If there were any doubt who the real star of The Dark Knight is, remove it now—Heath Ledger's make-up creased Joker is the only reason to rush to the theaters.

But of course you knew that from the heavily played trailer that barely shows a glimpse of the winged one himself.

You know, Batman?

It's a brutal reality how real-life tragedy magnifies onscreen success. Even Anna Nicole Smith's baffling last role as a pouty alien drew otherwise unneeded attention. But Ledger not only melts into the Joker, he elevates him into a complex and mesmerizing character that is as sympathetic as he is utterly terrifying.

True to his character, this Joker enjoys random acts of injustice. He steals from a mob controlled bank in the opening scene—shot in breathtaking IMAX—but he isn't motivated by money. He tells almost heartbreaking stories about the scars on his face, but he prefers the knife as a more intimate method of execution.

And with his haphazard make-up, Ledger destructs the iconic image we all have of Jack Nicholson's kitschy and eyebrow-arching villain. Ledger's interpretation is more like Picasso's "Blue Period" gone bad. He looks more like the Crow—emerging from the shadows, chin down and with menace in his eyes—than any other incarnation we have ever seen of this character.

But this Joker sticks.

Because now more than ever, it's clear that Batman and the Joker are dark reflections of each other. It's a partnership that this Joker plays up in one scene by joking that Batman "completes" him.

If the rogue defines the hero, then the Joker's need for random injustice pushes Batman's (a smoldering Christian Bale) inflexible rules to the brink. Through Ledger's Joker, we are introduced to a new, grittier Dark Knight who was once defined by fear and anger. Now, he is ruled by doubt.