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The Dark Knight Director: Christopher Nolan Writer(s): Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan, David S. Goyer, Bob Kane By: Eric Rosenhek The best advice that can be given to anyone who has yet to see The Dark Knight is to approach this film with a clear head. Ignore the film’s hype as well as the passionate ravings from friends, family and certain film critics. Failure to follow this instruction will leave you feeling cheated and disappointed. The Dark Knight is the sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins. This follow-up features the debut of Batman’s arch nemesis, The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger. With help from Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman (Christian Bale) tries to bring the psychotic criminal to justice. He also questions his purpose and whether there is any hope for Gotham City. There’s nothing physically wrong with The Dark Knight. It’s entertaining and suspenseful. Director Christopher Nolan perfectly captures the true character of Batman: the tortured and vengeful protagonist, who accepts his role as a vigilante and doesn’t try to win the hearts of Gotham’s citizens (fitting in nicely with the versions given by Frank Miller and Tim Burton, and not the childish versions given by individuals such as Adam West and Joel Schumacher). The main issue with The Dark Knight is that it promotes itself to be more than just a film. It gives the impression that you are about to witness the greatest cinematic production; a film that easily trumps classics like The Godfather (1972) and Citizen Kane (1941). This is by no means the fault of the film’s marketing crew. Instead, this notion was created by crazed Batman fans. Unlike other Batman films, these enthusiasts seem to feel The Dark Knight will provide a deep, personal impact. Sadly, this is not the case. You might like the film, but you won’t be “blown away.” A perfect example of this problem involves Ledger’s performance. Since the film’s release, critics and fans demanded that the deceased actor be awarded an Oscar, based on his performance as The Joker. The trailer certainly provided what appeared to be a small sample of Ledger’s magnificent interpretation of the insane villain. Therefore, it would make sense that the film would exceed your expectations of Ledger’s performance, which were based on the trailer. Unfortunately, The Dark Knight only confirms your expectations instead of exceeding them. Ledger does give a fantastic performance, but you don’t need to watch The Dark Knight to realize this. Watching the trailer is sufficient enough. To make matters worse, the excitement surrounding Ledger overshadows the real star of the film, Aaron Eckhart. If anyone deserves an Oscar, it would have to be Eckhart. He is superb as the passionate Harvey Dent, who ultimately becomes the multi-dimensional criminal, Two-Face. The film showcases the development of Eckhart’s character. Harvey Dent was Gotham’s white knight. He was not afraid to stand up to the criminals, nor was he afraid to expose his true identity while Bruce Wayne hid behind a mask. However, Dent’s crusade cost him dearly. He’s disfigured and transforms into a creature that is deeply insane and ruthless. This is effectively conveyed by Eckhart, leaving you captivated with his portrayal of this tragic figure. The Dark Knight is an admirable film, but only if you enter the theatre with a clear mind. Unfortunately, it is increasingly harder to ignore the hype, as it is coming from multiple venues. Fans of the Caped Crusader will automatically love the film. Those who aren’t as passionate are a different story. Just remember, getting caught up with the film’s hype will simply ruin the experience. |