|
THE DARK KNIGHT
|
|||||||||||||
|
There can be no doubt about Heath Ledger’s acting ability after watching his variation of the Joker, a horrifying, nightmarish serial killer whose own brilliance becomes the downfall of every single person around him. A combination of Charles Manson, Hannibal Lecter and Jigsaw, Heath Ledger is the epitome of what the Joker should always aspire to be in future mediums. Forget Jack Nicholson’s hammy performance, forget Mark Hamil, forget Cesar Romero, Ledger is simply the greatest Joker of all time, and Nolan implements the man’s mad talents in this spooky madman who simply had no reason for his utter anarchy in Gotham. And Nolan never really ventures to explore the Joker’s purpose, because the sheer packs of lies, endless games, and relentless violence turned the clown in to a ghoul as he always should have been. And Nolan never opts for comedy or that Adam West camp that even Tim Burton fancied with his “serious” Batman films. Though Ledger is quite excellent I often found myself enamored with the origin of Two Face, as Aaron Eckhart is brilliant as the conflicted District Attorney realizes his own violent tendencies while constantly attempting to avoid bringing himself to the throes of violence and murder that the Joker is seeking to inflict on the populace of Gotham City. All the while his ego and alter ego lie in his dependence on his coin which he uses as a means of unbiased decision making and a thin line between hero and pure maniac. “The Dark Knight” aspires to go beyond the comic books and provide some truly interesting character study with a second look at the man behind the cape and cowl dissecting vigilantism and Wayne’s own god complex he lords over the criminals in Gotham’s underbelly. Nolan’s traditional means of filmmaking bring a sincerity and gritty realism to the Dark Knight that we’ve never seen before, and it’s one of the best films of the year, period.
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
Have something to say about this review? Pop on over to Cinema-Lunatics
and speak your mind in our Answer Back! Forums >> |
When I tell you that “The Dark Knight” is an incredible sequel, read the
words carefully. “The Dark Knight” is Christopher Nolan’s ace film
taking the throne as quite possibly one of the best superhero movies
ever made. Is it a masterpiece of modern filmmaking? Not really. Is it
an incredible example of comic book adaptation that transforms in to a
genuinely epic story? Why certainly. Bringing about shades of “LA
Confidential” with a dash of the classic mobster movies, Christopher
Nolan’s follow up to “Batman Begins” is a brutal and exhausting gangster
epic that brings to the forefront a slew of complex and intricate
sub-plots that question how far we’re willing to go to maintain law and
order, how much violence changes us, and if the peace keepers are really
any different from the law breakers and murderers. The all star cast
provide immaculate performances from Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox the
weapons specialist confronting Bruce Wayne’s growing need for power
to fight crime, Michael Caine as Alfred fights to keep Bruce’s
sanity in check, and Christian Bale who is yet again a perfect fit as
Batman who questions his own purpose in Gotham as he confronts the
reality that Batman may not always be a necessary element to the city as
Wayne’s own fight for good is only an inch away from transforming him in
to another Joker, hiding behind a façade and delusions of grandeur and
struggling with a fight for justice he simply doesn’t want to take part
in anymore.
The developments in the second half didn't quite sell the likelihood of
a better sequel up ahead, but "The Dark Knight" is still a near flawless
example of superhero cinema with marvelous performances, a top notch
script, and direction that aims for a more adult audience. It simply
doesn't fail to hit its mark.