‘The Dark Knight’ Exceeds Unreal Expectations
-----I, like many fans of comic books and movies, have been eagerly awaiting the release of this film since the closing scene of its predecessor. My expectations were impossibly high due to good early reviews and the hype being generated for Ledger’s performance. That being said, I was blown away by this film. It was better than I could have imagined in a number of areas.
-----The plot starts with Jim Gordon in a full blown war on the crime of Gotham. With the help of Batman, the two continue their crusade for a better Gotham. Only this time, they aren’t alone. Gotham’s young new D.A. Harvey Dent is putting criminals away in a legitimate manner. The question arises whether or not he could be the man to relieve Batman of his seemingly endless duties, providing justice the ‘right’ way. Together the trio feels they can save Gotham once and for all, but they didn’t count on a little chaos courtesy of ‘The Joker.’
-----Heath Ledger turns in what may be the finest on screen performance I have ever had the pleasure to witness. Heath is virtually unconscious (in a good way), leaving behind his real life tendencies, and letting the Joker consume him for our entertainment. His performance is so bizarre and perfect you often forget the character’s not real. Ledger stays true to the characters’ oldest roots while also redefining him for a new era. With every twitch, every spasm, every word uttered we see the darkness of a man who knows he’s insane, and like’s it. Coming off as a lunatic he is able to disguise his true, thoroughly laid plans. It is one of the greatest tragedies in cinematic history that we’ll never get to see an encore performance, and Heath will never brighten the screen again (save his partly finished role in ‘The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus’). Rest in Peace, Heath.
-----The writing is superb, and the whole cast is grossly in tune with their characters, never dropping any hints of being actors on a set. Even new-comer to the franchise Maggie Gylenhaal (replacing Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes) has something to contribute, giving us a more believable D.A. than her predecessor. The mainstay’s chemistry has also improved even further since predecessor ‘Batman Begins.’ Christian Bale should be commended for his often hilarious but true portrayal of Bruce Wayne, and his gritty all business take on Batman. This film is true to the comics with just enough modernization, making it perhaps the best comic book film ever made, and surely one of the best films ever to grace the silver screen with its presence.
-----The cinematography is stunning, and the IMAX cameras make this film revolutionary from a technical standpoint. Christopher Nolan is masterful in his balancing act of CG, and realism, epic storytelling, and deep emotion, human triumph, and devastation. It should also not go unnoticed how well he was able to handle such a large budget epic, along with getting so many stars to be so effective, never over or under stepping their bounds. The editing too is fantastic, never lingering so as to bore you in such a lengthy feature. However, it’s also paced well, fast when necessary, but not constantly pushing forward as was the case with the highly anticipated ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.’ Nolan knows when to let the actors take over emotionally, and when to just blow things up.
-----So great are all of the intricacies of this film, I could go on for hours. However, I cannot go without telling of the fantastic score. They’ve done a wonderful job keeping some of the music from the previous movie, and expanding on it in all of the right places. The Joker’s score is subtly haunting and chaotic all at once, and the main theme puts you right there with Batman as he flies off a building in spectacular IMAX clarity and sound.
-----Seldom is there a film that can take the fantastic, and relay it in such a grounded reality. In the footsteps of films such as ‘Unbreakable’ and ‘Gladiator,’ ‘The Dark Knight’ makes us believe in ordinary people rising to the peak of human potential and becoming the greatest of heroes. When all is said and done, I love this film, and I think you will too.
-----This review can also be read at the Laramie Movie Scope
-----Oscar Watch: Look for Heath Ledger winning Best Supporting Actor and a possible Best Picture Nomination for the film itself.
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