There are many adjectives that have been used to describe comic-book movies, but unless you’re talking about special effects or sound editing, “award-worthy” isn’t one of them. “The Dark Knight,” however, is probably going to change that.

After casting Christian Bale as the caped crusader, director Christopher Nolan effectively resuscitated the Batman franchise in the 2005 origin story “Batman Begins.” The sequel does more than just improve upon that film. “The Dark Knight” blows the doors off of what a comic-book movie can become.

Back in Gotham City, Batman still keeps watch over the dark metropolis, and his vigilante heroics have even inspired a few copycats. But the city is not sure whether it in fact needs a hero, and for that matter, neither does Batman’s arrogant billionaire alter-ego Bruce Wayne, who is looking to hang up his cape for good and live a normal life.

This is an even more appealing option considering Gotham’s hot shot District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is managing to put plenty of high-profile criminals behind bars without hiding behind a mask, all the while courting Wayne’s former flame Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, a moderate upgrade to Katie Holmes). Dent gets the job done with help from Lt. Jim Gordon (played with idealism and virtue by Gary Oldman) but is frustrated with his continued alliance with Batman.

The city is soon shook by the appearance of the Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger), a green-haired, yellow-toothed anarchic prankster with smeared make-up and an exaggerated smile carved by hand. Instead of lusting for money or power, chaos is the Joker’s only desired currency, whether he causes it himself or brings it out of others.

While Jack Nicholson did a comic and cartoon-like portrayal of the Joker in Tim Burton’s 1989 “Batman,” Ledger takes the role to a place much more twisted. Channeling the primal behavior of “A Clockwork Orange” and the mayhem of “Fight Club,” the knife-wielding psychopath, complete with slithering tongue and cackling cadence, is one of the most memorable villains to ever hit the screen.

Ledger’s performance is only one of the many things that make “The Dark Knight” a staggering achievement. The script (penned by Nolan and his brother Jonathan) has enough twists and mystery to keep you on your toes mentally, while the masterful direction of Nolan combines amazing visuals and incredibly choreographed action sequences will quench any thrill-seeker’s thirst.

Aside from Ledger, every other actor also delivers. The return of Morgan Freeman as gadget guru Lucious Fox and Michael Caine as Bruce Wayne/Batman’s loyal and advisable butler Alfred bring a welcome touch of humor and humanity. But big kudos go to Bale and Eckhart. Bale continues to add layers to his character, bringing an inner struggle to the man behind the mask who questions his own methods to stop a villain whose crimes are beyond limits. And Eckhart’s metamorphosis from a white knight to bi-polar darkness after the death of a major character is something to behold.

If you know Nolan’s previous work (“Memento,” “Insomnia”), you know he tackles any material with emotional heft. Over the film’s two-and-a-half hours (on the brink of overkill for any comic-book movie), he uses the material to touch on crime, power and our own human nature. Those with short-attention spans looking for a light-hearted movie-going experience need not apply. But for those who let this movie sink its hooks in you, get ready for a great ride.