Not So "Special Features" on the DVD

Rating: 9/10 (10 December 2008)

First and foremost, PLEASE do not let this review or the rating reflect on the film itself, I rated the movie a 9. Let me start by saying that I love this film, never before have I been so "wowed" by a film as I was when I saw this at the midnight showing on opening night. The Dark Knight is phenomenal and it deserves more than a five star rating. Christopher Nolan is due a world of credit for the creative and ingenious film-making that goes into this movie and it goes without saying that the flawless acting, especially from the late Heath Ledger, elevates the film to a greater level. The film is wonderful and engaging and it utilizes a perfect balance between explosive action sequences and intelligent dialogue. The movie hits on all cylinders and is gripping all the way through to the credits, at which point you find yourself wishing the movie wasn't over.
I was so excited for the release of the DVD that I had to Pre-Order one just to ensure I had it in my hands the day it came out. I immediately watched through the Blu-Ray version and I was just as impressed as I was when I first saw the film. I was stunned by how unbelievable the quality of the Blu-Ray picture and sound were and the scenes filmed in IMAX were smoothly integrated throughout the film.
I was thrilled to see that the Blu-Ray DVD came with a second disk packed with special features and a third digital disk to use on your computer. Unfortunately, disappointment struck as soon as I began exploring the "Special Features". I have never been so aghast at the lack of effort and preparations put into "Bonus" features, if you could even call anything on the second disk a bonus. The Special Features lack an actual "The Making Of" and there are no Out-takes, no Deleted Scenes and there is absolutely zero look into Ledger's preparation for his transformation into the Joker. It's understandable that content surrounding Ledger may have been removed due to the tragic circumstances of his death, however it's astonishing that an inside look at any of the leading cast members is nonexistent. I think I speak for a great deal of people when I say I eagerly awaited, for a long time, to see this DVD and perhaps receive some meager glimpse of an interview with Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, or even Maggie Gyllenhaal for crying out loud.
What this "bonus" disc does offer are some images of irrelevant Joker Cards, and fake Gotham News Broadcasts that are merely a prelude to the film and quite frankly are long and boring. There are also two documentaries that explore the psyche of Bruce Wayne and Batman as well as a technological look at the gadgets Batman uses. While these are fairly intriguing, they offer nothing new or dynamic because I had already watched both of these documentaries on the History Channel before the film was even released.
The only thing that is remotely satisfactory, in terms of "Special Features", doesn't even come on the second disc, but rather the first. The "Creation of a Scene" which offers an inside look at the setup and preparation of some of the films major stunt sequences is interesting and I was pleasantly surprised to see how many of these segments there were. Disappointingly, the majority of these segments don't last more than a minute or two but perhaps there is enough content there to satisfy the casual viewer.
Overall I'm happy to finally have my very own copy of such a wonderful film, I just hope that the next time Warner Bros. decides to produce a DVD and make an attempt at incorporating so called "special" features, they might think about including a Director's Commentary or even a Main Menu for that matter. I would suggest they just make these adjustments for the release of a "Special Edition" DVD, but two bad it has already been released and it is no different.