The Dark Knight

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Horrorphile - July 2008

The Dark Knight

July 16th 2008 03:20

Director Christopher Nolan is fast cementing his position as one of Hollywood’s darkly luminous beacons of hope in a world of crumbling ideas, turgid re-hashes and dire remakes. The story of DC Comics’ Batman has been told a dozen times or more, in various guises; original syndicated comic strip, live action television series, graphic novel, animated television series, and the feature films which were brought to huge success with Tim Burton’s first two installments, Batman and Batman Returns.

Batman Forever and Batman & Robin brought the anti-hero first to his knees, and then threatened to emasculate him completely. Then the Nolan brothers entered from the shadows; Jonathon and Chris Nolan co-writing and Chris directing. Batman Begins was a serious re-boot, and superbly handled in every department; darker, moodier, more realistic, less cartoonish.

Heath Ledger as The Joker

Now The Dark Knight (2008) is set loose; the tone is just as serious, the atmosphere just as brooding, the action even more intense and realistic. The Nolan brothers have done creator Bob Kane proud. The two Batman re-vamps are arguably the best action hero movies on the lot. Christian Bale is excellent as the ethically-troubled Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Heath Ledger’s turn as The Joker is a rough diamond cutting through glass.

The Dark Knight Christian Bale and Michael Caine

Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Michael Caine as Alfred

Set within a year of the events of Batman Begins, Batman continues his crusade against the spreading organized crime, especially the dealings of mobster Maroni (Eric Roberts), that is crippling Gotham City. With the help of Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) the three men seem to be making progress.

Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent

That is until the arrival of a very different type of criminal; a psychopath known only as The Joker (Heath Ledger). A disheveled man with a murderously mischievous glint in his manical eye, peeling clown paint smeared around his face, and the scars of a grin to match his sin.

Gary Oldman as Lt. Gordon

Batman’s struggle with his own inner demons, juxtaposed against the very palpable demon that is The Joker is further aggravated by a burgeoning love triangle between Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent, and criminal lawyer Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Then there’s the two cents thrown at Wayne/Batman by his ever-loyal inner sanctum; Alfred (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).

Batman swings into action

The Dark Knight is very much the hero’s journey, or to be more precise, the anti-hero’s journey. In a clever twist of conventional story structure the plight of The Joker takes centre-stage, forcing the protagonist to the side-lines, as the antagonist ramps up the psychological intrigue and physical danger, and threatens to ruin all that Batman stands for. There is also the sub-plot of Harvey Dent's political struggle and his transformation into Two-Face, terrifically realised (Tom Savini would be impressed!).

The Dark Knight Heath Ledger and Maggie Gyllenhaal

The Joker threatens Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal)

Despite a highly-contrived, and rather far-fetched, set-piece involving two ferries (“good and evil”), two detonators, and The Joker chuckling in the middle, The Dark Knight unfolds very impressively; the pacing between the action set-pieces and the multiple character development balanced expertly, especially considering it’s a two-and-a-half hour movie.

Apparently they flipped a truck for real

The chase sequences involving Batman in the Batmobile and on his Batpod (bike) are the most exciting I’ve seen since The Bourne Supremacy. It is extraordinary what can be achieved now with the melding of CGI (apparently much less CGI was used on this movie than you’d think) and real stunts and mechanical effects.

The Joker struts his stuff

Seeing the movie at the IMAX cinema was breathtaking. Numerous birds-eye establishing shots of Gotham City, and several action sequences have been shot using 70mm IMAX cameras; the results are truly amazing (even vertigo inducing)! The level of detail and presence is aided immensely by a brilliant sound design, and a sensational score from Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard (unusual to have two big-league Hollywood composers both contributing music).

Batman zooms fearlessly on his Batpod

The Dark Knight is richly cinematic, a movie of fractured morals, large-scale crime and searing punishment in the throbbing vein of Michael Mann’s Heat, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and Abel Ferrara’s King of New York (though obviously not as harrowing as those). The performances are all solid, though Gyllenhaal is a little cardboardy, and despite the acclaim Ledger is receiving, he’s not brilliant. He’s excellent, but then so is Christian Bale, it’s just a different type of performance. Ledger is as mannered as he was in Brokeback Mountain, complete with tailored accent and eccentric tics, but he does possess The Joker with a genuine aura of insane menace.

Heath Ledger R.I.P.

Obviously The Dark Knight is a movie geared toward the blockbuster market so it very cleverly avoids the trappings that would hamper its box office potential: although violent, there is very little blood-shed actually seen, there are no expletives in the dialogue, there is no hint of sexuality (apart from The Joker licking his knives). But that’s okay; the movie is still a dark treat.

Alan Moore's The Killing Joke

In a perfect horror world the Nolan brothers would decide to tackle Alan Moore’s graphic novel The Killing Joke and make a truly adult Batman movie (R-rated). Now there’s a sly and mischievous thought!

The Dark Knight alternate movie poster art

Poster art looking more horror than action hero

Who has the last laugh?

Teaser poster obviously before Heath Ledger was cast

Here's one of the numerous trailers:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

17 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

July 16th 2008 05:06

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

Batman Begins was intelligent, well paced and entertaining.

