I have some bad news.
The business of making movies just got a lot harder.
I saw a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight” and no the movie does not come close to all the hype. It surpasses all of it. Completely.
My hat is off to any filmmaker that even attempts to try to top TDK.
The more I think about this movie, the more I am convinced I just saw one of the greatest movies of all time. Maybe time will tell or maybe I am just coming off of only two hours of sleep.
Calling “The Dark Knight” a superhero movie is underselling what this film actually is. It’s more appropriate to place this movie with the great crime epics such as “The Departed” and “The Godfather.”
While I was enjoyed the first film, “Batman Begins,” it didn’t leave too much of an impression on me. I saw it in the theater on opening weekend but never had the urge to see it again. But with “The Dark Knight,” I have feeling this one is going to stick with me for some time.
It’s difficult to extract a movie of this magnitude and dissect into parts or scenes. Yes the script was brilliant. It rivals anything that comes to mind. The directing was nearly flawless. Director Christopher Nolan was able to capture panic and mayhem during fight scenes with SWAT cars, 18-wheelers and the ultra cool bat-cyle one minute then bring the movie back to cerebral level where our heroes battled against their own morals and conflictions. The score was frighteningly on cue, drawing panic as we watched the Joke become an “agent of chaos," bringing down Gothom Ciy and its white and black knights.
And the acting. Oh the acting!
I am completely astonished by Heath Ledger’s portrayal of Joker. I was pretty unhappy when I learned that the Joker was going to be the villain in this movie, only because I loved Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman and Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of Batman’s nemesis but what Heath Ledger did with this role was nothing short of outstanding and complete. Hannibal Lecter now as company as being considered one of greatest film villains of all time. It’s good that Ledger didn’t take up anymore screen time than he already did because he would have upstaged the title character. A long-running complaint I have had about superhero movies is the lack of super villains. The Green Goblin? Please. Even the bad guys in “Batman Begins” and “Ironman” were rather forgettable. But with “The Dark Knight” my complaint is now silent.
But Ledger’s portrayal was hardly the only standout performance in the movie. Christian Bale as Batman was strong and will probably go down as the best caped crusader ever. And in any other movie, Aaron Eckhart’s performance as District Attorney Harvey Dent would have been second to none! God, this guy is good. Maggie Gyllenhaal as the love interest of both Batman and Dent, was an upgrade from Katie Holmes. But as good as Ledger was for going over the top as Joker, Gary Oldman achieved the same greatness by playing Commissioner James Gordon with so much humility.
Put all these elements together and you have a film that is truly worthy of be praised as a grand epic.
From the opening bank heist scene, the film never lets go of its audience’s attention. I couldn’t believe a film could carry on like that for two and half hours.
No movie is absent of missteps or blunders, “The Dark Knight” included, but it’s not even worth the time or cyberspace to discuss the mostly insignificant shortcomings of this movie, only because this movie supercedes almost everywhere else.
My only complaint is not really a complaint but more of a concern. “The Dark Knight” is horribly dark, sinister and violent. Way too much for a film rated PG-13. I’m really disturb that any movie studio would even try to market this film to children, via toys, product ties or marketing. Yes, you don’t see any blood or gore but people are shot on camera and the themes in this movie rival those seen in “Silence of the Lambs.” Parents should be very cautious in taking children younger than 13.
Grade: A
No comments:
Post a Comment