I have been given the go ahead to review The Dark Knight, but this is the type of film that I need to see at least two or three times before attempting such a task. The film is so very expansive, so incredibly epic. I decided that instead of a full review, I will just share my first impressions. But let’s first talk expectations. Going into 2008, I was looking forward to only a few films, The Dark Knight being one of them. WALL-E was also at the top of my list, and Pixar’s latest didn’t disappoint. I was very sure that WALL-E would end up being my favorite film of the year, and it is… errr WAS. That is until I saw The Dark Knight. I screened the film last month in Los Angeles, and now that I’ve had a few days to think about the film, I thought I would share my ten spoiler-free reasons why I believe that The Dark Knight is a masterpiece-an almost flawless comic book movie adaptation.
Behind the mask: Christian Bale revives his role as Bruce Wayne (Photo by: Warner Bros.)
1.The Movie is epic —
The Dark Knight is not just a superhero movie. It is the first comic book adaptation to transcend the genre. Imagine one of the greatest crime thrillers of all time, which just happens to have a guy who dresses in a bat costume and fights crime. Think Godfather 2 or Heat, with an insane terrorist who paints his face like a clown and goes around killing random people. It’s expansive in feel and tone. It’s the type of film that you make a point to refer to as a “film” instead of a “movie”.
2. Bigger, better, longer — I’ll admit that I wasn’t completely blown away by Batman Begins. Sure, it was the best Batman film to date, incorporating darker themes and a sense of realism that the franchise had never seen before. But Batman Begins is also not without its problems. I think even hardcore fans would agree that the film suffers from third act problems. The Dark Knight is bigger and better in every single way. The film is 152 minutes (two hours and thirty two minutes) long, and every second is gripping. Does it feel long? Yeah. But at the same time I wouldn’t have removed a thing. Every single second is necessary to tell this story. Nolan even keeps some plot developments off screen that resonate in various scenes throughout the film.
3.Heath Ledger — Some friends have expressed concern that the death of Heath Ledger will taint their Dark Knight viewing experience. It doesn’t, and here is why - Heath is amazing. From the first second he steps on screen you will forget that there is an actor behind the make-up. Heath doesn’t play The Joker, he IS the Joker. You will believe that a psychopath wearing clown makeup is terrorizing a whole city. The performance is Oscar worthy. What Anthony Hopkins did for Hannibal Lector, Ledger does for The Joker.
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