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The Dark Knight: A Review
I’ve heard it said a few times by skeptics that Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker was only getting good reviews due to his untimely death. After seeing the movie, I submit to you that this is false. Ledger’s performance was in fact better than expected. The Dark Knight explores where the fight between darkness and light really takes place, the mind.
The Joker conducts a city wide experiment witch takes aim at the corruptibility, or lack there of, in three of the most noble and most noticed people in the Gotham city. Attempting to prove to Batman, and to himself, that when faced with their mortality, the people of Gotham will follow their darker ambitions in order to stay alive. The Joker seems to have a good knowledge of the human mind as he uses this to get people to react the way he wants. For example, once caught, he angers the guard at the door to get the edge he needs to escape. Ledger’s portrayal of the psychotic Joker was as entertaining as the Nicholson approach to the character, and it’s nice to see a new perspective.
Director, Christopher Nolan, also introduces another well known Batman villain, Harvey Two-Face. The motivation he used to move Harvey from good to evil is certainly questionable. On top of this, Harvey seems to be too attached to his girlfriend to catch on to what’s happening around him fast enough. However, Nolan’s portrayal of human frailty is so strong I will say it’s almost believable. I thoroughly enjoyed Christopher Nolan’s examples of relationships gone bad, crazy clown’s who play mind games, and a heroes conflict with who he is and who he wants to be.
Christian Bale brings a lot of new humanity to Batman, but with it also came a new sound to come out of Batman’s mouth. In Batman Begins, Bale dropped his voice and added more breathe when in the Batman costume and took it to the extreme for the Dark Knight. I can understand the need to disguise his voice so that the blind can’t identify him, but the voice disguise is pushed a little too far. Thus an attempt to intimidate the enemy becomes comical. Voice problem’s aside, I do like the way Bale brought back the Micheal Keaton Batman, and made him seem just a pinch more vulnerable.
I’m giving the cinematographer two thumbs up on his beautiful camera work. You feel as though you’re there with the cast. You follow the Bruce Wayne out windows and down buildings; it’s as close to being Batman yourself as you’re going to get. The director who brought you “Memento”, “Insomnia” and most recently “The Prestige,” continues his refreshing, more serious Batman, giving us all a break from the silly, wannabe-comedy Batman as brought to us by Joel Schumacher. The Dark Knight’s week Two-Face motive and comical Batman voice are countered by a strong and engaging story line, wonderful camera work and new perspectives; wich is why I’m giving The Dark Knight a B+.
