Industrial Fantasy and Dark Horse Heroes

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2008)

Dark Knight is the first movie I've seen in about 10 years where no one's cellphone went off during the movie. In a theatre of nearly 350 people, the din of conversation through the previews was constant, but when the opening credits started to roll, the crowd was eerily hushed. The hype, the money, the postmortem lookie-loos are really irrelevant to the film and it's quality. Dark Knight has few flaws for the nitpickers, and follows Batman Begin's tradition of industrial fantasy and dark horse heroes. Dark Knight is a landmark in what is fast becoming a cinema trend of the new millennium, one that specifically caters to web-savvy Gen-Xers.
In Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne (Bale) laments his ex-girl Rachel's (Gyllenhaal) relationship with the new DA, Harvey Dent (Eckhart). Dent cuts broadly into organized crime, enraging the bosses who are left. New villain Joker (Ledger) advises the mob that the real problem is Batman - the caped crusader emboldens the law while making even the most seasoned criminal think twice about going out at night. Joker proposes to eliminate the Batman, and becomes obsessed with revealing his true identity. His maniacal plans rattle every level of Gotham government as Joker gets closer and closer to unmasking Batman. Bruce Wayne continues his tango with vigilante justice, hoping Dent will take over the role of city protector, but is ultimately unable to (or forced to) don the cloak and shuriken once again.
Oscar buzz is already underway for Heath Ledger's posthumous performance as the Joker, but he's not the only star of Dark Knight. In fact, Christian Bale's Batman might have the weakest performance in the movie, as events force his hand, move around him, but his loved ones face the worst danger and have the opportunity to be more dynamic. Gyllenhaal's earthy Rachel is a welcome update from Katie "scheduling conflict" Holmes'. Michael Caine is eternally Michael Caine. Morgan Freeman plays a more active role this time around, stepping outside of James-Bondian Outfitter status to assist Bruce Wayne with right-hand-matters.
Ledger's performance is a must-see. He's quippy and a self-professed "agent of chaos". It's easy to laugh when he deals wit, even at the most inappropriate times. Joker has at least two different stories for how he got his scars, and each story is equally convincing. His plans are devious, and usually end with his minions betraying each other for a larger share of the pot. He's deeply disturbed: mutilating or torturing for kicks, tongue darting like a lizard's, turning friends against friends in perverted games of paradox. The most chilling scenes are the Joker's video manifestos, off-kilter, too close up, and full of annoying-yet-creepy microphone clicks. One of Joker's stunts made everyone in the audience leap with shock, another made them squirm for two minutes before the situation resolved. Joker's a true character, and it's very hard to believe that's Heath Ledger beneath the cracking makeup and stringy hair.
Most surprising is Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent. Dent's downfall is foreshadowed lightly and chronicled carefully. We want to trust Harvey Dent for his good-natured attitude and boyish good looks, but simultaneously distrust any brand-name politician or lawyer. He's set up to be Batman's legal alternative and a possible means for Bruce Wayne's retirement, but this is ultimately not meant to be. The two become very close, and then shatter apart in an instant. Scarier than a psychotic clownster in makeup, Dent is the everyman gone wrong.
With all of these characters, it shouldn't surprise you that Dark Knight is 2.5 hours long. The story progresses nicely through most of this time, up to the end, where you realize your butt is sore and the film starts playing fast and loose with the moral message. Stances are changed, villains are dispatched, and resolutions are offered, but they're decidedly fluffy ones. Thankfully, they're the kind of slightly-inelegant fluffy that wraps up a long film and sets up a sequel.
Artistically, the movie doesn't miss a beat in picking up the tone and style from Batman Begins. There's a certain dark-tech aesthetic blended with martial arts that was popularized by The Matrix and continues to permeate the action genre. More than style, the themes are hyper-relevant: cynicism and love of the underdog. Baby Boomers may claim influence over their offspring, and certainly the disillusionment with a government's effectiveness is a common complaint among this age group and their children alike. But there's a certain love of the underdog, paired with angst and acidic sarcasm, that is found only in the now 30-somethings, contemporaries of most of Dark Knight's cast. These underdogs are championed from reality TV to elections, and Batman is certainly their hero.
It's no wonder that the film is breaking records and resonating with fans of all ages. Beyond the kick-ass action and stainless steel style, Dark Knight plays on issues of the age. Believe the hype: this is an excellent companion to Batman Begins, and sets up the franchise for another stellar movie, if and when Joker's enormous shoes are filled.