And everybody on this planet should make time to watch this movie in theatres before it comes down. Yes Christopher Nolan would earn a ton of money, but I wouldn't begrudge him the cash if he continues producing movies like 'The Dark Knight'. It easily outclassed 'Iron Man' (and God knows how much I loved that movie) and ranks alongside 'V For Vendetta' and 'Remember the Titans' as my favourite movies of all time. This is not your average comic book adaptation or a hero-triumphs-at-the-end-of-the-day story for kids (in fact, I would advise against bringing kids for this movie, despite the U rating), but a no holds barred, as grim as it gets study of anarchy and societal values. What makes a hero? Is it a pin-up face on television, or a watchful protector in the shadows? 'The Dark Knight' answers these questions, and more.
It's fairly safe to say that the late Heath Ledger (may he rest in peace) stole the show from Christian Bale and Aaron Eckhart. His portrayal of the Joker, much hyped upon after his untimely death, exceeded all my pre-movie expectations. He was the agent of chaos, the embodiment of anarchy and the direct opposite of Batman. Ledger's performance was mesmerising and more than once, sent chills down my spine as he hunched around, licked his lips and scaring the living daylights out of everybody. The rest of the stellar cast which includes Michael Caine, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman also gave solid performances, but the show belongs to Ledger. Every time he came on screen, he took centre stage. A minor gripe with the casting is Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes, which I found quite weird. Despite her acting prowess she clearly did not fit the role of playboy Bruce Wayne's love interest and frequently looked out of place amongst the more 'shapely' and youthful looking bit-part female characters. Katie Holmes didn't do as well as Gyllenhaal in this role but at least looked more the part.
Of course, 'The Dark Knight' wouldn't be a summer blockbuster without it's action sequences, and in this department it doesn't disappoint either. Expect to see lots of fireworks, blazing guns and a brilliantly done car chase sequence in the middle of the movie. Batman though, was surprisingly given little time (and proper lighting) to strut his martial arts, relying instead on his wits and technology to dispose foes. Maybe because the movie lacked a villain who could go toe-to-toe with the caped crusader, who otherwise looked pretty at ease against mobs of bit-time crooks. The heart of the movie though, was how director Nolan built up the tension within the movie while Batman struggled with his identity and his role in Gotham City as the Joker trampled on everything he stood for. It all builds up to an impressive climax and nicely wrap things up for the movie while setting the scene for the next edition in the Batman film series.
A day before the premier of 'The Dark Knight' I re-watched 'Batman Begins' and I have to say, the sequel blew away all of my expectations. Heath Ledger deserves an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the Joker and this movie is as good as it gets for the swansong to his bright but sadly, short lived career. Christopher Nolan also deserves praise for bringing the Batman back to its grittier and edgier roots, and his courage for tackling matured issues in a comic book adaptation. In doing so he shifted the target audience to an older group set, but came out tops in the end. 'The Dark Knight' is everything you would expect it to be, and more. If you haven't seen it, go book your tickets now. This is definitely one movie you don't want to miss.~Zhongy~
Random thoughts:
- There shouldn't be another Joker in the series. Heath Ledger owns this role now. Nobody else would be able to do justice to the character after his performance.
- I'm glad Robin hasn't made an appearance yet in the series, as I'm not sure that he would fit into Nolan's darker and edgier tone. Batman has all the sidekicks he need now in Lucius Fox and Alfred, and they both do the job fine.
- I've always thought Batman deserved a more exotic love interest than an old flame from back home like Rachel Dawes. Maybe they'll introduce one in the next movie?
- Crashing the Lambo' was SUCH a waste!!
- The Batpod kicks ass, but Batman should have a slicker set of wheels than the tumbler as the Batmobile. Next movie perhaps?
- The detective side of Batman is still under-developed in the series. In here he uses his technology to collect evidence but doesn't really display his deductive skills. Maybe a more 'thinking' villain would bring this side out?
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