One of the most extraordinary films

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2008)

To call it a "superhero" movie is simply not giving it enough credit. This is an epic, Shakespearian tale of order vs. chaos, hope vs. despair, and, obviously, purpose vs. nihilism, good vs. evil. But it is done so in a gritty, down-to-earth fashion like "Batman Begins". Only this time, it doesn't just focus on one man's struggle to become a hero but how three very different men (played brilliantly by Chirstian Bale, Gary Oldman, and Aaron Eckhardt) must conquer all kinds of physical and personal demons to defeat the greatest threat Gotham City has ever faced: a psychotic clown who lives only to cause pain and chaos just for the fun of it. I kid you not, Heath Ledger's Joker is the most badass, most horrifying, most amusing,and most pain in the ass villain EVER. He is like Aries, the God of War, come to heap endless retribution. And this is what drives the other characters, this desperate quest to restore order during times when supposed solutions end up making things worse. This raises all kinds of philosophical questions of what must one do to make the world a safer place and what kinds of losses can be tolerated? The answers are never easy and this film just proves it. Evil may never be defeated completely but neither will good. It is a rare film that can sadden and inspire you at the same time.
Now my only quibbles are that the film goes on too long and the storyline is a bit disjointed at first. But once it gets going, it is absolutely unforgettable.