REVIEW: The Dark Knight

By: Lee Rice

Last week, I crowned “Hellboy II” as possibly the best superhero movie of the summer. Now, I have to snatch that crown back for “The Dark Knight,” Christopher Nolan’s second entry in his brilliantly re-imagined Batman franchise.

Although “Batman Begins” was a breath of fresh air from the horrific mess that Joel Schumacher made of the series with “Batman & Robin,” (Neon in Gotham? Bat-nipples?) "Begins" did have several flaws, namely the poor action cinematography and some of the dopier elements of the plot (Batman’s a ninja? Since when?).

Thankfully, “The Dark Knight” corrects all of those problems, and is a strong contestant for the best superhero move ever, a hard contest that pits it against not only the recent films from Marvel Studios, but also Tim Burton’s dark and gorgeous 1989 "Batman," which showed audiences that comic-book movies could be taken seriously.

There are a plethora of elements that cause “The Dark Knight” to rise above the competition. Acting, direction, special effects, cinematography-- All of these things combine to create a truly magnificent whole, but the one factor that cements this movie’s greatness is the late Heath Ledger’s final full performance as The Joker.

I have to admit I was a bit skeptic going into the theater. Heath Ledger fans had been going on and on about his appearance for a long time, but I chalked it up to the James Dean Effect-- A curious event that happens when a promising young actor dies just as his career begins to take off. I had seen Heath Ledger in a few roles before and he always struck me as a decent actor, but I had a hard time picturing him as the maniacal clown responsible for dozens of deaths in the comics.

Now, having seen the movie, I can honestly say that he gives an absolutely fantastic performance. I’ve heard a story that Ledger spent a week in a hotel room, alone, preparing for this role. I can’t doubt that, as he seems to disappear into his character completely. While Jack Nicholson may have been nominated for several “Best Actor/ Supporting Actor” awards for his performance, it seems that Ledger might be seeing some posthumous Oscar gold. His Joker is a terrifying character, unpredictable and menacing. His eyes glitter with madness, and it’s easy to see why The Joker is Batman’s nemesis.

Unlike previous stories, this film supplies us with a unique perspective on the Joker’s crimes, and he is presented as the embodiment of anarchy, a monster determined to destroy anything resembling social order with the use of a few decidedly low-tech explosives and bullets.

The film’s other villain, Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart), is in serious danger of being overshadowed by the main monster, but the filmmakers wisely chose to portray him as a victim of The Joker’s insane schemes-- a man driven to the edge by his losses, and forced to become a dark version of what he once was. Although Eckhart’s performance isn’t quite up to Ledger’s standards, he still does an excellent job. As we watch his character- Harvey Dent- slowly becoming what he wanted to destroy, we can understand and believe the changes that are happening inside of him.

Another thing that sets this apart from other superhero films is that it focuses on the isolation of the character and the very real danger to those around him. In other movies of this kind, it isn’t uncommon to see the villain take somebody’s loved ones hostage, but “The Dark Knight” really brings out the human consequences of befriending a man with as many enemies as Bruce Wayne. Christian Bale brings a lot of life to his Bruce Wayne character, although the obvious focus is on his life as Batman. Throughout the movie, we begin to see life through his eyes, a world where one wrong move could easily mean the end of everything that he has worked for.

The love triangle between Wayne, Dawes and Dent works very well, supplying great motivation for all three characters without looking manufactured.

One of the interesting things about “The Dark Knight” is that it plays out more like a crime drama than anything else. If you took away the capes and clown make up, you’d have a story about a police lieutenant, a district attorney, and a rich vigilante trying to bring down the mob. As for The Joker, he’s basically a hired gun who goes off the deep end and decides that he wants the town for himself. When viewed that way, this movie holds a whole new level of appeal.

The only real flaw with “The Dark Knight” is its length. The proceedings stretch on through climax after climax, and there was easily enough material here for two or even three movies. All the same, it stays interesting enough that the viewer is never bored, and it all ends in a very satisfying way that ties up all the loose threads. “The Dark Knight” is proof that long doesn’t necessarily mean boring.

“The Dark Knight” is probably the best non-animated movie of the summer, and I strongly suggest that anyone with even a vague interest in Batman, Heath Ledger, or movies in general take the time to see it.

Final Verdict: 5 bats out of 5