Incredible film

Rating: 10/10 (18 July 2008)

Amazing. The best superhero movie so far. I loved Batman Begins, but this surpasses it with honors. Heath Ledger is one of the key reasons its so good. His acting as the Joker deserves an Oscar nomination, if not the statue. He makes you laugh and petrifies you at the same time. His mannerisms are incredible and Nolan shows the audience a Joker that is no joke, he is a representation of pure and utter anarchism. Bale is great as Batman, not portraying him as a hero, but as the flawed human Batman represents. Gary Oldman (one of my favorite actors since Leon) portrays perfectly Lt. James Gordon, an idealist lieutenant that believes in the goodness of Gotham city. Batman's ideals, as well as Gordons, become in danger when the Joker appears, causing chaos and desperation in a city that is starting to believe in its heroes. This factor makes the film so incredible. The film becomes about society and the greater good instead of just about Batman. Every character in the film becomes affected by evil to different degrees. No character is left untouched and no one is saved from the joker and his madness. The action is incredible and so are the special effects, and Nolan builds up to the climax with perfection. The tempo is the film is rapid and filled with adrenaline, there is not one moment in the film when action does not fill the screen, something that can ruin several films (Lee's Hulk), but because of stellar direction, makes this one work. The only problem I had with this film is Aaron Eckhart. I liked him, but I did not love him. He portrays a Harvey Dent that everyone in Gotham, loves, yet, I did not. He wasn't as charismatic as in "Thank you for smoking" or as sassy in "No reservations", he was dark and at times seemed resented and egocentric, even when he was supposed to be the White Knight, the only "pure and good" character in the film. The audience does not feel for him like for the other characters, he has a negative quality to his Dent that makes us want to stay away from him. Maybe Ryan Gosling or Hugh Jackman could have done a better job. This is not to say that he did a bad one, the role could have just been re-casted better. Apart from that, the movie is incredible and one of my favorites. It is by far the best superhero movie by date, and as a crime thriller it can be compared to "The departed" because of its constant action and suspense. The score, the makeup, the costumes and everything else work to perfection. I had REALLY REALLY high expectations for this film. It excelled them. If you have not seen it, go to the theater right now. This film is going to become a classic. (9/10)