Joker: It's all...part of the Plan....

Rating: Null/10 (30 July 2008)

The Caped Crusader returns (Bale) with the help of District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and Police Commissioner Gordon (Oldman) who join forces to combat the menace known only as the 'Joker' played by late actor Heath Ledger, from there the lines of the law, rules and good and evil blur to startling effect.
My Review:
Three years later, that's how long we've waited for the sequel that we were never fully sure would come to the re-invented comic book hero film Batman Begins, a interpretation that showed the darkest parts of the vigilante's attempts at justice. Here director Christopher Nolan injects some venom so to speak, in the form of the dark knight's nemesis, the villain, the Joker.
All former characters, apart from the deceased make an appearance including Gordon (Oldman) who takes a twisted turn of fate, he becomes more involved in Batman's dealing with the help of Harvey Dent, whom all form part of a trio of do-gooders. Whereas Harvey (Eckhart) seems reluctant to follow the Dark Knight's methods, his incredulity still lingers, but eventually his short lived morale takes a starling one-hundred and eighty degree spin when the Joker gives him a few home- truths; in drag, you'll understand later.
Everyone is wondering how well does Heath Ledger's portrayal rival that of the comic books interpretation, of which had help with novelists like Frank Miller on 'The Dark Knight Returns' and Alan Moore's 'The Killing Joke' which are renounced as some of the best comic books in existence, and of whom Nolan and Nolan took their source material.
Truth is it goes beyond physical and metaphysical interpretation; Heath gives an amazingly profound performance of which will have lint lickers and comic book nerds in withdrawal twitters. The Joker is badass, to quote our American neighbours. He is the most likable unlikable out there on screen, true to that fact that Nolan's direction and Ledgers acting go hand in hand to produce a monumental performance. He does steal the show, as much as Batman; and he should, all fans and readers have been waiting for a performance of one of the most depraving maniacal villains to make a re-appearance. He plays the sides with sporadic sense of humour, and punches his way in like of a force of f'cking nature. His quick wit, cynicism, depravity and humour all provide a catalyst to this amazing roller-coaster ride of 152 minutes of amazingly executed action scenes that work well because of the fact they integrate into the plot as plot rather plot devices, the characters make the plot, even if it leads to hospitals being blown up.
Maggie Gyllenhaal has made the replacement of Katie Holmes-Cruise character as Rachel Dawes, all we know is that Mrs Cruise was not interested in playing the part as she seems to be too busy playing Tom Cruise's wife. Watching Gyllenhaal, she makes the character wholesome and the fact that she bears a resemblance to the former actor of the character is merely of consequence, she also happens to play the love interest of both Batman and Harvey Dent (Eckhart); whom all know makes the brutal transformation to Two-Face. Interesting to note that Gyllenhaal happens to bring a stronger personality of the Dawes character and serves up her own moral compass when the revelation comes that Batman will one day retire to the likes of people like Harvey Dent, whom provides as much justice with a face as Batman whom wears a mask.
All in all this is startlingly action-stocked blockbuster with a hysterically twisted sense of villainy, with the lines of good and evil blurred to unrecognisable locality.
Verdict:
Summer's here and so is Batman, course the Joker gets his share, the bigger half. Watch out for the magical disappearing  pencil trick. 10/10.