I hope that The Black Knight is as good.

Comment by Bryn

July 16th 2008 05:18

Horrorphile

Damo, The Dark Knight is all of the above.

Comment by Wayne F

July 16th 2008 09:02

Bucket Movies

I woke up and rushed over to my local cinema at 9:30am to see the 10am session. I loved every single minute of it. It was a really great movie. Heath's Joker was scary, twisted and sadstic and I felt evil laughing at everything he did in the movie. It really sucks he died since the Batman/Joker feud was going to be the main focus of all Nolan's movies.

One thing that annoys me about this movie though is how Heath's death is going to overshadow the rest of the cast. Bale shines as Batman once again, and more darker this time around, and I loved Eckhart's Dent/Two-Face - it is how the character was meant to be not the happy clown-like Tommy Lee Jone's version.

Great movie, I think I'm going to duck out and see it again soon. The cast was great, the effects were great, the action was great, just a great movie in general.

Comment by Damo

July 16th 2008 21:35

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

The Tommy Lee Jones two face was terrible. Completely did away with the characters central theme and replaced it with comic relief.

Comment by Bryn

July 16th 2008 22:18

Horrorphile

Wayne, yes indeed ... I agree blackheartedly!

Damo, indeedy too!

Comment by Cibbuano

July 16th 2008 22:37

20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
Orble Post of the Day
Fat Cult
Techbreak

christ... I'll have to fork out the money for Imax, then...

great review, Bryn... looks like you're sold as a fan!

Comment by Mr Nice Guy

July 16th 2008 23:29

Pop Culturist

Bryn

Was hoping you'd do a preview . . . will be looking out for Cib et al now!

Best we all wear something which singles us out as Orblers - we'd probably get a group discount.

Comment by ChrisC

July 17th 2008 04:34

The Dissector

Gday, excellent review, I really enjoyed reading it.
Quick question: you describe Heath's performance as "not brilliant" but "excellent."
I take it you're a film fan, so on your scale of things could you give me an example, in other films and actors, of the difference between excellent and brilliant, for you?

Comment by Wayne F

July 17th 2008 04:56

Bucket Movies

If Bryn is thinking the way I was thinking when watching this movie I think he was talking about Heath being REALLY good in thie movie, but not Oscar worthy. When I watched it I thought "Wow Heath's really awesome in this movie" but I don't think he is going to win the Oscar. I'd said he'll get an Oscar nod definitely.

Comment by Bryn

July 17th 2008 05:40

Horrorphile

ChrisC, Wayne knocked it on the head there, I thought Heath delivered a powerful performance, but I don't think it's Oscar-winning stuff. I don't bandy around the word brilliant very often. For your own edification, to use an example of what I think is excellent and what I think is brilliant: Daniel Craig in Casino Royale is excellence, Sean Penn in Dead Man Walking is brilliance. I'm not sure if they're the best examples, but they're the only ones I could think of off the top of my head.

Comment by charles

July 17th 2008 06:18

FanFootball
ZCars
Ponderous

The best review I've read on The Dark Knight so far and yes, I've read quite a few of them.

Superbly written, Bryn. Will be checking out this movie next week.

Comment by Bryn

July 17th 2008 06:27

Horrorphile

charles, haven't seen you here in while, cheers mate! Make sure you go to an IMAX session!

Comment by ChrisC

July 17th 2008 06:59

The Dissector

Cheers Bryn, like i said, top review - just keen to know a reviewer's ideas of judgment - we've all got our own!
For what it's worth, I would say - excellence is Ed Norton in Fight Club, brilliance is Ed Norton in X. Or excellence is Scott Prince, brilliance is Joey Johns!

Comment by Bryn

July 17th 2008 08:46

Horrorphile

Chris, the Ed Norton example is excellent, no, brilliant!

Comment by DuskDevi

July 17th 2008 14:08

Rucks and Rolls
Rugby World Cup 2007

Hello Bryn...

I have been floating on a '...Dark Knight' cloud ever since I saw this. Love the film. LOVE. Christian Bale as BatMan...ohhhh God...I thought 'Batman begins' was beyond measure but this...

Had to come and see what you (or JD) thought of it.

My only gripe is with the Rachel Dawes character. It can't be the actor depicting her as she is 'normally' without par but...as you say, "cardboardy".

Excellent review Bryn...and this;

In a perfect horror world the Nolan brothers ...................make a truly adult Batman movie (R-rated). Now there’s a sly and mischievous thought!

Brilliant.

Hope you are well Bryn.

Dusk

Comment by JohnDoe

July 18th 2008 00:49

Film & TV on DVD

Seeing it this weekend so I haven't read the review yet, but will return with a verdict after screening.

Comment by Bethany

July 20th 2008 05:27

Martian Movies

I'm so excited about this film I could explode, but I hate going to crowded movie theaters. I get very weird about being in crowds- crowdophobia? At any rate, I'm looking forward to this one, and I may have to hold my breath and do it anyway.

I suppose I'll have to investigate the IMAX situation- I don't know if there is a theater here. And I don't know if I can afford it, either...

However, I would kick myself if I didn't. Ah, well, c'est la vie.

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