Dark Knight

So our office got this Friday off and I decided to go check out this Dark Knight I've been hearing so much about. Usually matinees aren't too busy, but I went with the second of the 12:00 screenings because it was sooo busy. Also, when we got out of our showing, there was already a line going outside the theater for the 3:30 showing.

I have no doubt that you, my good readers, are familiar with Batman and the origins of the character. Directed by Chris Nolan, the film stars Christian Bale reprising his Batman/Bruce Wayne character from Batman Begins. The film starts a year after the events of Batman Begins with Michael Caine returning as Alfred, Gary Oldman returning as Lt. Jim Gordon, Morgan Freeman returning as Lucius Fox, Maggie Gyllenhaal replacing Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes (apparently Katie couldn't get a permission slip from Tommy boy to do the film) and Aaron Eckhart as newly appointed district attorney Harvey Dent. You are also no doubt aware that this is one of Heath Ledger's final roles as The Joker.


I'm hesitant to talk a lot about the plot because I love the way things unfold. The Joker approaches the crime organizations of the city about working together to get rid of Batman. After the departure of Gotham's district attorney, Harvey Dent replaces him. Dent is also dating Rachel Dawes, the good friend/ex girl friend of Bruce Wayne. Batman works together with Lt. Gordon and Dent to try to catch The Joker. Gotham is soon plunged into chaos created by The Joker and it becomes harder for the trio to save the city.


I LOVED this movie. I had a discussion last night with someone who really didn't like Batman Begins and prefers the older Batman films. If you like Batman Begins, you'll love this one, too. I really like that Bruce Wayne isn't soooo tormented about his alter ego like Spiderman is in the Spiderman trilogy. He actually seems to really like being Batman, so the film is more about the story and action and much less about his inner conflict. Christian Bale was awesome again as Bruce Wayne and Batman. Everybody else was great again in their returning roles, Gyllenhaal made a good Rachel Dawes and Eckhart was great as Harvey Dent. I cannot say enough about how impressed I was with Heath Ledger, and he was absolutely riveting as The Joker. As The Joker, he was completely unrecognizable and totally sadistic.


There was a lot of action and it was great, but it wasn't the same brainless, shoot em up, bang bang kind of action in most action films. There was a method and a madness behind it and at times I was chewing on my nails wondering what was going to happen next. It will no doubt break box office records and all that, and even at 152 minutes, the film won't feel that long. It's just a really great movie with a great story and really great characters. Closing with a quote from Batman talking about the crime organizations crossing the line in their attacks on Gotham.....

Alfred: You crossed the line first, sir. You hammered them. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand. Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.

More ramblings to come.....