Batman: The Dark Knight
3 hours of delicious film, and I savored every second of it. It felt like I didn’t pay enough for a ticket to something so enjoyable (oh and not to mention it was on the IMAX screens). It’s so much grittier and dark than the first of the series. Christopher Nolan tested the waters with Batman Begins to great success and it gave him the grounds to induce an even more malevolent tone in The Dark Knight.
It’s a very mature sequel, exploiting the ghastly society Gotham City had been left in where the last film tied off. I really appreciate how the characters feel real. They don’t need super powers or any supernatural influences to be engaging; it’s all to do with the strong contrast established in the battle of ideals. Structurally, it felt like the film ended 2/3 through when The Joker was caught for the first time. You get a delightful surprise with another hour of darkening twists, as the experience becomes increasingly bitter for the souls of Gotham City. It moved at a dynamic pace and the shorter time-line allowed for the time to expand into a length which felt like a documentation of a real time event.
Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker was outstanding. His portrayal of the character has got to be the most sick, twisted and humorous villain I’ve watched for a long time. I was instantly sold when The Joker performed the most horrendous and casual magic trick involving a disappearing pencil and the eye socket of a bouncer. Don’t want to give away too many of his hilarious and creepy antics, but watch out for his stint in a nurse costume with Two-Faced Harvey Denton. Of course, Christian Bale was amazing. So glad that they canned Katie Holmes for Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Explosions, sweet vehicles, punch ups and guns. It’s got all of that awesome Batman testosterone, as well as the complications of gang warfare and internal identity struggle. Easily in my list of favourite recent movies. I enjoyed it a lot, and I know I’ll have to catch it again in the cinemas! The wait was well worth it.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this
I wish I’d got to ‘know’ Heath before his sad departure. FilmFour (UK) screened a few Ledger films a while back (namely Candy and Brokeback), and now I’m hooked!
Even with those few tantalising glimpses of Heath in the DK trailer, I KNOW I’m going to love this one!
BTW love the site (and your work)! First time commenter here, but I might be back soon!
@ Alex: Heath Ledger was an amazing actor. It was a crazy day when me and my friend woke up from a night of drinks (and drunk drawing) to hear on the news that he’d been compromised.
His performance in The Dark Knight was definitely one to highlight his career.
And thanks for popping by. Always love a good discussion!
I’m really pumped to see this movie. I think both this and Hellboy 2 were so much better than their predecessors was the fact that both directors had some breathing room from the studio. It’s almost hard to tell Batman Begins came from the same director as Memento but I have a feeling that with The Dark Knight it will be much easier to see.
I can’t wait to see this movie. The first one was ok but after reading so many positive reviews about this one I just couldn’t wait. Heath Ledger is an amazing actor, and it is so sad he passed away at such a young age. He definitely set a standard for the next actors to play joker.
Pasquale!
Glad you got to see a good movie! It’s definitely up there as one of the good ones! The Joker really made the movie and the direct special effects helped as well. Wish Heath hadn’t died so we could get a great third film. Like I said in my review, I think one of my biggest complaints is the lack of comic luster only emphasized for Gotham City itself. I don’t want it to look like Chicago or New York, even in Batman Begins they get it right with the tram and the big Wayne Tower etc. This time around it felt almost too real - ya know? Either way, good movie and I’ll definitely be purchasing it!
I agree with the city style. it really looks like a very Marvel city i.e. New York or Chicago. I wish they took the buildings and pushed them towards the architecture of comic book Gotham City.
Well, since I’ve finally seen it, I just had to follow up my original comment!
I have to admit it was not quite what I was expecting, which is naturally a good thing. OK, so it was slightly cheesy at times, and it’s really one of those films where you have to ‘let go’, but I guess it’s a core to the Batman franchise. My only gripe was that I should have ‘let go’ far earlier on (heavens know why I was trying to cling on to reality). Once you’ve become absolved in this film, when all around is only a blur, it is quite simply two or so hours of escapist pleasure!
And of course, what has already been iterated, Ledger was absolutely spectacular and truly MADE the film for me.
Of all the action pumped moments, and the witty and intense dialogue, my favourite scene was the subtle short cut of the Joker, leering out of the (cop?) car window alongside an eery silence - a realm of calm madness in which I was mesmerised, if only for those few seconds
OK the more I think about this film, the more I love it! *checks cinema for next screening*