Batman, finally done right

Rating: 9/10 (21 July 2008)

Any superhero movie clocking in at two and half hours will receive the criticism that it's too long, from me anyway. And so it is for 'The Dark Knight.' That said, I can't find much else wrong with this cleverly-written, expertly-acted, perfectly-paced, and wonderfully directed sequel to 'Batman Begins.' It almost goes without saying that this is the best Batman movie to date, though that is really damning it with faint praise. The trend in recent years has been to take movies based on comic book superheroes to new heights of realism, and 'The Dark Knight' is certainly the latest and most refined example. You find yourself, as you watch, forgetting at times the character's humble origins and simply accepting this as a great film, just as you would, say, 'Silence of the Lambs' or 'The Godfather.' It's that good. And yes, Heath Ledger as the Joker is a revelation. A sadist, a masochist, a psychopath, and a smooth talker... at least he likes to think so. Like most individuals with a warped outlook on life, he can't understand why people don't accept his reasoning, which makes perfect sense to him. And of course, there are bits of truth in a lot of what he says. It is a rare melding of a terrifically written part with an actor who truly inhabits that part. The character has 'scene stealer' all over it, and Ledger takes full advantage. But the great thing about 'The Dark Knight' is that all of the major characters are so well-written, and acted. Christian Bale is fine as Batman, and he's even better as Bruce Wayne. The temptation prior to 'Batman Begins', I think, was always to portray Wayne as something of a flyweight, even if this was an intentional ruse so no one would guess he might be Batman. Here, that pretense is done away with; Bruce Wayne is smart, funny, and substantial. He just happens to be super-rich. All of this put together makes him an extremely appealing character. Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent provides a traditional leading man for the movie, the crusading DA who proves to be more multi-layered than he might seem at first glance. Another fine performance. And Lt. (later Commissioner) Gordon, played by Gary Oldman, is fleshed out to a greater degree than ever before, becoming much more than a hapless police official; in fact, he's almost the equal of Batman himself, in terms of heroism, self-sacrifice, and bringing the bad guys to justice. He and Batman truly are kindred spirits. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine are along for the ride too, and they are very believable in their roles. I wonder in how many films now Freeman has played the part of the kindly, wise older black man who helps flawed white people find their way. I'm guessing at least fifteen. Other observations- I've read a couple of reviews that suggest comparisons between 'The Dark Knight' and today's world, specifically the war on terrorism. I see that too, and here's my take on it. The Joker represents the terrorists, in the mindless and heartless pleasure that comes from the taking of life, the disruption of life, and the resulting anarchy. Ordinary people, including in this case the press, police officers, and victims of the Joker are often inclined to blame Batman for the loss of life, the suggestion being that if he didn't get involved, didn't 'provoke' the Joker, these people wouldn't have died. In other words, don't fight back and maybe they'd be left alone. Sound familiar? And Batman is further vilified at the end, when he takes the blame for deaths he had nothing to do with, realizing this is another role he needs to fill, in order for politically correct society to feel good about itself. He knows he must be the ultimate 'bad cop,' the fall guy who will never earn the respect or gratitude of the larger community, yet which most people realize without admitting it publicly is the real protector of their security. I find that aspect of 'The Dark Knight' very damning of our culture today and at the same time, very reassuring in the honesty of its message. In any event, director Christopher Nolan deserves much credit for starting the Batman saga all over again and setting it on the right path, first with 'Batman Begins' and now, 'The Dark Knight.'