Dark, sinister, haunting. More than a comic book movie.

Rating: 10/10 (18 July 2008)

Yes, it's true. He's done it. After reviving the 'Batman' brand three years ago, Christopher Nolan has done the unthinkable. The impossible. Not only has he outdone himself and the wildest of expectations, but Nolan has created a comic book movie that transcends the limits of its genre to become something so much more. So dark, so sinister. 'The Dark Knight' is a masterpiece, and it has all the makings of a timeless classic. Not merely a movie about good versus evil, but about the evil born out of good. And the toll it takes on those who fight it.
There's no doubt that the mind of Christopher Nolan is a dark place. We've seen it before, which made Nolan an interesting choice to pick up the broken franchise. Did they comprehend exactly what they were getting themselves into? Probably not. Needless to say, one studio's gamble has been our tremendous gain. 'Batman Begins' was a remarkable re-visioning of the Caped Crusader's roots, but it is with 'The Dark Knight' that Nolan unleashes his twisted fury with impeccable precision and horrific brilliance. He aims high, far and above what any other superhero has ever tackled before. The results are startling.
Saving a city, protecting innocent people, questioning your habits. This is not foreign territory that 'The Dark Knight' is invading, but it doesn't seek out the easy answers. Christian Bale once again inhabits the bat costume, and he delivers an exquisite performance of a sincere man, but a tortured soul. The moral dilemmas presented to us run deep, as Bruce Wayne doesn't simply battle his inner demons, but a worldview that breeds chaos and thrives on anarchy. Where good men trying to do the right thing can be brought down to the depths of hell, that within us all lies a savage and barbaric beast. Dog eat dog.
Yes, that's the Joker. A nihilistic psychopath, you're not sure whether you should chuckle at his clever gestures or shudder in eerie fear. It was a role that would have made him the superstar he deserved to be, a role that would forever carry his name. Heath Ledger did not live to see his brilliant work on the big screen, but he would be proud. He really is that good. It's evident he went to a very dark place to construct this malicious Joker, and he will always be remembered for delivering one of the most haunting, disturbing performances ever put to screen. Chaos for the sake of chaos, mass destruction for a little bit of fun and disorder.
'The Dark Knight' soars among some of the best crime dramas ever told. A skillfully complex story that serves not only as an adrenaline rush of pure entertainment, but home to many profound ideas of power, politics, corruption, and the simple decency of mankind. Nolan uses Gotham City as a universal concept, not a crime-ridden city patrolled by a man in a bat costume that exists purely in the mind of its creator. It reaches across into our world, and effectively says something very powerful and unsettling about our morality. Harvey Dent sadly represents all of these things, and through the help of the very talented Aaron Eckhart, gives a face to these troubling but necessary ideas.
'The Dark Knight' will get under your skin, and it should. It isn't satisfied with simply being one of the greatest, if not the greatest, comic book movie ever made, it goes even further into a land rarely occupied by cinema but reserved only for the best. On the outside, 'The Dark Knight' is everything a summer blockbuster should be. The action is thrilling, the air of suspense is thick, the production values are top-notch and gorgeous to watch and look at. But underneath lays a core with many complicated layers, and Nolan is just getting started. 'The Dark Knight' will haunt you, it will linger in your memory. The freakishly twisted villains, a hero nobody wants. This is an unforgettable film, a masterful accomplishment whose own ambition is stunning and timely. Christopher Nolan is trying to tell us something, and he's using Batman to tell that story. Do yourself a favor and listen.
More reviews at rottentomatoes.com/vine/journal_view.php?journalid=219276&view=public