The following contains MAJOR SPOILERS for the feature film, "The Dark Knight."

As a lifelong Batman fan, one of my chief complaints about the Joker was that I always felt he was being restrained.

Even in "Batman: The Animated Series," the Clown Prince of Crime was toned back to make sure the kids wouldn't get scared.

I can't say that happened in "The Dark Knight," the sequel to "Batman Begins." Thanks to a terrific script and an amazing performance by Heath Ledger, the Joker has never been so brutal, so cunning and so destructive. In fact, during the 150-minute film, it became less about two men in costumes and more about two god-like beings fighting out good versus evil on a universal scale.

The Joker is less Cesar Romero and more Loki, the norse god of mischief. Literally, everything and everyone he touches, he corrupts, deceives and destroys.

And isn't it always a good villain that makes a hero seem greater?

Of course, some folks are missing the point entirely. For example, the Washington Post ran an article last Sunday saying that people actually like the Joker more than Batman because the Joker wears brighter colors and is funnier than the dark, brooding Batman. Never mind that the Joker would kill you. No one cares about that, apparently. (That swishing sound is the point going over some reviewers' heads.)

The movie picks up where the first film left off, with the Joker mostly robbing banks, including those that have money from Gotham's crime syndicate. In the first 10 minutes, we learn just how long one usually stays as one of the Joker's henchmen. It's kind to say that life insurance would be a good investment.

Citywide, Batman's influence is being felt as many criminals are actually afraid at the very hint of Batman.

That lasts until the Joker gets the bright idea of taking over the mob, one piece at a time.

Harvey Dent, recently elected district attorney, also is helping to clean up crime. It doesn't take long before Lt. Gordon and Batman take Dent under their wing, and half of the syndicate in Gotham is in jail.

The Joker can't stand that, so he retaliates by attacking Gotham's elected officials, taking down the police commissioner and a judge. His next targets are Dent and Rachel Dawes, Bruce Wayne's former girlfriend, and the mayor. Lt. Gordon is apparently a casualty in the process.

The Joker lies to Batman, to the city, to Harvey Dent, to criminals on one boat trying to leave the city and to a boat filled with regular citizens on the other.

Along the way, he blows up a hospital and the Major Crimes Unit in police headquarters. He also tries to take out Harvey Dent in a traffic showdown that had us both gasping and cheering in the theater I attended.

Dent is corrupted by the Joker and becomes Two-Face, as if having the Joker after people wasn't bad enough. In the end, even Batman can't escape the Joker's corruption, and he takes the fall for the deaths of police officers killed as a result of Harvey Dent's actions, turning him from hero to villain in the city's eyes, hence the title, "The Dark Knight."

What Worked

The music, effects and acting were even better than "Batman Begins," in my opinion. The pacing did slow at parts, but that just made the action sequences feel like they were going faster.

Christian Bale was at his broodiest, and I like Batman like that.

I've read this in many other reviews, but let me add my two cents: If Heath Ledger doesn't get the Oscar for his portrayal as the Joker, then the Joker was right ... this world is nothing but anarchy.

What Didn't Work

Honestly, the film flew by, but I could have stood it being a little shorter. But to me, that's not much of a complaint. Also, Rachel Dawes does buy the farm near the end, but her character never really grew on me, no matter which actress played her.

One last note: I hope everyone gets to see the amazing trailer for the "Watchmen" that I saw. Now I can't wait for that movie to come out early next year.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"The Dark Knight" stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman. The script was written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, and the film was directed by Christopher Nolan.

Wayne Hall, news editor for Airlock Alpha, has been a big Batfan since the first thing he read, a Batman comic. He will be back in the theaters to see "The Dark Knight" again soon, and writes from the Washington, D.C. area. He's also chief of security/publications editor/webmaster for the U.S.S. Chesapeake, a local Star Trek and science-fiction club. You can write him at whall@airlockalpha.com..