Studio: Warner Home Video Release Date: 12/09/2008 Run time: 151 minutes Rating: Pg13
The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralyzed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.
In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director-cowriter Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
WOW!:
WOW! This film is amazing with non-stop action. One person wrote, " The hero is only as good as his villain", and they were both great!. Heath Ledger as the Joker was remarkable! This is NOT a movie for small kids. Lots of violence. A must see....
Drab (This review contains plot spoilers):
As a man of intellect who greatly values logic and reason , I enjoy complex films like Mulholland drive that foster long conversations after viewing. But I also enjoy indulging in mindless action films. Like Kevin Smith (in his latest talk, now out on DVD titled "Sold Out, A threevening with Kevin Smith"), when I too was first faced with John McLain riding on the wing of a Harrier Jet in the lastest Die Hard film I also thought, why not, it's John McLain! The Dark Knight attempts to be both an action film... more info
Come on:
Its Batman and there's no neon (the Schumacher Batman), or baby stealing parades (Batman Returns). Gritty realism make this movie.
This movie is an experience:
A tight script gives Christian Bale and Heath Ledger a nifty platform to strut their stuff. This is a wonderfully fresh, yet faithful, interpretation of the batman saga. Many people have related the plotline, so I'll mention a few things the movie made me think about. The Batman and James Bond franchises had grown stale and both series revived their appeal by becoming gritty without losing their moral compass. (Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition)and Casino Royale (2-Disc Widescreen Edition)) The... more info
