How do you describe a movie that not only surpasses the original but all other "Batman" movies combined? In a summer of virtual blockbusters every weekend (half of those based on comic-book heroes, no less) you would think the public would tire of yet another masked fantasy hero with a cape, but no.

"The Dark Knight" is not just a comic-book character brought to the big screen. The hero is the main title, but how does one put into words a movie whose other elements equal, if not surpass, the title character?

In a way, the filmmakers were smart making this the only Batman movie in history that doesn't even have the name "Batman" in its title - in part because the movie is not just about Bruce Wayne or his troubled alter ego. It's way more than that. It's driven completely on its characters and not defined on who is good and who is evil.

This time out, the movie is more about who is troubled and who wants out. In essence, "The Dark Knight" is your classic Greek tragedy. I'm not being overly dramatic here, either. If you reference discussion of "The Iliad," tragedy is defined as a drama "in which a central character, called a tragic protagonist or hero, suffers some serious misfortune which is not accidental and therefore meaningless, but is significant in that the misfortune is logically connected with the hero's actions."

That pretty much describes "The Dark Knight," and when you have finished watching this, you realize the performances acted out on the screen far supercede whatever was written in the script.

Director Christopher Nolan cuts through a much deeper (and darker) thread here after giving us "Batman Begins" back in 2005. He not only raises the bar, but surpasses it, and all the hype you have heard surrounding this movie is justified right from the outset and when we are introduced full-frame to the Joker (Heath Ledger).

Whatever comparisons you may have wondered about after seeing Jack Nicholson's Joker, in director Tim Burton's "Batman" (1989), are dispelled immediately after seeing Ledger's brilliant, psychotic performance. Where Nicholson's character becomes the Joker after falling into a vat of green acid, Heath Ledger's character has taken a lifetime of pain and a troubled past to create the madman he becomes. He is evil, yes, but in a weird, twisted way that makes you actually like the guy. Don't get me wrong, he'll slit your throat or give you lead poisoning - that's a given - but you find his twitches and improvised humor warming up to you just before you become a cold stiff.

Meanwhile, Batman (Christian Bale) wants out of the superhero business in a big way. He now has to contend with Batman wannabes and winds up having to explain his actions even when Gotham's police department still doesn't know if he's really the good guy or not. On top of that, Batman still has some lingering issues of his own that were left unanswered after the last movie, primarily that of settling down with his childhood sweetheart, the now-grown-up Rachel Dawes, assistant to the district attorney.

This time out, actress Maggie Gyllenhaal steps into the role that Katie Holmes created in "Batman Begins." No one knows why Holmes passed on being in this surefire hit - some have speculated it was because of a salary dispute. (I'm guessing that her hubby, Tom Cruise, didn't want her to be in a mega-blockbuster unless proceeds of some kind went to Scientology, but that's just my opinion.) One thing is for sure: she's probably kicking herself (or Tom) for not being in this movie. For whatever reason, Gyllenhaal has more depth to her character than did Holmes.

There's also a new man in Rachel's life whom criminals find just as menacing as the Batman. He's the new DA, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). This is one of Eckhart's best acting turns I have seen since his satirical spoof in "Thank You for Smoking" (2005). He not only wants to clean up Gotham City, but he also wants to meet Batman to see on which side of the law he stands. Batman sees Dent as an opportunity to shed his mask, giving him the accolades so that he can win back the love of Rachel. But Dent (as we soon will discover) has some demons of his own, which he works out depending on a toss of his lucky coin telling him what to do.

The only sane person in "The Dark Knight" is Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman's confidant and still the only cop he trusts. This time around, Gordon plays referee to the the three main characters, who want what is best for Gotham but in three completely different and twisted scenarios.

This is the first Batman movie where the gadgets and special effects complement the story, which is better and more powerful than anything the CGI effects wizards ever could muster up. Don't get me wrong - the action scenes are impressive, and there are more than a few surprises that will leave you on edge. But it's the human component that really makes this the best summer movie I have seen in a long time.

I am saddened, though, knowing that we won't see Heath Ledger in the next "Batman" installment, but thankful that he was able to complete an Oscar-worthy performance here for all to see. In one scene, as the Joker spars with Batman, Ledger says, "I don't want to kill you ... you complete me." So did this movie.

- Howie Nave is host/manager of The Improv comedy club inside Harveys and reviews films for seven radio stations throughout Northern California and Nevada, including Sirius Radio. He hosts "Howie's Morning Rush" on Tahoe's KRLT radio, and you can see his film reviews on "Howie's Late Night Rush" Monday through Friday at midnight on RSN. For past reviews, blogs and audio clips, visit www.HowieNave.com.

View Howie Nave's video review of "The Dark Knight" on YouTube.com.