The Dark Knight

Rating: 8/10 (3 April 2016)

Christian Bale returns in The Dark Knight and continues the success of Batman Begins. With the tone and casting largely unchanged, it's a winning formula that delivers again.
The late Heath Ledger's turn as The Joker is an absolute treat. Manic, frantic and jumpy, the colourfully-dressed Joker is at every turn the antithesis of an otherwise black and serious city. From his devious introduction to his demented demise, he's a new sort of evil who creates craziness just because he can, and spreads anarchy for the hell of it. His irreverence brought an injection of humour and colour that makes the hefty 152 minutes whizz by, not least because Ledger is clearly in his element.
The wider BatBale arc continues apace, with themes of heroism (and not), and the lingering question of Batman's identity. Nolan isn't frightened to ask difficult questions of his protagonist. Is he really a force for good? Is he actually a hero?
The story blends Harvey Dent/Two-Face (Eckhart) seamlessly into the mix. His transformation from Dent to Two-Face is absolutely authentic and raises more questions about the true nature of good and evil, and the thin line that separates them.
Gyllenhaal has the unenviable task of replacing Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, and a disappointing combination of writing and performance strips Dawes of her mettle. Gyllenhaal's Rachel is reduced to the comic trope of love interest-cum-damsel in distress. The Holmes Rachel of Batman Begins was Bruce Wayne's moral compass and a champion for good, while this new Rachel serves only to entice Batman into making emotional decisions and battling for her affections. Gone is the kick-ass DA of 2005, and that is a shame.
Despite this niggle, an otherwise sparkling cast (including returning legends Caine, Freeman and Oldman) deliver another spectacular film, bolstered again by phenomenal visuals. The hospital scene is funny, chilling and mesmerising all at once, with special effects that are almost impossible to top.
No need for Dent to toss his coin here – The Dark Knight is a huge success.