Nolan Sessions : How to make a Perfect Film.

Rating: 10/10 (11 March 2015)

I remember the first time I watched this film. When the last scene was over and the ending credits started rolling, I felt some kind of a shudder. I was thrilled. What had just ended couldn't just be a "movie" or a simple "film". I had witnessed something far more important. It was the most exhilarating experience I ever had.
There is something about these 2,5 hours that makes it something of a bigger statement. It's granted that it's the best movie in the superhero genre ever, but I would argue that it could be one of the best films in general. Here you have an amazing script (written by Cristopher and Jonathan Nolan) (covering issues like friendship, family, loss, death, madness, politics, pain and suffering, failures and lies, commitment and justice, even technology and of course chaos). You have the excellent direction from one of the greatest directors of our time, Cristopher Nolan. If you really think about it, the main protagonist is wearing a suit that resembles a bat and running the streets with some kind of tank, trying to save the world. And yet, it translates on the big screen as if it's a great tragic story taking place in the real world.
As for other important recognitions: Wally Pfister does an amazing work at cinematography and Hans Zimmer with James Newton Howard decided to give us the most amazing score in years. It all went so great mainly because of the great collaboration between the director and everyone else. Nolan is proving to be really trying at getting the best out of his crew... and his attempts to keep every aspect of his work at the top level is shown, without denying, in the Dark Knight.
I'm sure you can all understand why it's pretty clear that the best thing in the movie is the performances. If anyone told me that he managed to watch this movie and not chill at least for one time while the Joker was on screen... well, I would not believe him. Heath Ledger as the Joker is resilient. His representation of this comic book character is epic. Take Cristopher Nolan's script and execute it in a perfect way... then take out Heath Ledger and replace him. It would still be great, but never the same. He elevated everything. Ledger was the only and perfect choice to play the Joker, who (for many years to come) will represent the absolute and complete villain.
But it's not just the incomparable Ledger. Christian Bale's act is so unique; it's as if he has convinced himself to fit so well into his role; so realistically, that we feel like we're participants in his decisions. Michael Caine is Micheal Caine at his best again, while his collaboration (although never on-screen) with Morgan Freeman, unites us with previous generations of great actors. And I would have to write a whole other review if I wanted to do justice to the greatness of Gary Oldman's Gordon, Aaron Eckhart's both performances as Two-face and Harvey and Maggie Gylenhaal's Rachel.
For my final words, I'll quote something of Gordon's great epilogue speech: "Batman is not a hero". After this movie, Batman is not just a toy or a comic book good guy who beats thieves and burglars. Now he is one lone tragic figure that, even when losing everything in his struggled battle between justice and chaos, he will find a way to make hope prevail. And that is the message the Dark Knight wants us to hold on to.
You see, Batman is not really a "Dark Knight", he is the brightest example of justice. But he chose to be a Dark Knight... so that we can be better. Well, I think the value of this movie is internalized by the beginning of the ending credits, where I come to understand "the Batman" is the best hero of them all.