[J.P.]

Im enclosing the early reviews below (looks to be the best comic book movie ever!)

Rolling Stone - 3.5/4
Quote:
Heads up: a thunderbolt is about to rip into the blanket of bland we call summer movies. The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan's absolute stunner of a follow-up to 2005's Batman Begins, is a potent provocation decked out as a comic-book movie. Feverish action? Check. Dazzling spectacle? Check. Devilish fun? Check. But Nolan is just warming up. There's something raw and elemental at work in this artfully imagined universe. Striking out from his Batman origin story, Nolan cuts through to a deeper dimension.


-------------------------------

Emanuel Levy - A-
Quote:
Dark, grim, haunting and visionary, "The Dark Knight" is nothing short of brilliant, the best comic hero adaptation you are likely to see this summer season, and perhaps during the whole year.


------------------------------

Film1 (Netherlands) - 5/5
Quote:
Expectations for The Dark Knight, the sequel to Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins were astronomical after a briliant viral marketing campaign. This sets off most film critics' Spider Senses: "Surely the film can't live up to the hype" is your first thought. It also proves both right and wrong, as The Dark Knight doesn't just live up to your expectations, it breaks through the glass ceiling of your wildest dreams!


-------------------------------

Devin and Nick at CHUD have seen it but have yet to write reviews - we think it'll be around 7 out of 10
Quote:
Devin: It's okay to good. It's more consistently good than BEGINS, with no serious third act f***ery.
Quote:
Nick: I liked it. Didn't love it. So much good stuff, it's a shame some of the story and editing decisions threw it out of whack. Ledger, Eckhart, and Oldman ROCK.
I refuse to link to their site because they are tossing up big-time plot-revealing spoilers like rice at a wedding.

--------------------------------

The Movie Blog - 8.5/10
Quote:
This is a fantastic movie! Yes it’s too long, yes one or two of the characters are wasted… but aside from that it is a wonderfully told, MAGNIFICENTLY acted and beautifully shot comic book movie that ranks amongst one of the best films (not just comic book films) of the year so far. Not just a great comic movie… it is a great movie period.
Caution: contains a minor spoiler that may lead to rampant speculation -

--------------------------------

Associated Press - no score, but very positive, "a true crime epic"
Quote:
The buzz over Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" for the last several months was justified. With his final full film role, Ledger delivers what may be remembered as the finest performance of his career.


--------------------------------
AICN readers pipe in! (WARNING some spoilers in the first review)

Quote:
It might be crowded, but it definitely doesn't feel bloated or overlong, and if there's one major flaw it's that it leaves you wanting more. It's great to see that comic book movies no longer exist to sell toys. Chris Nolan has created a haunting movie so thick with atmosphere, that even the most cynical of fans won't be able to resist. As an adaptation of the comic book, I think it still leaves something to be desired. The "real world" take on the material may turn some people off, but if you can get past that, you're in for a real treat. The Dark Knight definitely raises the bar for the comic book genre.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moriarty's quick embargoed thoughts
Shut out the hyperbole. People invoking GODFATHER 2 or EMPIRE STRIKES BACK are just setting you up to be disappointed. It's a great film, but only time will tell us how we digest it and whether it endures or not. It's much darker than the first one. So dark I can't believe it got a PG-13. Heath is the Joker. Period. Eckhart earns his check. And then some. Maggie was a nice replacement. It's the first truly scary Batman film ever. It's the single best post-9/11 film to deal with that event in pop culture imagery. It not only deals with the event itself, but the world we've lived in since, and it does it with real insight and fierce intelligence. It's not going to be for everyone, but I am really glad it exists, and amazed it got made.
I consider this legit because we know there was a screening on Thursday night

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/37263

--------------------------------

Collider - includes 12 short clips...WHICH I HAVE RESISTED WATCHING!
Quote:
It’s very rare for me to say this…but I have nothing to nitpick. Usually when I see any movie I wish they had done something differently…but The Dark Knight is the comic book movie geekdom has waited their entire lives for. It’s easily the best Batman movie and it’s also one of the best comic book movies to ever hit the screen.


-------------------------------

MTV.com - separate reviews for different aspects, all very positive
Quote:
Overall, "Dark Knight" is superior to "Batman Begins." Much of this stems from the film's eagerness to pick up within moments of the last film's conclusion, without any need to explain the origins of anyone. Once the film gets going, you'd better keep up, because things move more rapidly than in "Begins." It's the best "Batman" movie ever made, hands down.
__________________

[J.P.]

if anyones going RSVP please