Ever since I saw and loved Batman Begins, I have been more interested in Batman. I have been wanting to see the sequel, The Dark Knight, basically since then as well. It was the movie I have most been looking forward to this summer and I wasn't disappointed.
I am only going to share a few things about the plot for The Dark Knight that had been shared in the trailers. I am still going to be vague about certain things because I don’t want to share too much and spoil anything for anyone else. People that prefer not to know anything about the plot should skip the next paragraph.
**Minor Plot Discussion**
Batman was still fighting crime in Gotham City. That usually involved him helping Lt. James Gordon. The new district attorney, Harvey Dent, was very determined to wipe out crime in Gotham City and he started working with Gordon and Batman. Bruce started to feel like a time was coming when Batman would no longer be needed and he was hoping to pick up with Rachel even though she had started seeing Harvey. Around the same time, a man calling himself the Joker started committing crimes and terrorizing the city.
**End of Minor Plot Discussion**
The Dark Knight was connected to Batman Begins, so things will probably make the most sense if that movie is watched first. From what one character said at one point, it seemed like Batman had been fighting crime in Gotham City for a year. There was a bit of closure to one loose end left over from the first movie. There wasn’t any sort of recap to what had happened before and there really weren’t references to the previous events.
The Dark Knight had a fairly complex plot with a lot of things going on. It wasn’t too complicated or confusing though, so people shouldn’t have trouble keeping up with what was going on. I thought that the plot was strong and worked very well. I still thought that the few things that I wasn’t happy about worked for the plot. One subplot did seem like it was rushed a bit, but it still worked well. There was resolution to what was going on while still leaving the possibility for another movie. With how everything worked out, there could be some very interesting things done with a third movie. The movie was longer, which might bother some people. I don’t think things would have worked as well if the movie had been shorter.
There was a decent amount of mystery in The Dark Knight, usually connected to the Joker and what he was doing. From the trailers, I wasn’t completely sure what he was going to be doing. That sense of uncertainty connected to the Joker did add to the mystery and help keep things more interesting. I think that worked very well for the movie. There were some good suspenseful scenes and a few things that really surprised or even shocked me. I was even thinking that I couldn’t believe something happened at one point. I did have a feeling that one thing was going to happen. That was the only predictable thing in the movie, and even that ultimately didn’t work out like I had thought it would.
Batman has been one of the darker comic book characters and many of the plots and supporting characters were also dark. That is something that hasn’t been properly shown in many of the other Batman movies. Christopher Nolan changed that with Batman Begins and he went even darker with The Dark Knight. This wasn’t a fun, happy movie, but it was wonderfully entertaining and fit perfectly for Batman. The movie will probably be too dark for some viewers who feel that superhero movie should be more fun and lighthearted. The music also had a darker feel to it and fit perfectly with the movie and everything that was going on. The music complimented the action instead of distracting from it like has happened with some other movies.
Since Bruce/Batman had already been firmly established in Batman Begins, The Dark Knight was able to jump into the action much sooner by showing one a crime masterminded by the Joker. The crime itself wasn’t anything new, but the way it was carried out was a bit different. There were several very impressive action scenes throughout the movie that usually involved Batman. The Joker was involved in several of them as well. A chase scene late in the movie was very well done, especially the way Batman stopped a certain vehicle. The Batmobile was back and a few new things, like a motorcycle and a new Batsuit turned up as well. Those things allowed Batman to do some amazing things. The special effects and make up were very well done.
There was a lot of violence in The Dark Knight. That did fit in with the darker tone of the movie. The violence wasn’t overly graphic, but it could still bother some viewers. A few things were hinted at, which probably made a bigger impact than if they had actually been shown. Batman ended up in several fights, and at one point, Bruce showed the various scars and bruises he received as a result of what he was doing. The Joker was responsible for a lot of the violence, and he was frequently shooting or hurting people in some way. He did some very twisted things that helped to add to the dark tone of the movie. The movie deserved the PG-13 rating and it isn’t a movie for young children.
