Brilliant adaptation

Rating: Null/10 (17 July 2009)

There is haunting poetry to the narrative and characterization of Christopher Nolan in "the Dark Knight". It refuses to be reduced to just another comic book movie with actors wearing costumes and good guys fighting the evil ones. It refuses to be limited to the defined caricatures that we have seen other adaptations to do. The Batman unlike most other superheroes is not bestowed with super natural powers. He is a human being who happens to gifted with will power, money and technology but also inherits the human weaknesses and moral ambiguities. Hence, it is the most relatable super hero from the audience perspective. Hardcore comic book fanatics of all ages pride themselves on reading between the words and beyond the costumes, of being able to assess the theological and mythological undertone to these "cartoonish" comic books. I suppose Chistopher and Jonathan Nolan are two of them.
The film starts where Gotham is now under a strict vigil of the Batman. He has inspired fear among the thugs, smugglers, gangsters which has lead to an "escalation" of the battle for the city. This peculiar situation calls on a new kind of nemesis, one who is not drawn by money or power, one who can not beaten or toned down morally or ideologically, one who is driven by a certain philosophy "Anarchy", THE JOKER. In one of the performances that will define the genius of one of the short lived talents, Heath Ledger is the Joker. Nolan and Ledger play it smart by portraying Joker as an "absolute", without necessarily dissecting him. He is conniving, intelligent, driven and convincing which makes him doubly scary. The joker poses impossible moral, ethical and philosophical dilemmas to Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman), Batman and the people of Gotham city. It is a battle for the minds more than the city, battle of the good and evil within Batman who has his own demons.
And then there is Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Two face, who becomes a challenge, a personal project for the Joker, as an emblematic mean to propel his philosophy. The film has great dialogs that you would remember and keep thinking about even after you leave the theater. The screenplay is a bit rushed at times and story works on one too many tracks. The editing is bit shoddy at places. The Imax camera works brilliantly especially for the action sequences which are jaw dropping to say the least.
Overall, this is film, that all of us will look back on, and say, finally they got it right.