Not perfect, but a really good, high octane action film

Rating: 8/10 (15 August 2008)

"The Dark Knight" has been the cinema sensation of 2008. It has been, very nearly, universally acclaimed by the critics. It is the biggest film of the year so far, by far, and is unlikely to be overtaken by anything else released during 2008. For weeks "The Dark Knight" was the #1 film on IMDb's top 250 films list (which surprised me a little bit, as it was a very new film), although it is down to #3 this week. It has endured unprecedented levels of hype and has come through unhindered as a big, solid hit movie. A perfect Summer blockbuster.
I don't think that "The Dark Knight" is a perfect film, but it is a really good film, if not a great film. Certainly it is the best high octane, high weaponry action film released in many a year (for high octane, high weaponry, I think "Heat" or "Die Hard") and would still have worked even if it had not been a Batman movie. It has great set pieces, a huge scale (I saw it on an IMAX screen - Good Lord! - highly recommended) and had good performances by the whole cast, but especially by Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart. Particularly Aaron Eckhart. He had the most difficult character arc to follow during the course of the film.
I said that "The Dark Knight" is not a perfect film. It isn't. Let me elaborate.
1. It is too long. Sorry, but it is. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing. The first half of the film could have definitely been trimmed.
2. Bale's Batman voice sometimes verged on the ridiculous. I kept thinking of The Kurgan from "Highlander".
3. Michael Caine's screen time as Alfred was little more than an extended cameo. I seem to remember he had more screen time in "Batman Begins".
4. Ditto Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.
5. Maggie Gylenhaal's Rachel Dawes really had nothing to do. True, I will admit that her final scenes were crucial to the motivation of Harvey Dent in the latter part of the movie.
6. Unlike in "Batman Begins", this time around Batman/Bruce Wayne was not nearly as interesting as the villains. The typical curse of any Batman film.
I am being picky. Sure I am. Minor issues.
I really enjoyed "The Dark Knight". I definitely recommend it, even if you cannot stand superhero movies.