Well, I’m back, and I’m happy to review another movie for my good friend Localretard!
Much has been said about The Dark Knight: its humongous box office gross, the death of one of its leading actors, its taking the number 1 spot on IMDB’s prestigious Top 250 Movies list. I am going to attempt to write a review that provides a different perspective, that of a huge fan of the Batman comic books and graphic novels, while still keeping in mind the average non-comic-book-reading movie fan.
The Dark Knight follows Batman Begins. Batman Begins is hailed for rebooting the comic book/superhero film, largely because of the way the film portrays Batman: a screwup who’s trying his best to do what he can. The film was gritty and realistic, two things that superhero movies previously avoided like cancer. The Dark Knight follows so within this vein that it makes the excellent Batman Begins seem almost a bit cartoonish.
The Dark Knight (henceforth known as TDK) portrays a real Gotham City: while it is still somewhat riddled with crime, the effects of Batman can obviously be seen. Criminals have become highly superstitious, there are new and idealistic politicians and policemen ready to do whatever it takes to tackle crime, and the Batman is ever vigilant.
But the darkest effect of Batman’s crusade seems to almost outweigh all the others.
In the end of Batman Begins, Gordon mentions escalation to Batman: “We start carrying semi-automatics, they buy automatics. We start wearing Kevlar, they buy armor-piercing rounds. And *you’re* wearing a mask and jumping off rooftops.” The logical next step comes in the form of the insane anarchist, The Joker.
Heath Ledger gives the performance of a lifetime as The Joker. He is cruel and menacing, and the subtleties of his movements, ticks, and voice make his truly terrifying character far more real than the Scarecrow or Ra’s al Ghul. He has several monologues throughout the film that are fantastic, which gives me a chance to mention the screenplay.
TDK exemplifies great movie-writing meeting a wonderful director. The screenplay is incredibly solid: it plays out like a wonderful graphic novel, worthy of being equaled with such Batman classics as The Long Halloween and The Dark Knight Returns. While there might be a few things that don’t seem quite so important or that don’t make sense the first time around, a repeat viewing will clear these up. The film warrants—correction—begs for repeated viewings. Me and my friends have seen the film several times and each time have noticed new things that reveal just how dense the film is.
Nolan does a superb job directing, never seeming out of place. The film flows nearly perfectly, and it is difficult to get bored. TDK has several action sequences that may very well top those of action classics such as Die Hard or (dare I say it?) Terminator 2. There is never a dull moment, as ever scene logically flows out of the scene before it. There are no “end of the chapter” type moments, as the film is one long, coherent adventure. What else can I say? It is nonstop insanity, and I find it hard to believe that anyone could only see it once.
As for seeing it twice, many people wonder about the Imax version of the film. I have had the pleasure of seeing both versions, and I have to say that the Imax version is pretty damn cool. Many crucial scenes (including the unbelievable 18-wheeler chase scene) are in full Imax and literally fill your entire field of vision, making the story seem (if this is possible) even more larger than life. While I did enjoy the Imax version, I am perfectly happy seeing the normal-sized version, so if I had to recommend one, I would say this: if you can afford it and there’s an Imax close to you, see the regular version first, then be dazzled by the sheer size of Imax, then see the regular one again. And again.
As for who would like this film: The film is an absolute treat (a dream, really) to any Batman fan, especially fans of the comic books. Then again, I have the feeling that anyone could go into the film, even having little or no knowledge of Batman, and enjoy it thoroughly. Nolan has cited Michael Mann’s Heat as a major inspiration for TDK and it shows: the film is a knockout action flick. You could go into it looking for a fun, popcorn flick or looking for a psychologically dense drama and be equally ecstatic throughout. If you don’t believe my own ecstatic rantings, check out IMDB’s rating breakdown here. Notice how every age group and possible breakdown has given the film very high ratings, including the notorious Females Aged 45+ group, who is nearly always the lowest rater for films not deemed ‘chick flicks’. I would say the only downside to the average viewer would be the length. While it didn’t bother me (like I said, it flew by), others tend not to like to sit in a theater for almost 3 hours. My advice: pee before you go in and hold it at all costs.
Obviously I can’t say enough good things to say about The Dark Knight. If you’re somehow not among the teeming billions who have seen it and seen it again, go do so right now. Buy tickets for the first show, and the next show.
Excellent review! Nicely written.