A review of The Dark Knight
I have seen the movie I have been anticipating for nearly a year now. I can recall clearly the my feelings at learning that Heath Ledger would be playing the Joker, my elation that Katie Holmes would not be returning, and growing excitement as reviews argued back and forth as to the film's elements and themes.
And it was almost all ruined by a 2 minute trailer at the start of the movie.
The graphic novel of the Watchmen has been a fave of mine for years, and having now seen how the movie will play out in visual effect I am thrilled - This might not actually suck ass.
And then Batman started. Unlike the last film, where most of the villainy was done in the dark, this movie made it clear that those driven to chaos don't care if the sun is up or down. In fact they don't really care.
Through out the film Joker's primary talent was in understand cause and effect to a much greater depth and degree than anyone - in many cases including the audience. His goal set was more contained in forcing those around him to react to his schemes through fear rather than by greed or any similar process. Unlike most terrorists there was no political goal, just a deep need to watch everyone run around, to push them into his vision of humor as he forces people to break their own rules to save themselves or others.
Batman himself takes a back seat to the Joker, with Harvey Dent playing a distant third. Dent's pure revenge kick as Two-Face was disappointing, and the damage done to his face was a severe suspension of disbelief moment. The buildup of Dent being the White Knight of Gothas was a bit forced as well, but Aaron Eckhart managed to make some lemonade with what he had. His intensity as Two-Face was solid, and the demonstrations we had of the chinks in his do-gooding armor definately made for a conistent plot line through the film.
Yet I keep coming back to the Joker - The themese, messages, and allegories contained with this character are profound. His vision of chaos, or at least a destruction of order, is incredibly organized. His schemes are inventive, cohesive, the Joker has an extremely adept ability to plan and push his capers through to the edge of success. To be honest, this is the first Joker I've seen on film to come close to the comic books, at least a 'Death in the Family' (Where Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon and attempts to drive the Commissioner insane), or when the Joker beat Jason Todd, the Robin at the time, to death with a crowbar because he thought it was hilarious for the Bat to find a broken bird.
It was this giggling creature that I have had a fascination with for years, and Ledger's portrayal was so intensely spot on that I left the theatre giddy which faded into a sort of subdued cogitation process. The droning buzz that acompanied the Joker's time on the screen added a sense of dread and build up as fine as the most terrifying horror film. His jokes were indeed horrible, and his origin story (as he told it) wandered about with it's fiction being the only certainty.
I loved this movie. I have been thinking on it for the better part of a day, and I love that a superhero comic book movie can do that. I love that a villain has been redefined in a modern way that will become as timeless and classic as a rubbert shark or a man in a hockey mask.
And it was almost all ruined by a 2 minute trailer at the start of the movie.
The graphic novel of the Watchmen has been a fave of mine for years, and having now seen how the movie will play out in visual effect I am thrilled - This might not actually suck ass.
And then Batman started. Unlike the last film, where most of the villainy was done in the dark, this movie made it clear that those driven to chaos don't care if the sun is up or down. In fact they don't really care.
Through out the film Joker's primary talent was in understand cause and effect to a much greater depth and degree than anyone - in many cases including the audience. His goal set was more contained in forcing those around him to react to his schemes through fear rather than by greed or any similar process. Unlike most terrorists there was no political goal, just a deep need to watch everyone run around, to push them into his vision of humor as he forces people to break their own rules to save themselves or others.
Batman himself takes a back seat to the Joker, with Harvey Dent playing a distant third. Dent's pure revenge kick as Two-Face was disappointing, and the damage done to his face was a severe suspension of disbelief moment. The buildup of Dent being the White Knight of Gothas was a bit forced as well, but Aaron Eckhart managed to make some lemonade with what he had. His intensity as Two-Face was solid, and the demonstrations we had of the chinks in his do-gooding armor definately made for a conistent plot line through the film.
Yet I keep coming back to the Joker - The themese, messages, and allegories contained with this character are profound. His vision of chaos, or at least a destruction of order, is incredibly organized. His schemes are inventive, cohesive, the Joker has an extremely adept ability to plan and push his capers through to the edge of success. To be honest, this is the first Joker I've seen on film to come close to the comic books, at least a 'Death in the Family' (Where Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon and attempts to drive the Commissioner insane), or when the Joker beat Jason Todd, the Robin at the time, to death with a crowbar because he thought it was hilarious for the Bat to find a broken bird.
It was this giggling creature that I have had a fascination with for years, and Ledger's portrayal was so intensely spot on that I left the theatre giddy which faded into a sort of subdued cogitation process. The droning buzz that acompanied the Joker's time on the screen added a sense of dread and build up as fine as the most terrifying horror film. His jokes were indeed horrible, and his origin story (as he told it) wandered about with it's fiction being the only certainty.
I loved this movie. I have been thinking on it for the better part of a day, and I love that a superhero comic book movie can do that. I love that a villain has been redefined in a modern way that will become as timeless and classic as a rubbert shark or a man in a hockey mask.