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HEATH LEDGER stars as The Joker in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ action drama “The Dark Knight,” distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and also starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman.
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Batman plays his cards right in 'The Dark Knight'
By JAMES FRAZIER, Pulse Movie Reviewer
Contact James at jfrazier57@gmail.com.
I'd label "The Dark Knight" the greatest comic book movie ever made, but that might shortchange it. The film transcends its pulpy roots to become something fantastic: An exhilarating morality play that threads through a web of deceit and tragedy before its shattering conclusion.
Director Christopher Nolan manages to showcase virtually every side of Batman that has made the character so enduring; the detective, the vigilante, the playboy, the brawler and the stuntman.
But the magnificence of this work is that Nolan uses Batman (Christian Bale) as an instrument to address meaningful themes such as corruption, escalation and hope. And not only does the film have the decency to take them seriously, it has the brains and skill to do it well.
The movie picks up after "Batman Begins." The Dark Knight's campaign to bring Gotham City's criminal empire to its knees has been a success, and it looks like mob-busting district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) may have what it takes to be the city's new hero.
But behind Dent's sterling image is a volcano waiting to erupt, posing the question: What is the difference between the hero people need and the one they want?
Batman and Dent, along with the Joker (the late Heath Ledger), form a symbolic spectrum upon which the fate of Gotham City rests: the forbidden hero, the shining crusader and an agent of chaos.
The Joker is a grinning embodiment of evil. As the psychopathic clown explains, his existence is the direct result of Batman's --- an antithesis to our hero's seemingly unshakable moral code. In a story replete with smart people, the Joker (who wants to prove that everyone can be as rotten as he) seems to be the brightest.
Batman and the Joker's battles are less about the how than they are about the why. The Joker doesn't want to kill Batman, but to defeat him, egging him on as he destroys Batman's Gotham City. By the end, Batman has resorted to both illegal surveillance and torture in order to end the killing. Sound familiar?
Ledger's performance is a marvel of villainy. This Joker, perpetually amused by his own disregard for decency, is like the walking embodiment of disease, his movements twitchy and gestures feral. Likewise, Bale establishes himself as the screen's finest Batman, alternating between the grim crime-fighter and the ostensibly shallow Bruce Wayne.
That I've gone this far without mentioning the action scenes is a testament to the storytelling. The movie contains some of the most riveting battles ever put to screen. Batman barrels into scenarios that present insane difficulties, but overcomes his foes using martial arts prowess and shrewd tactical brilliance.
What will ultimately be the most enduring facet of "The Dark Knight," however, is that despite all the tragedies that occur, the film ends on a note of hope.
All comic heroes have a purpose, and this one's calling is to do what no one else can or is willing to do: Stand alone and fight. For although Batman might assume the guise of evil to combat it, his presence alone keeps the darkness from overtaking the light.
‘The Dark Knight’
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
Director: Christopher Nolan
Run time: 2 hour, 32 minutes
Rated: PG-13, for intense sequences of violence and some menace
Now playing at: Crossroads, College Square, Waverly Palace
5 out of 5 stars
I'd label "The Dark Knight" the greatest comic book movie ever made, but that might shortchange it. The film transcends its pulpy roots to become something fantastic: An exhilarating morality play that threads through a web of deceit and tragedy before its shattering conclusion.
Director Christopher Nolan manages to showcase virtually every side of Batman that has made the character so enduring; the detective, the vigilante, the playboy, the brawler and the stuntman.
But the magnificence of this work is that Nolan uses Batman (Christian Bale) as an instrument to address meaningful themes such as corruption, escalation and hope. And not only does the film have the decency to take them seriously, it has the brains and skill to do it well.
The movie picks up after "Batman Begins." The Dark Knight's campaign to bring Gotham City's criminal empire to its knees has been a success, and it looks like mob-busting district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) may have what it takes to be the city's new hero.
But behind Dent's sterling image is a volcano waiting to erupt, posing the question: What is the difference between the hero people need and the one they want?
Batman and Dent, along with the Joker (the late Heath Ledger), form a symbolic spectrum upon which the fate of Gotham City rests: the forbidden hero, the shining crusader and an agent of chaos.
The Joker is a grinning embodiment of evil. As the psychopathic clown explains, his existence is the direct result of Batman's --- an antithesis to our hero's seemingly unshakable moral code. In a story replete with smart people, the Joker (who wants to prove that everyone can be as rotten as he) seems to be the brightest.
Batman and the Joker's battles are less about the how than they are about the why. The Joker doesn't want to kill Batman, but to defeat him, egging him on as he destroys Batman's Gotham City. By the end, Batman has resorted to both illegal surveillance and torture in order to end the killing. Sound familiar?
Ledger's performance is a marvel of villainy. This Joker, perpetually amused by his own disregard for decency, is like the walking embodiment of disease, his movements twitchy and gestures feral. Likewise, Bale establishes himself as the screen's finest Batman, alternating between the grim crime-fighter and the ostensibly shallow Bruce Wayne.
That I've gone this far without mentioning the action scenes is a testament to the storytelling. The movie contains some of the most riveting battles ever put to screen. Batman barrels into scenarios that present insane difficulties, but overcomes his foes using martial arts prowess and shrewd tactical brilliance.
What will ultimately be the most enduring facet of "The Dark Knight," however, is that despite all the tragedies that occur, the film ends on a note of hope.
All comic heroes have a purpose, and this one's calling is to do what no one else can or is willing to do: Stand alone and fight. For although Batman might assume the guise of evil to combat it, his presence alone keeps the darkness from overtaking the light.
‘The Dark Knight’
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
Director: Christopher Nolan
Run time: 2 hour, 32 minutes
Rated: PG-13, for intense sequences of violence and some menace
Now playing at: Crossroads, College Square, Waverly Palace
5 out of 5 stars
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