Heath Ledger’s performance at the Joker awed audiences in the opening weekend of “The Dark Knight,” the latest in the Batman series. The memorable movie brings aspects of all genres and a spot-on cast to the screen.
This is a difficult review for several reasons.
The most difficult (and obvious) reason being the untimely death of Heath Ledger.
Seeing him in such a terrible and amazing role is a bittersweet experience.
Another reason it is difficult to do this film justice on paper is that, to put it bluntly, it is perfect.
In 2005, the widely popular comic book hero Batman got his first movie since George Clooney donned the bat suit (rubber nipples and all).
“Batman Begins” was a gritty, darker origin story of the caped crusader.
“The Dark Knight” makes its predecessor look like an after-school special.
The film opens with a bank heist.
The criminals all wear clown masks and kill each other because “the boss” said the shares would be bigger.
It is shown immediately that the Joker knows how people think and this gives him the ability to manipulate them.
That’s right, the Joker’s smart.
This isn’t the Prince-blaring, cartoony, Jack Nicholson “Joker” of yesteryear.
This is, without a doubt, Heath Ledger’s most amazing performance.
In no way does he let any part of himself show through the makeup and scars.
He became the Joker.
He was the Joker.
From little things like creepy lip licking to the all-important maniacal laugh; Ledger nailed it with frightening force.
Never have I been laughing at a character one moment only to be completely disturbed the next.
Mark my words, Ledger is going to receive an honorary Oscar. Period.
The Joker forces Batman to look at himself in the mirror and question what he does.
A lot of superhero sequels find the title character turning their back on the masks for various reasons — loved ones getting hurt, selfishness, etc.
“The Dark Knight” does things, well, a little darker.
Christian Bale once again gives an excellent performance as the broken Bruce Wayne.
Like in “Batman Begins,” he is emotional, vengeful and kind of a screw-up.
This time, though, he is pushed to the edge.
He sees what he should be in Harvey Dent, Gotham’s District Attorney (Aaron Eckhart), what he could be in the Joker and who he wants in his childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal).
The excellent cast of supporting characters is really the cornerstone of this film.
Eckhart is perfect as the paragon of justice that is Harvey Dent.
Gotham’s newest D.A. is not afraid of endangering himself while locking away the city’s most wanted.
Batman even admits that Gotham needs a man like him.
Maggie Gyllenhaal should’ve been in “Batman Begins.”
While watching, I completely forgot Katie Holmes-Crazy — I mean Cruise — was the original Rachel Dawes.
Where Holmes’ version came off as whiny and annoying, Gyllenhaal’s is smart, sassy and compassionate.
Just what Batman needs.
The rest of the cast was nothing short of spot on, either.
Gary Oldman, Michael Cain and Morgan Freeman all brought with them what made their characters so great the first time around.
And who doesn’t love hearing Freeman’s voice on the big screen?
The entire cast of characters really came together with all the themes of the film.
The two main questions of the film are: “What is a person capable of?” and “What will they become?”
Each character faces these questions in a different way.
Wayne/Batman is afraid of what he has become and what he is to the people of Gotham.
The Joker knows who he is.
He understands people and uses this for his own destructive means.
And Harvey Dent finally learns what he is truly capable of.
This is what makes the film’s source material, comic books, so appealing.
They take real issues and raw emotion and infuse them with fantastic characters, locations and events.
What results are modern day mythologies; our generation’s Greek gods and goddesses.
“The Dark Knight” is not only the perfect form of this epic tale.
It’s the perfect film.
It has everything.
Action, romance, heartbreak, humor, horror, good, evil, triumph, failure—the list is endless.
It challenges its audience and forces it to think.
It breaks every rule and convention of its genre.
If you only go to see one movie this year, go see “The Dark Knight.”
You will remember it.
The verdict:
“It’s the perfect film, it has everything … It breaks every rule and convention of its genre.”
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