Bruce/Batman had been very well developed in the previous movie. He still believed that Gotham City needed Batman, but he was hoping for the day when he wouldn’t be needed. He had some internal struggles that he had to deal with and he was pushed further than he had thought he would be. Those things made the character stronger. Christian Bale continued to do a wonderful job as Bruce and Batman. He works for both aspects of the character. The voice that he used for Batman was a bit rough, though it did work for the character and as part of his disguise.
Alfred continued to be Bruce’s faithful servant. Alfred believed in what Bruce was doing and did everything he could to help. It was clear that the two men had a strong bond that went beyond employer and employee. Michael Caine was really good in the part. Lt. James Gordon was committed to fighting crime and cleaning up Gotham City despite the odds he faced. The part was more understated than many that Gary Oldman was played, but he was wonderful in the part. He gave a powerful performance. Lucius Fox was around a bit more and more involved in certain things. He and Bruce also seemed to have a good relationship, though they didn’t always agree. I liked Morgan Freeman in the part. Maggie Gyllenhaal took over the part of Rachel. She did seem more believable in the part even though she didn’t have as much to do.
There were two new characters who were very important to what was going on in The Dark Knight. Harvey Dent was the new district attorney who was just as dedicated to cleaning up Gotham City as Gordon. He was a bit theatrical in court and when talking to the press a few times, but it worked for the character. At one point he said something that was very fitting considering the history of his character in the comic books. He did go through a lot by the end of the movie and I thought Aaron Eckhart handled the part well. I didn’t really like that a triangle was set up with Rachel, Bruce, and Harvey.
The Joker is an iconic character that most everyone has heard of even if they aren’t fans of Batman. If the Joker wasn’t handled right, the movie would not have worked. From what I have learned about the comic books, the Joker was a dark, twisted, psychopath who was very dangerous. Previous versions of the character in movies have been a bit twisted, but none of them were truly dark or dangerous. They were a bit silly, campy, or just lighthearted in general and not truly menacing or scary. That is not the case with this version of the Joker. This was a darker version of the character than has ever been done before which it in perfectly with the darker tone of the movie. This Joker was a scary, evil, maniacal genius who thrived on creating a symphony of chaos and destruction. There was a bit of playfulness to him as well that made a perfect mix for the character. The fact that he just appeared without a back story or motivation being provided made him that much scarier.
I remember when the news broke about Heath Ledger being cast as the Joker and how some people were quick to decide that was a mistake. Based on the other movies he had been in up to that point, I thought he would be able to handle the part, though I wasn’t sure what to expect. Ledger was absolutely amazing in the part. He took one of the most well known characters and completely reinvented him into something that has never been seen before. There was nothing silly or lighthearted about Ledger’s version of the Joker even though he did display a bit of humor every so often. The voice was a little odd sounding, but it worked. The purple suit, scraggly greenish hair, wild makeup, evil laugh and voice all worked together to create a perfect villain for Batman. Ledger created not just one of the best superhero villains, but one of the best villains ever. He achieved greatness and it is a shame that he is gone.
Main Cast
Christian Bale - Bruce Wayne/Batman Michael Caine - Alfred Pennyworth Aaron Eckhart - Harvey Dent Morgan Freeman - Lucius Fox Maggie Gyllenhaal - Rachel Dawes Heath Ledger - The Joker Gary Oldman - Lt. James Gordon
Christopher Nolan - Director
The Dark Knight is the best Batman movie that has been made and one of the best superhero movies that has been made. Heath Ledger’s amazing performance as the Joker is a big reason why the movie works so well. This is truly one of the best movies I have seen this year and it deserves all the praise it has been getting. Fans of Batman should give it a chance.
The follow-up to Batman Begins,The Dark Knight reunites director Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale, who reprises the role of Batman/Bruce Wayn...More at eCOST.com
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