‘The Dark Knight’ Review

As the film is still etched in our minds as deeply as a Chelsea grin, here is my review for The Dark Knight:

 

 

An overview of American cinema indicates the special place comic book films hold in the summertime. They stick to the money-making formula: light-as-air storylines buffed by heavy computer-generated fireworks; in essence, finding any old reason to put the camera lens on iconic superheroes. This summer, though, visionary director Christopher Nolan throws moviegoers an epic curveball, with the control of a Daisuke Matsuzaka and the scope of a Michael Mann. The Dark Knight is no ordinary comic flick. Infused with electric performances (one of them career-defining), measured dialogue, pulse-pounding action and subtle analyses of human society, the film is a landmark achievement as well as a terrific ode to the legendary Batman. This summer, why bother with fun in the sun when can you can revel in such marvelous darkness?

The Dark Knight follows billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as he struggles with his alternate ego, the Batman. The people of Gotham City love Bruce but despise the Knight, labeling him a troublesome vigilante despite his ongoing efforts to fight crime. Time to contemplate his future, though, is hard to find, thanks to the appearance of a psychotic, sickly criminal calling himself the Joker (Heath Ledger). Armed with as many knives and bombs as playing cards, the Joker is hell-bent on throwing Gotham into a state of anarchy, where the only rule is that there can truly be no rules. Add District Attorney Harvey Dent’s (Aaron Eckhart) new ties to Rachel Dawes (Bruce’s ex-girlfriend) as well as his many successful criminal prosecutions, and you’ve got a brooding, embattled superhero. Nolan’s carefully crafted script, in this way, gives audiences food for thought.

It’s not all a philosophical affair, though. Rest assured, The Dark Knight is also propped up by carefully-timed explosions, riveting car chases and a well-designed opening bank heist. Take note that this is one loud movie. When exposition is not the focus of the film, guns are fired and bombs are detonated at regular intervals. The experience may prove either brilliant or headache-inducing, depending on how you like your movies served up.

The film’s weight is truly carried by stellar performances across the board from the cast. Lead man Bale is as steady and impressive as ever; he’s clearly gotten a strong feel for his character since Batman Begins. Eckhart is sharp and devoted as Gotham’s legal crimefighter, and Gary Oldman is superb as Commissioner Gordon. The spotlight, though, is particularly narrow this time. It rests on the slouched, clammy, feral figure of Heath Ledger, glowing with his gruesome Glasgow smile.

With a half-drunk cruelty, he toys with his victims, painting red smiles across their lifeless faces. With the persuasive skill of a loan shark and the reckless abandon of a pyrophiliac, he manipulates the mobs of Gotham like chess pieces on a grand board. To him, the best town is a charred one, a smoldering mess he can call his kingdom. Ledger brings a psychotic playfulness and vicious sense of humor to Batman’s archnemesis, and the end result is nothing short of chilling. Consider Jack Nicholson’s Joker no more. If Ledger wins an Oscar for this role, it won’t be because he passed away.

The Dark Knight is a symphony of cinematic artistry hitting crescendo. Viewers will feel as if they have been strung right into the mesmerizing act. Christopher Nolan proves that he is an experienced maestro, and that superhero movies are not made to the tune of children but to the tune of all people. He has developed the best comic book film to date, and future challengers will be hard-pressed to find a way to soar higher than the Knight himself.

- Syed