After the excellent Batman Begins, the bar was set impossibly high for a sequel, or indeed, any other comic book adaptations. Director Cristopher Nolan has raised the bar again with this towering achievement.

The teasers had us all salivating with expectation, then came the news of Heath Ledgers' tragic death which added an extra dimension to the mystique, with trailers showcasing his brilliant portrayal of Batmans arch nemesis "The Joker".

This time, Batman(Christian Bale) needs every ounce of his resources to bring down the burgeoning criminal element in Gotham city. The banks have been usurped by the underworld gangs, and are little more than private depositories for the crime lords of Gotham.

New district attorney Harvey Dent (Eckhart) is determined that the gangs are all bought to justice and all their assets seized, but before that can happen, all the money is moved by criminal mastermind Lao (Chin Han).

Enter The Joker, whose sole purpose is to bring total chaos to Gotham. He cares not a jot for any of the niceties of the criminal fraternity, or even himself, much less for any of Gothams upstanding citizens. His answer to all the ills befalling the thugs is " kill the Batman".

The brilliant story, by the director and brother Jonathan, twists and turns through the many plot strands, but is always coherent. Nolans sure footedness with the dramatic is superb, as is his handling of the action sequences. The stunts and pyrotechnic effects are absolutely stunning.

As has been well reported Ledgers' "Joker" is outstanding. The tics and nuances in his portrayal of the psychotic villain are a testament to his acting genius. To compare his joker to Nicholsons would be a mistake, they are both unique, that said, I personally prefer Ledgers less showy interpretation. Bale certainly does not play second fiddle to Ledger. His Batman is every bit as powerful a screen presence, and his being human, with no superpowers, makes for a hero to care about. My only niggle is his voice is somewhat irritating once he becomes Batman.

Gary Oldman deserves a special mention for his sympathetic portrayal of Lieutenant/Commissioner Gordon. Aaron Eckarts take on Harvey Dent/Two Face is also worth noting as is Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes. Michael Caine's Alfred is as dependable as ever, and once again he gets the best one liners. Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) has been promoted, but is still on hand to provide Batmans hardware.

This is thrilling storytelling at it's best. and Nolans wonderful touch makes it all so believable.

No one person can be singled out for top honours, the whole ensemble piece and everyone concerned deserve all of that, and more.

This isn't just a great comic book adaptation, it's an oustanding film, and is deserving of all the critical praise being given. Easily the best movie of the summer, possibly the year. Don't miss it.