A Batman Of Shakesperean Proportions

Rating: 9/10 (24 July 2008)

Dark, yes, complex, ambitious. Christopher Nolan and his co-writer Jonathan Nolan deserve a standing ovation. I don't usually go for loud movies filled with mindless gore and violence. "The Dark Knight" is certainly loud and violent but it's not mindless. It has depth and soul. Even the Joker, in an extraordinary creation by Heath Ledger, is deeply human. The natural petulance of Christian Bale makes his ego and alter ego the most fascinating and complex of all film superheroes. Part of the genius of this movie is that Batman himself, in screen time, is not really the lead. My attention was captivated by Heath Ledger and he determines and inspires the breathtaking atmosphere that envelopes Gotham as well as us. The aplomb of Christopher Nolan as a director is mind blowing and his secret, I believe, is his obvious respect for his audience. What he's done is to elevate a popular genre into Shakesperean proportions. Bravo!