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For months now, excitement and anticipation have been building to nigh palpable levels. Things came to a head Friday at midnight nationwide as The Dark Knight hit theaters.
The newest Batman flick centers on the psychotic antics of the Joker, a madman with a penchant for makeup. The Joker is Batman’s oldest nemesis. He was featured in the first issue of the Batman comic when the character jumped to a solo series from Detective Comics in 1940. The character was inspired by the 1928 The Man Who Laughs, based on a Victor Hugo novel of the same name.
The movie, a follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2005 film Batman Begins, features an incredibly dark and gritty portrayal of the clown-prince of crime. The ending of Batman Begins teases the emergence of the Joker. The mere existence of Batman galvanizes the Joker into action, unleashing his madness upon Gotham City.
Christopher Nolan/DirectorChristopher Nolan returns to direct The Dark Knight, bringing the same feel to this film that he did the last. His Batman skirts the edges of insanity, a lone figure standing against the corruption that courses through the veins of his world.
Christian Bale/Bruce WayneChristian Bale returns as Bruce Wayne, the billionaire industrialist who spends his nights dressed as a bat to battle Gotham City’s seedy underbelly. Bale excels as both the billionaire playboy who lives in his own world where everything is for sale and the dark avenger stalking the streets of Gotham to protect those who can‘t protect themselves.
Maggie Gyllenhaal/Rachel DawesMaggie Gyllenhaal breathes life into the role of Rachel Dawes, succeeding in actually making us care about the character — much different from Katie Holmes’ stiff performance in the last film. Dawes provides a link between Bruce Wayne and the new district attorney.
Aaron Eckhart/ D.A. Harvey Dent
Aaron Eckhart plays charismatic D.A. Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two-Face. Dent has become a hero to the people of Gotham by standing up to the mob that runs the town. He is battling a corrupt city government and stands as the only light shining in Gotham. He does, however, have his dark side.
Heath Ledger/JokerAll of these characters are secondary to the star of the film, Heath Ledger’s Joker. For his first scene, Joker steals the show. For months, Joker has been hyped, especially through Warner Brothers’ extensive viral marketing campaign. Ledger doesn’t disappoint: the mad light in his eyes, his sick laughter, the way he asks so innocently, “Why so serious?”. These things all combine to make this performance perhaps the most memorable in all the long line of illustrious performers to take the role over in two decades.
This Joker doesn’t have some huge scheme. He just wants to watch the world burn. He wants to show people just how fragile the world they inhabit can be.
Beyond the Comic Book Crowd; Not for Kids
The Dark Knight is quite simply a can’t-miss film. It’s a classic piece of cinema with a broad appeal beyond the usual comic-book movie crowd.
The movie has a run-time of 152 minutes or just over two-and-a-half hours and is rated PG-13. A quick note: if you plan to take your kids to watch the movie, don’t. The Dark Knight isn’t a film for kids. There are disturbing images, multiple murders and mayhem.
