Excel wrote:
TDK is an instant classic that immortalized Heath ledger to a generation. To this day, I cannot recall a blockbuster movie with better writing or acting. Joker, Dent, Wayne, and Gordon are written and acted perfectly.
Another point that makes this stand out so much is that the Joker has no 'grand plan'. He just keeps doing shit, trying make Batman crack and prove the Jokers point in the eyes of Gotham's people. The ferry scenes have relatively few lives at stake compared to most superhero finales yet feels so tense.
Actually the genius of Joker as a character is he DOES have a grand plan. He just goes about things in such crazy, unpredictable, and random ways, that is seems his actions have no though behind them. He also gives a very strong impression in the movie that he has no plan. Thing is, Joker wanting to throw society into total chaos...that IS his grand plan.
What's illuminating is Joker's speech near the end of the movie. He illustrates to Batman how he outsmarted him with the turn of Harvey into Two-Face. Joker mentions having "an ace in the hole". That is not a man without a plan. It's genius how Joker fools virtually everyone in the film, and much of the audience into thinking he has no plan.
As a whole though, yes this movie was a force. Truly a gift to humanity from Chris Nolan and all involved.
One of the best marketing campaigns I have ever seen for a film. Ever. The viral marketing was absolutely genius. That, combined with an extremely strong mainstream marketing campaign. Excellent posters and tv commercials, some of the best trailers ever made.
To me, the movie itself though is almost perfect. It's so visceral, yet so grandiose and ambitious, yet also so small scale and intense and intimate. Hard to fully describe in words. Nolan's awkward fight scenes aside, it is just a spectacular film. Let's not forget that incredible soundtrack as well.
Also for such a dark and serious film, this had one of the most incredible box office runs I've ever seen. It hit a billion worldwide. Without 3D. Without China. In 2008. Also this was before many overseas markets had really exploded in terms of box office. It achieved a 3.38x final multiplier from a then-record-breaking OW domestically. Then the cherry on top, the film had out of this world home video sales.