Friday, August 1, 2008

The Dark Knight: Review


When Batman Begins was released a few years ago, it was met with considerable acclaim. While most had written off the Batman franchise after the disastrous Batman and Robin, Christopher Nolan's Begins caused many to stand up and take notice. Still, nothing could have prepared viewers for the next leap that Nolan would take to craft The Dark Knight. In doing so, he has not only crafted the finest Comic Book film of all time by a long measure, he has created one of the years very best films, a dark, morally complex thriller that is flat out gripping from it's opening sequence to the final credit. The Dark Knight is a masterpiece, a crime picture on par with the best the genre has to offer. Led by a stellar final full performance by Heath Ledger, confident direction from Nolan and a wonderfully rich and compelling script, The Dark Knight is tremendous.

As anyone who sees the film will undoubtedly agree, Heath Ledger's performance is nothing short of astonishing and if all is fair in the world, should a shoo-in for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Ledger, who plays the iconic Joker, is pure evil here, as sadistic as anything seen from Anton Chigurh in last year's No Country for Old Men. Often times, the film finds itself at a crossroads with the ability to follow the more traditional comic book film path but bravely, it veers right when it should go left, venturing further and further into darker territory. Just when the viewer thinks the film won't go where it looks like it might, it does and the results are truly discomforting. From beginning to end, Ledger adds a palpable tension with his performance and almost every moment he is on screen, the film is nearly unbearable in its suspense, a stunning achievement given its PG-13 label. How exactly this film was able to receive that rating given its dark, violent nature that pervades every moment of the film is beyond this writer and given the chance, would not bring younger children to the film. The Joker is positively unnerving in the best way possible and it all owes itself to Ledger's work. He obviously throws his entire soul into this performance and one has to wonder how much of himself he lost during shooting and whether it had any impact on his mental state this past February. He deserves every accolade he receives for a daring, all consuming performance that has already cemented itself as one of the greatest villains in history, occupying a list with the likes of Hannibal Lecter.

The story picks up from the end of Batman Begins with the Joker on the loose, escaped from Arkham Asylum following the breakouts from the first film's finale. Batman (Christian Bale) has continued in his quest to reclaim the streets of Gotham from the criminals of the city and we first see him in stunning fashion. However, it quickly becomes clear that the Joker is unlike anything that Batman has encountered before. Simultaneously, the film tracks the ascent of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Gotham's DA, as he attempts to put the better half of the city's mob behind bars. To complicate the situation, Dent is dating Rachael Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, replacing Katie Holmes from the first film), a childhood friend and love interest of Bruce Wayne (Batman's Alter Ego for those of you who have live in caves). It may sound like the typical set up for a comic book film and in all honesty, it probably is but where TDK differs is in its willingness to go down avenues that other films of its type of unwilling to attempt. Batman is not a hero like Superman, who believes in and always acts in ethical, moral ways. As the film progresses, Wayne is forced to realize that his actions must quickly begin to match the Jokers in their extreme ways. It presents an interesting and absorbing moral dilemma that the film examines with the subtlety and nuance of a refined drama. In this package, the results are even more effective as the action of the film deftly blends with its more introspective moments. Its masterful combination of the two grips the viewer and holds their mind and guts for the entirety of its 2 and a half hour run time. This is the longest of the more recent crop of comic book films and is all the better for it. The story it has to tell demands the time and pacing it receives, allowing the film's narrative and themes to breathe, enriching everything in the process.

Ledger is hardly the only performance worth mentioning as the entire cast, from bit players to stars all contribute some of their best work. Eckhart, as the city's DA Dent is wonderful, using the wonderful character arc his role receives to maximum effect. Dent is a fully human creation with Eckhart realizing every bit of promise in the Nolan's script (Director Christopher co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Jonathan). Bale, one of the best actors working today, is as good as he was in Begins and in many ways, gives a richer performance here. Wayne is given a much greater range of emotions in The Dark Knight and Bale nails each with equal amounts grace and power. Rarely do we have a single performance worth mentioning in a comic book film but here there are a trio of talented actors putting forth their best. The rest of the supporting cast, which includes Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, are all in fine form as well. The overall level of acting is tremendous from start to finish.

Christopher Nolan, who has become one of the two or three finest young directors of the day, controls the show here, wonderfully filming smaller, interior sequences with the same panache as the huge glimpse of Gotham. He has continued of a streak of one masterful film after another since 2001 when the world saw the release of his first masterpiece, Memento. His films are consistently engaging and inventive, brimming with energy and wonder. With TDK, he proves that is as comfortable behind the reins of a 200 million dollar blockbuster as he is with a small indie project. He's a visionary director who will hopefully continue to produce work at the same level he is. Nolan also deserves considerable praise for the script, which is dark, complex and inventive. TDK succeeds largely because it zigs where you expect it to zag and is one of the few summer blockbusters that one can call genuinely surprising. The dialogue is sharp and probing and the overall structure of the film, while straightforward is tight and fast moving. The film never drags in its 150 minutes, a feat in and of itself, pushing itself forward at a faster and faster rate until the dizzying climax that features a number of wonderful payoffs. It finally ends with a satisfying conclusion that leaves it open for another installment but it doesn't feel cheap. Its an ending that is earned with blood, sweat and tears, both for the audience and the filmmakers.

The film's score must be mentioned as well. The Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard collaboration here is tremendous, providing the film with a perfect soundtrack that soars when it needs to and slinks whenever else. The theme for the Joker is filled with dread and tension and is perfectly realized for the character. Combined with Ledger's performance, it creates a pitch perfect mood for the evil ways of Gotham's mastermind criminal. Its solid tone, almost dissonant as moments, is eerie and grating, an on point match for Ledger. The rest of the score displays equal moments of subtlety and grandeur, rising to fit the mood or staying in the background whenever necessary.

The Dark Knight, even with all the hype, is worth every penny one would pay for admission. It’s a triumph of pop art filmmaking, a brilliant mixture of blockbuster thrills with real moments of drama and intelligence. Far from a strict comic book film, TDK transcends that tag with ease, becoming something so much more, something undeniably effective and chilling. Its a dark look into the lives of these characters that doesn't flinch at all. It’s brave and bracing with a tremendous performance from Heath Ledger that deserves an Oscar. While its current rating of #1 film of all time on IMDB user voting may be over praise, the fact that after nearly 180,000 votes, it has the highest rating of all time is striking. It’s certainly the live action film of the summer and perhaps the year.