- Title: The Dark Knight
- IMDB: link
In a summer of super heroes and villains both on screen and off screen The Dark Knight rises above and knocks all of them off the charts. This film will stand the test of time going darker and deeper into a world of crime and punishment than anybody ever has for a comic book film. The Dark Crusader (Christian Bale) holds on to what little humanity he has through his close companions Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), if not for them he would loose all compassion and be swallowed into his own mask of self-pity and battling ego.
Alfred, is life time friend and butler, keeps it real, he reminds Bruce Wayne from time to time that causalities occur and it’s his role as Batman to endure and move on. Sometimes you have to accept the loss of a few innocents to save the masses. Lucius is Bruce’s right-hand man at both running his company and building him the most recent vehicles, uniforms and gadgets to keep Batman safe on the streets of Gotham. Lucius also does a great job of reminding Bruce when he is crossing over into territory that goes too far in the name of saving Gotham City and its residence.
Batman teams up with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to bring down once and for all the entire mob scene in Gotham. In a risky venture the threesome hit each and every member where it hurts them most, their money. Playing games with the leader of the pack, Salvatore Maroni (Eric Roberts), isn’t a smart move and in return Salvatore pulls out all the stops and lets a mad dog out on the streets. The Joker (Heath Ledger) is a monster like no other, he has no reason, no purpose, he just likes to create death and chaos. Here the villain plays at the top of his game to entrap Batman in his own moral dilemmas and provokes him to break his own rules. The Joker, playing on faith that the Gothamites are a lower class group of scum and citizens who rather see one another burn than to piss on them to put them out, looses his bet. It didn’t work; Gotham did not turn on itself, but did turn on Batman claiming him as a vigilante of justice and should have to answer to the same laws as everyone else.
Harvey Dent putting it right back in their faces, helped the citizens of Gotham realize that they need a hero like Batman, they need someone who is willing to get their hands dirty to save their precious little city. Bruce and Batman tries to convince Harvey that he’s the true hero of Gotham and he should step up and fill that role. Harvey plays on the humble card and pretends to be of noble service to the community. With the backing of Bruce’s ex-girlfriend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and all her support in court and out of court, how could Harvey lose?
Rachel can’t make up her mind, does she love Harvey or does she love Bruce and all the bats in his closet? Bruce believes if he gave up his secret identity and let someone else fill his shoes as hero of Gotham that Rachel would come back to him. Maybe Rachel isn’t as much of a fit for a true hero, but when all is said and done we will never know. Harvey and Rachel are in a huge explosion courtesy of The Joker and in retaliation Harvey depends on his split personality and his lucky coin to get even with Batman, Lieutenant Gordon and his flunkies for the pain and suffering they have caused. Harvey becomes Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart) and administers a little of his own justice.
Finally Batman pulls off the trick of all tricks, he still gives Harvey all the credit and keeps his own identity of vigilante for the public to judge.
To date The Dark Knight is the best Batman film released, but in some areas it may have dragged on too long and it would have been nice to see the Cape Crusader act just a bit more human. Some of the special effects and sounds drowned out the dialogue from time to time and the electronic voice change for Bale when he plays the vigilante hero is way too much. I think the film would be better off to use Bale’s actual voice as Batman, seriously when he puts on that suit it shouldn’t alter or affect his voice.
Most anticipated from the general public is the opportunity to see Two-Face in all his burned up glory. People whom I have spoken with are peeing their pants over this chance of grizzly well-done facial viewing. Aaron Eckhart pulls off the genuine and kind public service defender and turns into evil hateful spiteful Two-Face without a glitch.
The film is a keeper and worth watching multiple times, I can’t wait for midnight I’m going to see it again.