The consensus is strongly positive, with praise clustering around Heath Ledger’s Joker, Christopher Nolan’s direction and the film’s moral complexity. Most critics see a substantial crime thriller that takes its characters and their choices seriously. Ledger is the clearest point of agreement: the reviews repeatedly describe a frightening, psychologically complex performance that dominates the film. The action also earns praise for its force and scale.
The differences concern how well the ideas survive the spectacle. Time Out finds the action threatens to drown them out, while The Hollywood Reporter praises the clarity of the ideas and characters. The Guardian admires the storytelling but questions the heavy moral weight placed on a blockbuster. Reservations elsewhere concern pacing, gadgetry and occasional lulls. The spread runs from enthusiastic approval to qualified admiration rather than outright dissent; even the more cautious reviews remain persuaded by Ledger.