Film review: The Dark Knight

Tagline

Why so serious?

plot

We open with a harrowing, action-packed scene of a high profile bank robbery performed by a handful of thugs in clown masks. As they're picked off one by one, each by another member of the 'team,' the way this episode is going to end becomes clear. It also gives the audience a nice, big insight into the way The Joker operates: there's always more to the job than meets the eye, no one in his inner circle is safe, and it's more about the job itself than the pay-off. This guy is both instantly charismatic and totally lethal, and he's so unpredictable that he's virtually impossible to stop. As he says in a later scene, "It's not about money, it's about sending a message."

Meanwhile, in the rest of Gotham, Bruce Wayne's nightly work as masked vigilante has begun to yield broader results: the new DA, Harvey Dent, has made progress in tracking down and locking up Gotham's widespread mobsters; Lieutenant Gordan is keeping communication open with the Batman to help bring in the criminals; and a handful of Batman copycats have popped up to lend a hand, much to Bruce's dismay and embarrassment. The two main targets of the law enforcers are The Joker, who at first seems nothing more than a colorful, violent bank robber; and the wealthy, corrupt underbelly of the city's most powerful people. Things are far from perfect, but the point is the general public is beginning to take action, which is just what Bruce Wayne intended by becoming the Batman in the previous film. So, things are looking up, right? Of course not. That would be too easy.

Put The Joker at the head of the mobster gang, throw in a sticky love triangle between Dent, Bruce, and Assistant DA Rachel Dawes, and add the ineffectualness of the police force plus the corruptibility of the Gotham populace, and you very quickly end up with a big ole mess that means Batman might not be enough to save the day any more. As Michael Caine's Alfred optimistically points out, "Things were always going to get worse before they got better," but Bruce isn't so hopeful. His inability to stop The Joker from destroying buildings, public officials, bystanders, and Gotham's faith in its caped crusader – and staying three steps ahead of everyone else in the process – almost forces Bruce to turn himself in. Almost.

Acting

So, first things first: Everything you've heard about Heath Ledger's Joker is true. It's not sympathy praise, and it's not hype – it is real. His performance will make you laugh out loud, recoil in disgust, and possibly give you nightmares – and you'll love every second of it. (Although I personally was not one bit surprised.) The other members of the tight ensemble cast are fabulous as well, but this picture unarguably belongs to Ledger. He steals every scene he's in, and you miss him when he's not there.

Christian Bale proved himself in Batman Begins as by far the best Batman/Bruce Wayne ever, and he kept that trend going for this. Not many people can pull off stoic and righteous, butch and battle-ready, and stylishly arrogant in the same role. Bale does it all with such grace and humanity that it makes it easy to relate to him, even though few (if any) of the viewers are masked vigilante billionaires themselves. Caine is consistently heartwarming and wise as Alfred, and Morgan Freeman gives the same solidity to Lucius Fox; Gary Oldman brings both toughness and unshakeable idealism to Commissioner Gordon; and Maggie Gyllenhaal trumps Katie Holmes's brief stint as Dawes without hardly trying.

And then there's Aaron Eckhart. I usually dismiss him on sight – I just can't take him seriously after watching Thank You For Smoking – but he takes the part of Harvey Dent to a level never before seen on screen. If the character doesn't ring any bells for you, I won't tell you what his problem is exactly. But I will say that his 'twist' is foreshadowed with subtlety and style, and Eckhart's good looks and charm combined with that sleazy, televangelist-ish je ne sais quoi that makes me just not like him are absolutely perfect for this character.

Verdict: This movie is so dark, so rife with desolation and the potential for corruption in everyday folk, but also so action-packed and ironically hilarious, that I left it feeling both cold from the shellshock and jittery with adrenaline. It's a wild ride, a very unique and engaging story, and I have enjoyed it more and more with every viewing. I'm not generous with my ratings generally, but this one exceeded my every expectation. Well done.

Laurel [guest reviewer]