(CNN) -- According to a Russian proverb, God makes the priests. Jesters come from the devil. Heath Ledger dominates as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" in a performance already garnering raves. You won't have any trouble believing that aphorism when you see Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance as the Joker in "The Dark Knight," Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated and often brilliantly executed follow-up to "Batman Begins." His face caked in cracked white greasepaint, his smile a grotesque red lipstick scar, kohl rimming his eyes, the Joker is a cruel kind of clown, the kind that is only interested in the last laugh.
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CNN.com reviewer: "Dark Knight" is an exceptional follow-up to "Batman Begins"
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Heath Ledger is brilliant as the Joker in Oscar-worthy performance, reviewer says
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Film pits Batman against the Joker, who's come to wreak chaos
I'll be surprised if @placeholder doesn't get a posthumous Oscar for it.