Considering its Michael Phelps-style smashing of numerous records, chances are you’ve already seen The Dark Knight… more than once. And why not? The Batman Begins sequel, which follows the conflicted vigilante’s descent in Gotham’s public eye and his arch nemesis’ parallel rise atop the city’s underworld, demands multiple viewings for plenty of reasons. The most popular one, I’m sure you’ve heard by now, is the brilliant and unforgettable performance by Heath Ledger, who crawls under your skin and is sure to be Oscar-nominated at least. While his instantly legendary portrayal of The Joker garners endless and well-deserved buzz, don’t count out Aaron Eckhart’s masterful supporting turn either. The beautiful movie is gripping right off the bat, but its greatest feat may be that even after an enthralling ride that clocks in at 2 ½ hours, it still leaves you wanting more, immediately as the credits roll. As the box office behemoth begins to lift its threat of sinking Titanic’s domestic gross mark, now’s the perfect time to re-catch the only major feature film partially shot using IMAX cameras. Aside from the occasional cheeseball one-liner and Christian Bale’s… interesting Batman voice, The Dark Knight reigns over this summer with near perfection.
