the modern comic realized

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2008)

I've been a Batman comics fangirl every since I read Batman: The Long Halloween and Batman: Dark Victory. Since the DC comics reboot, Batman has been a complex story involving much more than a man in a costume.
I finally feel that the Batman of the comic series has been made into a movie that allows everyone to see and experience what the comic series is all about. Nolan has simultaneously managed to pay homage to all the great contemporary series as well as create a storyline and characters all his own. Not once did I find myself muttering a nerdy critique simply because there was nothing to critique.
Batman Begins set the foundation, but spent a little too much time on batman's gidget and gadget arsenal for me. Dark Knight, however, is all about characters, themes, and relationships. What is good? What is evil? What is a hero? What is the true nature of a human being? The complexities of insanity, hope, and even love are all covered in the film as well, among others. Truly, the story was allowed to be unleashed in this film for an unforgettable experience.
Still, there are plenty of action scenes. Like the modern James Bond movies, I found myself gasping, cringing, and cheering, perched on the edge of my seat with my hands clasped together. The action is a seamless part of the movie.
The cast was superb. Aside from the returning actors, Eckhart, Gyllenhal, and of course Ledger really brought the characters to life. Eckhart did a remarkable job showing the polarities of Harvey Dent. Ledger played the Joker just as he was meant to be played - a maniac bent on bringing chaos for no reason other than the sake of chaos; a man seeking a worthy game with an adversary that he both needs and abhors. There is not hint of the campy (if wonderful) version of Nicholson's Joker here. There are some parts in the movie that might make some folks cringe, but it is completely necessary to illustrate the Joker's real state of mind. The loss of Ledger is certainly profoundly outlined in this film. He would have been on the track to being one of the most amazing actors of our time after the release of this film. I hope he found peace.
This movie even had a generous serving of dark humor. Many of us in the audience laughed at certain lines and actions throughout the entirety of the film. This humor might not be for everyone, but it's definitely welcome in the weightiness of the film.
In the end, I feel this a film that almost anyone can enjoy. As long as you seek something from your films beyond a mindless distraction, you will find something in this movie that you can identify or empathize with. This movie illustrates one of the greatest mantras: it's always darkest before the dawn. Something for all of us to remember.