By Stephen Pytak 

     I told my friends at the office I wasn't going to 
review this film. 
     Certain it was going to be a masterpiece, I was 
sure I wouldn't be able to come up with something to
say that someone else hadn't already said.
     But after watching a midnight screening at
the Angela Triplex in Coaldale, Pa. early 
Friday July 18, 2008, I couldn't resist. I had to type
a few of my thoughts.
     This more than lives up to the hype we've heard
about for over a year now. It's everything and more
I ever wanted in a comic book movie. 
     It's a drama, an actioner, a psychological thriller,
a terror ride, a horror show, a tragedy and most
of all, a study in tension and a masterful potboiler.
     The script is made up of a series of tension filled
scenes which simmer and simmer and simmer until
they nearly explode off the screen.
     That and the twists and plot points that blew out
of Nolan's kettle were really the best part of this 
experience for me. Never saw anything like that in
a superhero film of this magnitude. This one wasn't
made from a mold.
     Christopher Nolan and his team use music, the 
cutting, the swirling cameras, the storytelling, their
actors and everything at their disposal to grab a hold
of the audience and give them a good shake.
     This film runs 2 1/2 hours long and even has a
downbeat ending, but you still come out excited and
juiced up, feeling you had an experience. So far,
it's the best film I've seen all summer.
     I don't have any complaints. Ledger was
fascinating to watch, as was Eckhart. Never thought
I'd see a "Two Face" this good!  
     Bale said in an interview he saw Nolan's "Batman"
series as a trilogy. I'm hoping they do one more. 
On top of that, all I can say is I hope they find a story,
some good twists and a decent pot to boil it in. It's
not often we see really good part threes in superhero
franchises.