Warning: Spoilers for The Dark Knight are mentioned below.

1) Why So Serious? - Everybody has already said it, but it's worthwhile to mention again that Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker made The Dark Knight a great film. And no, it has nothing to do with Heath's death. Honestly, I thought his role had to be hyped way beyond what it was - until I saw the movie. From The Joker's first scene until his last, he captivates your attention. His cunning and crafty ways that upset the other characters is thrilling to watch. And who didn't enjoy his little magic trick with the pen?

2) Two-Face - It was obvious from the previews that Two-Face would be created in this movie, but I don't think anyone realized that he'd actually play a part in the film. The inclusion of him toward the end was a pleasant surprise, although it still would've been nice to have him featured in a larger part.

3) Leading Lady - No, I'm not saying that Maggie Gyllenhaal's part as Rachel Dawes was spectacular. In fact, I thought her part was the weakest of the film, and I really don't understand why some many reviews listed her as being exceptional. What was awesome was that they had the guts to kill her character in this film. They didn't have her suddenly disappear, or leave her part hanging. She's dead, and that took some guts (or maybe they saw her role in this film and figured it'd be best to kill her?).

4) Realism - Yes, I know it's not true to life. But for a comic book adaptation, this is about as good as it gets. The characters are real, they feel pain, they have emotion. What more can you ask for? The Joker doesn't have a face made of acid, and Two-Face isn't one big scab - he's flesh and bone (literally). And the fact that Bruce Wayne has to fight with the sacrifices of being Batman, and realizes that he won't be able to be the savior of the city forever, that's as real as it gets for a movie of this genre.

5) Detective Gordon - He's crafty, a little kooky, and pretty bad ass. Instead of being a clueless and helpless character, he actually has some fight in him. That's a breath of fresh air compared to other super hero movies, where there can only be one "hero."

6) An Unexpected Ending - Be it the creation and role of Two-Face, the death Rachel Dawes, or the fact that they made Batman a wanted felon, the ending was anything but expected. While it's one thing to have an unexpected ending, it's quite another to make it work and stay true to the film. In both regards, The Dark Knight succeeded with aplomb.

7) The Beginning - Let's face it, The Joker is what really set this film apart from others of this genre, and the bank heist at the beginning of the film sets the tone for the whole movie. In those first few minutes you get a glimpse into his maniacal brain. He's not just a kooky villain, he's a seriously deranged one who is an outcast even to other criminals. He's crazy, in a very sane way, and he always seems to be one step ahead of everybody. He's the type of guy who would tell bad knock-knock jokes because he knows they're so bad, and because of it we like him even more.