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- First reviewJuly 18, 2008
- Last reviewJuly 18, 2008
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JokerLives's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
"Best Movie Ever"
PostedJuly 18, 2008
JokerLives
from Annandale, VA
How is it that the example review title is the best possible way to describe the epicness that is "The Dark Knight"? I have no idea how to properly describe this movie, so I'll do it in categories:
1. Cinematography: Many of the heist sequences were filmed in IMAX, and WOW, does it show. Numerous shots are breathtaking, particularly the Hong Kong scenes with Batman, and the Police march scenes. 10/10
2. Music: Hans Zimmer may be the most overused composer in the business, but he really gives a knockout soundtrack; it keeps the suspense to a knifepoint (irony) at the perfect spots, and it really gives a sense of disorder and chaos whenever The Joker is in the room. 11/10
3. Story: Brilliant. Pure brilliance. Twists and turns at EVERY corner. Many fans may be put off that Ledger's Joker doesn't have bleached skin and green hair, like Jack Nicholson in particular, but honestly, when Batman is the most realistic superhero, why would The Joker be such an unrealistic villain, since there is no way that can happen. The Joker's backstory is never fully explained either, like in the 1989 Tim Burton "Batman" film; the only backstory the audience learns is through two conflicting stories The Joker tells about how he got his scar "smile," but to me, this makes The Joker all the more intriguing. The Joker threatens to kill people every day that Batman does not reveal himself and turn himself in, and every trick Batman knows isn't working to catch him, because he has finally found someone more calculating, anonymous and unpredictable than him. Yet, contradictory to the Joker's first line, what ever doesn't kill you does not make you "stranger," but indeed, stronger, because it makes Batman reexamine his resolve, strengthening it like reforged steel. However, the first time I saw this film, I thought that the final scene and ending had nothing to do with the main plot and was VERY abrupt, but now I realize that it is indeed very relevant to themes of the movie, and really is an original ending. Be warned, there is NO denouement or introduction; the plot comes out of the gate at lightspeed and doesn't stop for a minute until the end. 1000000000000000000000000000000/10
4. Script: YET MORE BRILLIANCE. I have NEVER seen a comic book movie with a better, deeper script and themes than this film. Christopher and Jonathan Nolan take Batman VERY seriously, and the themes of "What is a hero?", "What is the price of justice?" and "Deep down, are we all insane enough to kill?", are not only well thought-out but remind me a lot of "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding. The dialogue between Batman and The Joker is particularly excellent, and really shows that even though they are perfect opposites, ironically, they are the same type of person. 1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10
5. Acting: This is where "The Dark Knight" goes from simply "excellent" to "PERFECTION." Even though Christian Bale is a great and thoughtful, yet terrifying and menacing Batman, Gary Oldman is a perfectly ernest and honest Lt. Gordon, Rachel Dawes, played by Maggie Gyllenhall (personally the biggest improvement from Batman Begins, since Katie Holmes can't act her way out of a paper bag), is a very good conflicted love interest, and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face is one of most tragic characters in modern cinema ... THIS IS HEATH LEDGER'S SHOW. It is simply MIND-BOGGLING how unique and complicated The Joker is in the hands of Heath Ledger. Actually, that is a bad analogy, because Heath Ledger IS The Joker. He perfectly replicates my favorite version of him, as seen in "The Killing Joke" by Alan Moore, where he is pure chaos and anarchy incarnated, and he is having a hell of a good time being it. Once again, be warned, The Joker in this film is the most diabolical villian since Anton Chugurh in "No Country for Old Men," and I would argue, more evil, since, ironically like Two-Face, he uses a coin to pick who he kills as his one rule, yet The Joker does anything and everything he wants. Heath Ledger alone turns this film into what could even be an R film if they showed the blood and gore of the violence, not to mention the certainty that any child under 10 will be scared out of their wits by him, but yet turns the film into a more mature, all the more beautiful an allegory. The real tragedy is that this would have been the best role of his career, and is the best acting I have seen all year. Actually, now that I think about it, this contributes even more to the theme of chance and chaos, since the world randomly chooses who lives and who dies, regardless of how talented or young they are. Nevertheless, if Heath Ledger does not get a posthumous Oscar, it will be one of the greatest crimes against humanity in the history of Hollywood.
1000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000/10
Best comic book movie of all time, yet, once again, is ironic since it feels nothing like a comic book movie, it's waaay too realistic for that. That is the true triumph of the film, that I think is a major accomplishment for all aspiring comic book films, because now people realize just HOW GREAT and relevant these characters and stories are. On the flipside of that (pun intended), the bar is PERMANENTLY RAISED much, much higher. There is almost no way the third film can be as good, especially without Heath Ledger.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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