Film Review -- The Dark Knight (PG-13)

Directed by Christopher Nolan
Warner Brothers Pictures
Released July 14, 2008

(Editors Note: Because this site was being updated, Thomas wrote this review in a timely fashion but it was put on the back burner un-posted. Use the review to sway your DVD/Netflix options in the near future.)

I was bummed to hear the negativity surrounding the fourth Indiana Jones so I decided to wait until it reaches DVD. The second Hulk looked better than Ang Lee’s flop and I enjoyed John Favreau’s Ironman. Superhero films are extraordinary because we can live vicariously through them and do things we only dream of doing. That is why I didn’t hesitate to brave crowded theaters full of lines and 90’s babies to see The Dark Knight -- Christopher Nolan’s newest and perfect installment in the Batman series.

The Dark Knight is what any avid or casual movie viewer needs. From start to finish this two and a half hour masterpiece proves that Tim Burton does not comprehend the complex character of Bruce Wayne or Batman as well as Christopher Nolan. Nolan’s directorial fame began with Pi and continued with Memento. When Nolan’s Batman Begins hit theaters in 2005, fans were allowed a glimpse into the evolution of a superhero. Nolan’s vision of the famed “Caped Crusader” is real. From Gotham City to Alfred, no part of The Dark Knight is unbelievable. Nolan has given us a Batman who does not fit into the stereotypical mold for good reason. Adam West played the Batman of the baby boomer generation. That colorful show and film was full of countless “pows,” “bams,” and “splats.” That was realistic because of the 50s/60s time period when it was set and taken directly from the comic. Meanwhile, The Dark Knight is a reflection of the 21st century urban American society and also stays true to the original comic books storyline.

A star-studded cast including Michael Caine (Get Carter & Alfie), Morgan Freeman (Glory & Driving Miss Daisy), Christian Bale (Empire of the Sun & Newsies), Gary Oldman (Sid and Nancy & The Professional), and many others shine in The Dark Knight.

However, no one matches the sheer genius that the late Heath Ledger (Monster’s Ball & The Brothers Grimm) demonstrates as The Joker. From the first scene in The Dark Knight until the end, Ledger’s performance is a “tour de force”. His laugh is demented, his eyes are full of terror, and his vicious words emanate from the depths of evil. Jack Nicholson’s Joker in Burton’s 1989 Batman was an entertaining and humorous character. Ledger’s Joker is the definition of villain.

Go see this movie in theaters! Unless you have a stellar home theater there is no possible way that you can fully appreciate Dark Knight on DVD. The intensity of the explosions, score, and suspense are amplified on the big screen.

Although The Dark Knight received a PG-13 rating, I DO NOT recommend that children see this film because it is too realistic. This outstanding film showcases my generation’s greatest actor. Although, Heath Ledger died young, his career taught all of us about life, love, fear, happiness and death.

5 out of 4
(Review by tee diddie)