The Dark Knight strikes at midnight Thursday

Leave it to the adventures of a billionaire in body armor and a cape to comment on the hotbed of U.S. foreign policy, but that’s just one of the things Bruce Wayne does in this sequel to Batman Begins. That 2005 reboot saw the defender of Gotham—finally played with some dignity by Christian Bale—strike a blow against anarchic terrorists. What ensues is an escalation of crime and mayhem. That is, the freaks really come out to play, led by the late great Heath Ledger and his disturbing turn as The Joker. But danger also lurking in the district attorney’s office is Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent, who like Eliot Spitzer, hides his own dark side. Several local theaters are offering screenings of the film at midnight on Thursday. Check local listings. Rated PG-13.