The Dark Knight is the audacious sequel to 2005's Batman Begins. Where many writers and directors might have been tempted to follow a relatively safe formula for this second film, Christopher Nolan has created a film that is almost as wild and daring as The Joker. Profoundly written, beautifully choreographed, and brilliantly executed, The Dark Knight is a masterful creation that should keep you on the edge of your seat, and leave you filled with both hope and despair.
Most of the cast and crew returns for The Dark Knight. The Rachel Dawes character is now played by Maggie Gyllenhaal rather than Katie Holmes, and there are a few new characters, but Christian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne, Gary Oldman returns as Lieutenant Gordon, Michael Caine still plays Alfred, and Morgan Freeman again portrays Lucius Fox. There is even a surprising cameo to help re-introduce Batman!
One of those new characters is getting most of the attention. People may be overpraising Heath Ledger's contribution to The Dark Knight, but just barely. Performances from Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, and the rest of the returning cast are all also very strong. Ledger's performance might be just the work of one fantastic actor among many if not for his untimely death. The wide premiere of this film is likely to reignite the question of how much Ledger was affected by his role as The Joker; it is easy to see how playing the role could leave anybody in a very odd frame of mind.
The Joker's introduction to Gotham's crime bosses is horrifying, and the shock of that scene — and that pencil — remain throughout the entire film. You truly never know what The Joker might do next, and you tend to expect the worst. More often than not, the worst expectations are satisfied. No real backstory is ever given for The Joker. In character, he explains how his mouth came to be cut and scarred in his permanent smile, but he explains it two different ways, so neither is likely true. He is simply a destructive force of nature. "I think you and I are destined to do this forever," The Joker tells Batman. Also, "You complete me!" spoofing Jerry Maguire. The Joker character has long been a favorite villain, and here he is everything and more. He really just wants to create chaos and panic, and has spent enough time thinking about it to know what panics a city and what doesn't. The Joker isn't perfect — there wouldn't be much of a film if he were — but his plans work so well that it is hard to see how he will be stopped before Gotham burns to the ground.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
One note I dropped from the review: My kids won't be seeing this film for a few years. I let them watch Batman Begins, which has some scary stuff in it, but the scene with The Joker's pencil "magic trick" is not something I want my kids (10, 9, and 7) to see. Just don't.
2 - Craig Lyndall
It amazes me what passes for even PG-13 sometimes. This was a very good movie, but I fear that it is going to end up being overblown. I thought this was a very very good movie, but I didn't find it nearly as enjoyable as X2, for example, or some other blockbusters of the past. That being said, it is the best movie I saw this summer by far.
3 - Phillip Winn
Not as enjoyable as X2? Wow, I guess we have different taste in movies, then!
What I find myself enjoying most about The Dark Knight is that it continues to provoke thoughtfulness several days later. Not in everyone, I'm sure, since there must be someone for whom that maneuver with the Batpod was the best part of the movie. I'm more drawn to the scene following, in which The Joker taunts Batman, part of the lead up to "tonight you will break your one rule."
Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, films I enjoyed, were shallow and simplistic compared to the layers I find in The Dark Knight. In my review, I feared that people might focus too much on Heath Ledger and miss some of the other excellent performances in the film. Now I fear that people are over-focusing on many things, but missing the real star of the movie: the Nolan writing team.
It's the script that sets The Dark Knight apart from all other films based on comic books (so far).
4 - El Bicho
X2?! You mean that movie with the ending where one hero magically changes her powers because the writers painted themselves into a corner and couldn't figure a legitimate way out? X2 is fun, and I was glad to see the inclusion of Nightcrawler, but it isn't in the same league.
5 - El Bicho
"Does Batman have even that one rule any more?"
The audience knows he does, the citizens of Gotham think he broke it.
6 - Phillip Winn
El B, Batman lasts out the night with his one rule intact, but that may be a key point in the next film.
Unless Nolan continues and treats it as a trilogy, in which case one might expect it to be less dark and more conclusive, less eager to deal with driving Batman to a very, very dark place.
7 - El Bicho
"Batman lasts out the night with his one rule intact,"
Yes, but without giving anything away, the citizens of Gotham were told he broke that rule. Only he and Gordon know he didn't. A third film would have to be some kind of redemption in the eyes of the public because there's no way they would make Batman's story a tragedy, although it would be cool if they did.