"The Dark Night" Review

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2008)

Major Spoilers Warning
"The Dark Knight" is Truly Dark
In many ways, Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" harks back to the comic books I remember with the inky look to the night and the serious tone. My memory could be faulty, but I don't remember the comic as being campy. I thought it was rather dark in tone. I also like the more flexible new Bat suit, closer to the comic's more natural look and also well within today's technology (according to "Batman Tech").I know that some people miss the more Gothic/medieval look to Gotham City that the Tim Burton movies had, but while fun, I don't remember that from the comic books either.
Unlike the last film, "Batman Begins", the theme of this movie focuses on the psyche of the villains and does not dwell on Bruce Wayne. It looks at the root of evil and good turning toward evil. This could have come across as pompous and too "new age", but it works because of the outstanding performances, especially the performance of Heath Ledger as The Joker.
It is an old film adage that the success of a movie like this can rise or fall on the impressiveness of the lead villain and I was very impressed. I couldn't even see Heath Ledger inside his portrayal of The Joker, yet
it was very real and believable. The fascinating thing is that Ledger was portraying a character that was an actor at heart and someone who was always "on". Like Bruce Wayne, I looked for the "real" person and the motivation under the villain. Also like Bruce Wayne, I understood his character better when Alfred explained that, "Some men like to see the world burn."
In "Batman Begins, I thought Gary Oldman's performance was forced and a bit "mannered". In this movie, I thought that Gary Oldman was wonderful, very much the rock to lean on in Gotham City. Christian Bale does just fine in separating his two characters of Wayne and Batman. It's believable that people would not recognize him. The camera loves Christian Bale and he's fun to watch.
Anthony Michael Hall was totally wasted in this movie; he had so little to do. Maybe he just wanted to be in the movie for the fun of it.
Morgan Freeman had a larger role than in "Batman Begins" and was a delight. He lent a sense of importance to his scenes, and the movie, even while he was obviously enjoying himself.
Michael Cain. I love the man. Every scene he had; every line he spoke was perfect. He was warm and funny and Christian Bale's character seemed more human because of the camaraderie that Bruce Wayne had with Alfred. Their scenes made me smile and I wanted more. I appreciate that Jonathan and Christopher Nolan gave us more of those scenes in this movie.
My only disappointments were the performances of Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal. I just didn't believe them. I didn't believe their romance. I didn't believe Rachel Dawe's closeness to Bruce Wayne or Harvey Dent's transformation. They just left me cold. Still, kudos to the make-up artist who created Two Face. Who could pay attention while that eyeball kept moving with Eckhart's real eye? Ewwwww.
With the crisp and midnight hued cinematography and art direction, and because of the more realistic portrayals of the heroes and the villains in this movie, "The Dark Knight" is more deeply disturbing and intense than previous Batman movies. Tim Burton's versions were creepy, yes, but they were cartoon creepy. Christopher Nolan's vision, on the surface, may seem more of great action movie, but on another level, because of the realism, it is far more disquieting...at least to my poor psyche.
I highly recommend "The Dark Knight". You will have a good time. It may or may not give you nightmares, but you will at least walk away thinking about its dark themes.