets and the music add to the bleak atmosphere that surrounds him. Rounding out the cast is Aaron Eckhart as the very effective new district attorney, Morgan Freeman as the gadget man, and the wonderful Michael Cain (who gets all the funny lines) as Alfred. The only fly in the ointment is the inexplicable casting of Maggie Gyllenhaal as the love interest torn between Batman and the district attorney. I just don’t get it. There is no doubt that she is a good actress and I don’t want to be mean but she ain’t no glamour girl. I didn’t believe for one second that these amazing guys would fight over her. She is, to be kind to her, a very plain girl but even with that, the film is a terrific piece of entertainment - head and shoulders above the other summer films. Solid direction. Good script. Music. Fantastic makeup. It is a very worthy installment in the Batman saga.

By Stanley Selwyn