8.9 out of 10—really? The Dark Knight is undeniably visually impressive, full of flashy special effects, stunning production design and spectacular action set-pieces, but the fans who have rated this film so highly clearly have as little grip on reality as its antagonist The Joker (Heath Ledger).

152 minutes of relentlessly dark, dreary, depressing drama—the enjoyment factor turned down to the lowest possible setting—this overly complex and frequently logic-free sequel to Batman Begins sees director Christopher Nolan once again presenting the antics of a man dressed as a bat in a completely humourless fashion. And if Nolan is going to take matters so seriously, then so am I...

Could a man with half his face burned off really get out of bed the next day to conduct a vendetta? Why does Batman talk to Fox in his 'gruff' voice when the man already knows his real identity? How do you get hundreds of barrels of explosives onto two ferries without being noticed? Likewise, how did The Joker wire up a hospital to blow-up without being spotted? Who built Batman's underground silo? Does anyone really know what the hell was going on during that scene with that cell phone sonar equipment and the building full of baddies? Where exactly do you hire a butler who can arrange for a skyhook in Hong Kong? These are just a few of the many questions that arise from Nolan's so-called masterpiece.

Rabid Batman/Nolan fans might be all too happy to overlook these somewhat awkward posers, but I can't—not when such a blatantly flawed film currently sits at No.8 in the IMDb top 250.

5.5 out of 10, but not good enough to be rounded up to a 6.