The Dark Knight Review. Has Batman Met His Match?

Someone got a torch? M?

I was blown away by this fantastically good movie; it is as dark as it is intense. It has been a while since I had been to watch a movie on the big screen and I was not disappointed in The Dark Night, more like I was disappointed by the theatre that showed it, apparently they received a damaged copy and did not bother to return it for a replacement and showed it to the public in that format without alerting them that there was a problem with the sound in some sections of the film and would experience muffled sound on several scenes including some extremely critical parts of the movie. That was very irresponsible of them since they did lose credibility and more because all the people within earshot were grumbling rather loudly about the hiccups.

Nuts i tell you!

Christian Bale’s [Batman/Bruce Wayne] chiselled features even with a face that gives nothing away was one upped by Heath Ledger [The Joker], who was extremely convincing in this role as he muttered and mumbled his way through this role with such enthusiasm that it was eerie to watch as he revelled in teasing and terrorizing Gotham and shaking it to the core, to the point the citizens demanded that he be given what he demanded.

This movie is not far flung from its original unlike Batman Begins where Batman does it all on his own. Here all the actors have a chance to shine, show their mettle, particularly the Joker who spits out the lines with such venom and spite that you could be convinced that he wrote them himself. The chaos, anarchy and the psychological approach taken to this character makes this seemingly simple oddball so complex, so chillingly convincing to the point of questioning what you would do in case you were faced with the very same dilemma.

Limited edition

In between the stunts, explosions, bank robbing anarchy and wanton destruction that are liberally spread out all over the two and a half hour running time of the movie are gems of lines that demand a chuckle or two breaking the tense, edge of your seat action sequences. The writers managed to keep me guessing at the plot all the way to the end and to pull a fast one on me, you have to be that good. One scene with The Joker and what he did with a sharpened pencil made my day, then the scene at the General Hospital as he is walking away, priceless.

This is a true boy movie, the gadgets, wanton mayhem and destruction is all right up our alley. All in all it tries to tickle the noggin on deep philosophical stuff, the scene with the two ferries, moral boundaries, sacrifice and whether when faced with an opponent with no sense of morality, would you bring yourself down to the same level if that is the only way you shall be able to tackle him, do the ends justify the means? Would people degenerate to fiendish method if faced by an impossible choice in the quest of self-preservation?