Powerful movie. It only takes a few seconds to see how completely immersed Heath Ledger was in this part. You can't help but get an eerie feeling that this dark character might have led to his personal demise.

The movie was violent, so not for the faint of heart. I covered my eyes more than a few times. The special effects, stunts, and soundtrack were brilliant. The use of a rising siren sound was especially effective. This was a fresh look at the caped crusader et al - truly dark, as the title indicates. The old school comic book vibe was everpresent, but not campy. I hardly ever see movies in the theater more than once, but plan on seeing this again, soon!

Iron Man was never an A-list hero. He's always been overshadowed by heroes like the Hulk and Spidey. Finally, thanks to director Jon Favreau aka Favs, Iron Man steps into the limelight and claims his piece of Hero History. Favs made a few great choices in bringing this underrated hero to the screen: he opted for Robert Downey Jr as opposed to the obvious younger choice for Tony Stark, he included a lot of fan-friendly hidden secrets, and he opted for humor to further the story instead of talky drama. Robert Downey Jr shines in this movie: every funny line he delivers feels genuine. Don't even get me started on all the secrets in this movie: Captain America's shield sits on a table in Stark's lab, Terrence Howard hilariously hints at his character's future sidekick status, and Samuel L. Jackson shows up after the credits to set up an "Avengers" spin-off. Favreau cares about the fans, and has held open dialogs with them over the course of filming to make sure his version of Iron Man lives up to the hype. And the movie balances action, humor, and drama well. Overall, it's a great ride that keeps you entertained.