The Dark Knight

Yours truly will not have to explain to true devotees of the dryer why it is that I waited until now to see the latest Batman movie.

Suffice it to say, I will forego the chills down the spine one gets from seeing visual effects like these on a big screen in order to avoid the sticky floors and boorish behavior generally found in movie theaters these days.

Maybe, I'm jaded to all of Hollywood's hi-tech arsenal. Or, maybe, I'm just a movie snob. Either way, that's not why I typically sit down to watch a movie. I want plot and characters and thought-provoking themes.

In those veins, The Dark Knight is not as complete a disappointment as I initially thought it might be. I mean, come on, most of these superhero action flicks aren't really known for meeting that sort of criteria.

While the plot was so-so, you cannot ask for a better character than the one delivered by Heath Ledger. His version of the Joker was so much deeper than the ones previously portrayed by Jack Nicholson and Mark Hamil. I began to wonder if HE was the title character!

The actual "dark knight" was barely more than two-dimensional. The gruff voice he assumed while in costume was comical at first, but eventually wore on my nerves. The only time that character was really worth watching was during his one-on-ones with the Joker.

Bottom line: definitely worth renting on DVD.

Let me know what YOU think!