November 1st, 2008 
admin Looking at the old Batman of our parent’s generation and the dark modern icon he has become, it’s hard to believe that they even came from the same comic, let alone that they are the same person. Our idea of a superhero movie has undoubtedly evolved with the passage of time, changing from the classic battle between good and evil, to exploring the depth and humanity, to the heroes themselves.
However, “The Dark Knight” goes far above and beyond what anyone could expect from a superhero movie, not only intricately weaving a brilliant, dark, and sinister plot but also exploring the themes of crime and punishment, vigilantism, and corruption. “The Dark Knight” is easily a modern masterpiece, transcending the Batman universe altogether and becoming a stand-alone blockbuster that explores the psychology of crime and the morality of justice. “The Dark Knight” starts out with Gotham City’s underworld up in arms over the issue of Batman. With the masked vigilante taking down mob bosses and the newly elected District Attorney Harvey Dent rooting out corruption in the city, mob dealings have been brought to a standstill. However, a new face-painted psychopath named the Joker has arrived in the city and promises to take out the source of the problem: the Batman. The Joker is a new type of criminal, one who doesn’t steal for the money but simply because it creates chaos. As the Joker weaves his way into the city underworld, he creates confusion wherever he goes as he aims to corrupt the city’s the most untouchable figure: Gotham’s supposed “White Knight” Harvey Dent.
The Dark Knight’s plot is twisted as it is deep and dark. The plot takes attention away from Batman’s problems with his past and his parents’ death, and focuses primarily on the arrival of the Joker and Dent. The introduction of two new characters into the series set the stage for this blockbuster, as the image of the white knight created by Dent is juxtaposed by the twisted darkness and chaos surrounding the Joker. The arrival of Harvey Dent explores the issue of legally pursuing justice against criminals as opposed to Batman’s vigilantism. Aaron Eckhart is amazing as Dent, and brilliantly portrays him as the incorruptible force against Gotham’s mobs. Dent is not just a character in the movie; he is a source of hope for both the audience and the characters of the film. Eckhart’s performance truly shines however after his brutal accident and subsequent transformation into Two-Face. As Two-Face, Eckhart is not just brutal but realistically scary. I cannot wait to see how Two-Face will be included in the next Batman films, as surely Eckhart is the perfect man for the role. However, the character who undeniably makes the movie is the Joker, portrayed by Heath Ledger. To say Ledger’s performance was perfect is an understatement. Ledger transforms the Joker, bringing his very presence off the screen to alter your perception of what crime drama is about.
His acting and voice-work are dead-on to the Joker’s. Ledger combines the Joker’s penchant for dark comedy with his ability to create chaos wherever he goes. The result is that the Joker becomes critical to the theme of the movie, to point out the madness of society through his sick and ironic jokes; for example, ordering his men to back-stab each other while a robbery is still in progress, or one cleverly written scene involving a ferry full of passengers and another full of criminals, or another scene where he burns his reward money just to see the reaction from the mob. The Joker is an amazing villain, fulfilling his role of simultaneously providing the humor of the movie as well as being one of the most downright messed up characters we’ve seen in years. Batman, Dent, and the Joker intertwine beautifully, creating a trio that draws out some of the movie’s biggest questions on crime, justice, and morality. I cannot think of anything wrong to point out in the movie. The setting, atmosphere, plot, and acting are executed perfectly.
It’s hard to imagine how the sequel will ever top this one, and I doubt it will. I can see the Batman series forever living in the shadow of “The Dark Knight,” never being able to top the standard that this movie has set. It is only a shame that we will not be able to enjoy the presence of the Joker in another movie due to Heath Ledger’s tragic death. It’s almost a poignant, poetic ending to the movie; we’re given the year’s greatest film and in return, fate takes away the actor who made it so great. We’re never going to see that same Joker again, and that makes “The Dark Knight” even more valuable as a movie. Batman is amazing, and as cliche as it sounds, if you only see one movie this year, make it “The Dark Knight.” It’s more than just a comic film, and also redefines the entire superhero movie genre. “The Dark Knight” is one movie you want to see while it’s still on the big screen.
Posted in 
Tags: 
