so I just came back from seeing it, and I have to disagree with some of what the TS said. The first part was slower, but it needed to be to set up everything in g the second half. The casting was great except for Maggie Gyllenhaal; her role was OK, but I liked how Katie Holmes played Dawes, so I might be a little biased, Bale was awesome, but something about his voice bothered me when he played Batman, it sounded like Jim Carrey doing Fire Marshall Bill or something. It was just weird to me. Ledger was AMAZING....nuff said.....all I know is that I'm seeing the shit again this week end......