The Dark Knight - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (no spoilers)

Rating: 8/10 (21 July 2008)

Just finished watching it and I have a lot of mixed feelings. Please not that the only issues I have with the film are stated here. Other than what I write here, I think the film was excellent.
The Good: It took half the movie to convince me that Ledger's performance as The Joker was as good as everyone said it was. I am not swayed by hype nor am I by intense special effects. To me a movie has to do more than just LOOK good to BE good. I admit I watched Ledger's performance critically. I had to to keep the tragedy of his death from making me be biased by pity towards his performance. For the first part of the film he seemed a little one-dimensional. He was just a common, crazy loon with a gun and that was all. No other levels. But then, as his plot unfolded, Ledger raised the stakes just a little bit at a time. Like subtle ticks of a clock. He added more colors. There was an emotional palette behind The Joker that had depth and substance. Now I don't know if this was direction of if the actor's choice to hold back for so long. Either way it was risky. VERY risky. He took a chance that I doubt I would have had the guts to take. By the end of the film, with The Joker in full blossom, I saw the man for what he truly is.
Pure evil.
Thank you, Mr. Ledger. You have just raised the bar on what good acting is.
Almost everyone in the film turned in a fine performance. Incredible characterizations all around with solid, real choices. If there were an Oscar for Best Casting Director, this movie would win it.
The special effects were spectacular and frankly I can't remember when I have heard a better script. The lines were, for the most part, well delivered and the pacing was as perfect as I have ever seen in a movie.
The Bad: Not a big fan of the look of Gotham City. I was spoiled by Burton's vision. He put the Goth in Gotham. It was dark. It was an oppressive organism that sucked the soul out of its citizens. One look and you said, "Well geez! No WONDER crime is rampant there!" This new Gotham is just too...normal. It looks like every other major city and I miss the darkness that Batman both embraces and fights against.
The Ugly: I hate Christian Bale as Batman. There, I've said it. It took me two movies to figure out WHY I don't like Batman Begins. As spoiled billionaire Bruce Wayne, he is excellent. He has charm, charisma, a boyish, impish gleam in his eyes. As serious Bruce Wayne, the man who went on a crusade to bring justice to Gotham, he is strong. He is defiant in the face of corruption. He has a determination that is unquestionable and undeniable. As Batman I can't stand him and it's all because of his acting. Because the actor's face is hidden, I can't take into account facial expressions. Because he is hidden in shadows and wears a large cape, I can't see his body language. All I have to judge his acting as Batman by is his voice - the way he delivers his lines. He is a flat, Johnny Two-note. He is either Batman trying to be scary (and sounding ridiculously comical in the process) or he is Batman trying to sound mysterious (which he actually does occasionally pull off). Every time he spoke as angry Batman, I either laughed because he sounded funny and delivered his lines poorly or cringed because he just totally ruined a brilliantly intense dialog with another character. I think I would love Christian Bale as Batman if someone else dubbed his lines. I could give you specifics of the lines I thought were brilliant and the ones I thought were horrible, but I promised no spoilers.
All in all, TDK was a great movie with, for the most part, performances that now re-define the face of acting. Was it "The Greatest Superhero Movie EVER" as I have heard so many say? No. Is it a worthy contender for a tie with such films as Superman: The Movie, Superman II, Batman (the original with Keaton and Nicholson), and Iron Man? Definitely.
After all, take away the special effects, the incredible stunts, the lavish sets, and fantastic costumes, all you have left is two things: Story and performance. You can have the greatest story and the strongest script but, to quote Khoury's Immutable Laws of Theatre, "One good performer cannot save a bad show but one bad performer can ruin a good show." Bale's performance as Batman is the sole issue that kept me from loving this movie as much as I wanted to. I think when I get the DVD, I'll just mute him every time Batman speaks while angry. That way I can savor his performance as Bruce Wayne AND Batman.