I finally got to see TDKR last night. Way better than TDK IMHO. I will probably have to find the time to do a long post that no one will read analyzing the various aspects of all three films that I like and dislike. However, for the moment I will say this: I feel that TDK had the best ad campaign and garnered a bunch of annoying and excited fans who didn't even bother to see Batman Begins in the theater. I hung around IMDB at the time and saw a bunch of snotty posters who thought they ran the joint. Oops, I'm digressing, but the point is that the ad campaign successfully built up a lot of hype, especially surrounding the mysterious Joker. When Ledger died, that was the catalyst that sealed an "amazing performance" before the film even came out. I remember a particular thread titled "Heath Ledger Posthumous Oscar Nod" immediately after his death, but six months before the friggin' movie hit theaters!!! It's like he was destined to be great, even if he was terrible. And everyone's love of the movie it seems is not based on the story, not based on the message, not based on the subtle themes that are interwoven throughout. No, it's, "Oh, The Dark Knight is the bestest coz Heath Ledger did an awwwwwwesome Joker."

Now as I depart from my rant, I will say that I enjoy the movie. But it's my LEAST favorite of the three. It's plot is not as well structured, it relies more heavily on gimmicks, and it places too much emphasis on the character that should have been shrouded in greater mystery while stealing screentime from the characters of greatest worth, namely Bruce and Harvey. It has a wonderful ending that caps the nature of the whole film with moral dilemmas, but still, I find it the most inferior.

When I write my lengthy reviews, I'll probably plagiarize myself here.