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When we left "Batman Begins" in 2005, Batman (Christian Bale) had saved Gotham from the forces of evil -- but we were left with the tease of another force to be battled. "The Dark Knight" picks up a couple of beats later by introducing us to The Joker (Heath Ledger). As the movie opens, The Joker robs a banks that is loaded with mob money. The mob wants him dead -- but he goes to them instead with a proposition to rid Gotham of the Batman. And with Batman putting a lot of pressure on the mob, they accept the deal. The Joker goes public, threatening to kill people daily until Batman reveals his true identity. And when the dead bodies begin to turn up, Bruce Wayne considers coming out from behind the mask. But the opportunity passes when Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) instead comes out as the Batman. Dent is taken into police custody and The Joker begins his assault. But his plan is foiled when the real Batman comes to Dent's rescue and The Joker is captured. But this is only the beginning for The Joker's genius plan to destroy Gotham.

What can be said about The Dark Knight that hasn't been said already before. It was easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2008 and easily surpassed all expectations, earning in excess of $530 million at the domestic box office and becoming the 2nd highest grossing movie of all-time behind "Titanic". It also ranks as one of the best-reviewed movies of 2008 and is being credited by some as setting a new standard for the comic book movie genre. Yes, it's been quite the year for The Caped Crusader.

You can now add to the list that "The Dark Knight" is one of the most anticipated home entertainment releases of 2008. Today, we're looking at the Blu-ray release of the movie. Starting with the first disc in the two-disc special edition, we get "Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene" -- including 18 different "focus points" totaling more than an hour of bonus footage -- which you can view while watching the movie or individually if you chose. Also included on this disc is a link to "Warner Bros. BD-Live" where viewers can visit the "Media Center" to view extra content including videos and trailers for other WB releases or "Express Yourself" where you can watch the movie with commentaries from other viewers or create a commentary of your own. The possibilities are simply fascinating.

Continuing with the 2nd disc in this set, you'll find "Batman Tech" (45:59) which looks at some of the hardware the Caped Crusader uses in the movie including in-depth looks at the costume, the Batmobile and the Batpod. Next "Batman Unmasked" (46:02) looks at some the characters that inhabit the Bat-universe from a psychological standpoint. This is followed by "Gotham Tonight" (46:41). Hosted by Anthony Michael Hall, this extra is presented as a 6-part nightly new investigative journalism piece looking at some of the people and events in Gotham. Next, "The Galleries" offers some of the artwork used in the production, including Joker Cards, Concept Art, Poster Art and Production Stills. Extras on this disc are completed with several Trailers and TV Spots for the movie.

Also part of this set is a 3rd disc including a Digital Copy of the movie which can be downloaded to your PC or mobile device.

One thing I will note after watching The Dark Knight again on Blu-ray. I saw it a few times at the theater and, although I was wowed each time, there was part of me that wondered if it was just the hype. Watching it now a few months later, I can say that the movie still holds up. It is just as entertaining as when I saw it the first time. And each time I watch it now, I gain a new appreciation for the effort put into bringing this movie to the screen. Sure, it isn't perfect. At times, it feels like the movie runs a little long. But at the same time, it feels like the movie is worth every single minute. And by the time the credits begin to roll, I find myself wanting more. We can only hope that future Batman movies live up to the lofty standards set by Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight".