The Dark Knight Oscar Awards

Rating: 10/10 (11 December 2008)

I'm not into the Batman Movies, even though I used to love the cartoon version when I was a kid - yes I'm that old. I've watched and half-watched a the previous Batman sequels and find them far too dark and repetitive. The Dark Knight can stand on it's own. It has a great story line full of action, intrigue, and plenty of thrilling interludes. I admit I watched this primarily because I was interested in seeing Heath Ledgers' last performance and the hype surrounding it, even though I've always thought he was a good actor. But in this he is superb, portraying The Joker as the insidiously evil monster that he is. He is totally psychotic. Ledger gave me the creeps. (Sorry Jack, you have nothing on him!) The other actors perform beautifully as well. Christian Bale as the cool, calm, crime fighter. Aaron Eckhart shows us our own seesaw of inner struggle with good versus evil in our own lives and how quickly a person can turn. Michael Caine, the effervescent gentleman playing the understated, wise adviser and Morgan Freeman, as a true humanitarian and closest door Robin. (As I see it). Maggie Gyllenhaal's piece de resistance has to be when The Joker drags her to face him at the function held for Harry Dent. The disgust on her face is classic. This movie would be nothing with Heath Ledger alone. Yet it would be nothing without him. He is undoubtedly the leading star. Without his amazing performance, the others would have nothing to do except read their lines. The Joker is waiting at every corner, behind every door and you never know where he's going to strike next. And He Is Crazy. The movie world has lost a great actor in Heath Ledger. It's a pity we didn't know how much we'd lost until it was too late.