A dark, reeling masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2008)

I am 19 and I love movies. But often, due to my age, I am told what it used to be like. How there was a magic in the air the first time the Empire Strikes Back was shone, and how that magic has since dissipated. Well, I went to see The Dark Knight at midnight on Thursday(or technically Friday). I waited three hours in a theater full of loud, psychotic batman enthusiasts(I totally felt at home for the first time in ever), and I had one of the best seats in the house. And I have to tell you, that magic hasn't dissipated, we've just built up an immunity. Well The Dark Knight(from here on TDK) ups the dosage to the point where your dizzied and crazed and satisfied and scarred shitless. The Dark Knight is one of the better films I've ever seen, and definitely, without doubt the best theater-going experience I've ever had. It's cinematography and the images it's conjures are beautiful, haunting, captivating, mesmerizing, the list goes on, the films creates images most dream of creating maybe once, and TDK does it every other minute. And as impressive as the images are, as impressive as it is to see a semi truck flip right over on it's ass in the burlesque orange night, or Batman sail across the blue night's sky, the film'm images are it's least impressive aspects. It's twisting, leering story and it's stark, wonderful performances make it the masterpiece that it is. First off, the story, written by the film's director and his brother is perfect. Three steadfast men bound against the villain of all time. "Starting tonight, people will die." says the Joker in a fever, and the Joker, as he puts it sincerely, is a man of his word. As much as I want to examine every aspect of the story, it's best you know nothing about it. Just know, this movie will rip your heartstrings out of your chest and take a bite out of them and savor the shocked, wronged look on your face. Just like the Joker. Aside from the story, which it a convoluted, brilliant masterwork. The film is made by it's performances. Specifically, Christian Bale's, Gary Oldman's, Aaron Eckhart's and Heath Ledger's. Bale and Oldman anchor the film in reality and their performances sap from the audience what sympathy they have. Eckhart, who honestly has the hardest part in the flick, succeeds in believably following his character's fate through, no matter how winding and emotionally charged it is. He is truly impressive and equally captivating. And then there's Heath Ledger. His part wasn't the hardest, the script crafts a killer so deft that he would be scary even if Keanu Reeves played him. But Ledger imbues a sense of life into the part that makes it the films most impressive aspect. The Joker isn't just some comic book adaptation, he's a living, breathing monster, licking his lips and flailing a knife around. The film is as close to flawless as a superhero movie can be, but there are some things that other people might dislike. It's amongst the darkest movies made in the last couple years, very reminiscent of last year's Funny Games, and just like No Country for Old Men. It's so dark in fact that if I saw someone trying to take their five year old into the movie I would slap them repeatedly until they went to see Kung Fu Panda. The Dark Knight is a Masterpiece but it is not a movie for children, people do die, the Joker is a man of his word. Another thing I've heard people bring up is the script and it's intricate nature. I'll tell you what, if you go to see it and it doesn't make sense your either a. stupid or b. not paying enough attention to the plot points(which are numerous) because you were to captivated by the performers or the choices their characters face, which are daunting. The story is brilliant, as is the dialog and any criticism of either is either unfounded or just there for arguments sake. And the third possible criticism, the fact that the film moves too fast... This is actually true, the movie is the path of a rocket, from launch to it's inevitable explosion against the side of a police car, the film never, ever lingers an instant longer than it has to. That said, it is without doubt the most intense film I've seen in years. The movie is amongst the best ever made, it transcends the comic book movie genre, the crime thriller genre and the horror movie genre all in two hours and thirty minutes. It feels like Heat with a faster pace and a purple suited monster. Go see this one, and then just try to forget it futility, as I have, and then go see it again in Imax, as I will. I eagerly await the movies three hour directors cut on DVD, though the theatrical edition is so mesmerizing I'd buy both copies...