The way Batman is supposed to be

Rating: 10/10 (21 July 2008)

This was the perfect Batman movie. It captured all of the elements that led to the resurgence of Batman in the 80's and 90's, as influenced by the writer/artist Frank Miller. Dark, gritty, more crime drama than superhero movie. Frankly, I was surprised to read negative reviews for a movie this good.
Feeling compelled to, perhaps, shine some light on the subject, I noticed some people were disappointed that they did not see a "traditional" superhero movie. That is the point. The movie tells us there is a thin line between hero and villain, between vigilante and criminal, between order and chaos, between sane and insane, and between righteous and psychotic. There is no black and white, with opposing sides lining up to fight. Merely one large gray area, where no answers come easy, and then may be even harder to carry out.
Let us not forget that Batman's driving force is revenge and hatred. Revenge for the death of his parents, and hatred for the elements of the city that allowed that to happen. Hardly qualities we think of when we think superhero. However, Bruce Wayne focuses those emotions through a lens of justice and righteousness. The only thing stopping Batman from being a criminal himself is Bruce Wayne's view of society around him. What if he feels justice cannot be served through a corrupt system? What if righteousness is bypassing the system he knows to be bad, and simply doling out punishments himself? There is the thin line. As the Joker says, it just takes "one little push" to cross that line.
On the other side of the coin is Batman's #1 enemy, The Joker. If there is absolute good in the world (righteousness), then there must be absolute evil in order to balance. Hence is The Joker. No motives behind what he does. No lust for money, or power, or anything. No rhyme or reason. Just evil. He loves the destruction and the chaos and anarchy, and playing with his favorite toy, Batman. This is what makes The Joker perhaps the most terrifying villain in the comic book universe, his complete lack of any boundaries and belief in nothing. Thus, nothing is off limits and anything is possible.
Christian Bale does a superb job donning the cape & cowl again, portraying the depths of Batman's conflicted soul. I was skeptical when I heard buzz surrounding the late Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker as Oscar worthy. Not any longer. Ledger's Joker is terrifying and disturbing, a true homage to the spirit of the character. Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart are also noteworthy for their performances. I had trouble seeing Maggie Gyllenhaal as a romantic interest for anyone, but that's just my opinion. Looks aside, she did bring more depth to the character that Katie Holmes.
All in all a superb movie, and highly deserving of a spot in the top 10, at least. I hope they can continue this trend in another installment.