Something still missing

Rating: 7/10 (18 June 2010)

Dark Knight is better than Batman Begins. There is a sequence near the end of Batman Begis where the Scarecrows plan takes shape that is still a better script piece than most of Dark Knight.
I know lots of people love this movie and I can see why its so popular. But like all the expectation around the first Batman movie 20 years after the spin off movies with Adam West and about 20 years before the Chris Nolan ones, the movie featuring Jack Nicholson also left a sense of disappointment. Everythings in place but its not moody and dark enough. The Dark Knight doesn't have the sense of torment in Bruce Wayne. He responds to the threat to Gotham in an action movie and there ins't the sense of torment or darkness in Christian Bale. The comments by other characters are the closest the film gets to moral dilemma.
The best of the films production is in the performances. Gary Oldman as the ruffled and confused Gordon whose determination overcomes this. He's made to look ordinary and plain. This makes his character the more sympathetic. Harvey Dent is an outstanding character. His torment, pain and emotions are from an earlier era that we don't see much anymore as CGI and running around appear to substitute for story and acting.
Heath Ledger's Joker is as everyone says a revelation. Its very different from Nicholson's performance and no weaker in comparison.