Dark Knight

Cast : Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Arron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Director : Christopher Nolan

Music : James Newton Howard, Hans Zimmer

Released By : Warner Bros.

The opening scene, now known as the “Bank Job” showcases the Joker’s talent in covering up his tracks and escaping the law. 5 men and a bus driver. Only one walks out. It was genius.

The movie was, in one word, awesome. Batman and Jim Gordon takes organized crime in Gotham and soon find themselves prey to a new criminal mastermind who thrusts Gotham into anarchy and forces the Dark Knight ever closer to crossing the fine line between hero and vigilante. At every turn, the storyline threw me into another wormhole. The plot constantly thickened. Just as you’d think it was about to end, a new plot is revealed. Moral issues were constantly questioned. Every character questioned themself while the Joker executed his plans with thorough accuracy limited only by his mind’s eye. Gotham was careened into chaos as both the good and bad were being blown to pieces. The citizens of Gotham the chess pieces while Harvey Dent, Commissioner Gordon, Bruce Wayne and Batman became unwitting players in a complex game weaved by the Joker. This is not what you’d expect from a Hollywood movie and more so for one based on a comic book character. Where most other comic book based movies have been simplified for the mass audience, Dark Knight took a gamble at complexity and depth of a storyline. It was a good gamble. Nolan and Goyer out did themselves in this one.

This is by far the best performance from Heath Ledger. It was brilliantly stunning and shocking at the same time. He portrayed the Joker as insane and conniving as he is in the books and in fact, at times so much more. Constantly calm as he mocked and agitated both the law and the underground. The Joker’s magic trick at the underground’s “therapy session” was brilliant. Ledger created what I perceive to be his trademarks of the character. His body language never expressing his thoughts, only intimidation. He slightly bows his head, a little tilted and stares intently past his brows. His darken eyes creates an intense feeling even as an audience, as if he was the devil staring into your soul. He emphasizes his words with expressive pauses and subtle movements. Ledger did retained one of Jack Nicholson’s Joker trademark; the constant lip licking just as he was about to say something profound. All in all, this was a Heath Ledger’s Joker. Calculated, insane, cruel, haunting and terrifying.

As for the Christopher Bale, he lacked no talent. His performance was as outstanding as it was in Batman Begins and Equilibrium. Unfortunately Ledger stole the limelight from him. As for the characters he portrayed, apart from Bruce’s desire to be with Rachel Dawes, Batman seems more of the focus this time around as Bruce Wayne takes a step back. The Joker’s focus on Batman throughout the movie exemplified the term “you complete me”. As it was in the comic books, both characters made and pushed at each other in their own ways. What was nice this time around was that Nolan and Goyer managed to tell a story about the human side of Batman. His desire to lead a normal life, his personal conflicts, the choices he has to make as the caped crusader, his vulnerabilities and his desire to make Gotham a good place to live in while constantly compelled to make choices as Bruce Wayne.

“And now you have not just a young man in pain attempting to find some kind of an answer, you have somebody who actually has power, who is burdened by that power, and is having to recognize the difference between attaining that power and holding on to it.”

Christian Bale on his role as Batman.

Unfortunately though Two Face did not last long in the movie, but his alter ego, Harvey Dent was a crucial component in the Joker’s plans and Aaron Eckhart did an excellent performance transforming from the District Attorney who wanted to clean up Gotham into the malevolent vengeful Two Face. What was more pleasing is that it was not a sudden flip of the coin. His “Two Face” persona was already evident from the beginning. All the Joker had to do was bring it out.

Oldman was in his usual subtle yet impressive element. He was definitely the right choice to play Jim Gordon. A man who has been trying to clean the streets of Gotham for too long on his own, while trusting the only one person he really knows nothing about, Batman. Unlike Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent who only acknowledged the presence of risks, Gordon had a clear understanding of the risks that came with his choices. He was constantly being the sensible one making tough decisions while standing firmly on his principles. Oldman as in all his past performances, always studied the characters he was to play resulting in pure artistry.

My only disappointment in the entire movie was Maggie Gyllenhaal. Her portrayal of Rachel Dawes was less than mediocre.

This city deserves a better class of criminal
and I'm gonna give it to them.

In short I can only say that at long last, Hollywood is beginning to understand Batman as how writers like Frank Miller and Alan Moore have often portrayed him to be; the complexity of being a billionaire playboy and city guardian at the same time. As I have for years been telling friends, comics are a lot more complicated than most have perceived them to be. Finally there is a movie truly worthy to be associated with comic books. Dark Knight will most definitely sit on my mantle next to the great works of Lucas, Roddenbarry, Harryhausen, Verne, Lewis, Homer and the likes.