Batman
“The Dark Knight” is a labyrinthine tale of crime and heroism. More than just a superhero battle pitting Batman against the Joker, the film combines the plot of an intricate Martin Scorsese mob drama with the visual eye of cult Korean filmmaker Chan-wook Park. Think more “L.A. Confidential” than “Spider-Man.”
Aside from a few minor motivation issues and an ending that pops up like a random red light on a long speedy highway, it’s also one of the most satisfying superhero sequels to date. It suffers only from its own excess, and even then, excess in a great movie is the best kind.
“The Dark Knight” picks up soon after 2005’s “Batman Begins.” The screenplay by director Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan quickly reminds the audience where the story ended before beginning to weave a new and immense canvas.
The main two threads in that canvas are the Joker, played with evil glee by Heath Ledger, and District Attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Eckhart. Each is on a separate quest to mold Gotham City in his own unique way, the former through crime and the latter through the law. Both realize Batman is the key to those plans because his individualism has simultaneously inspired and scared the city into changing. So Joker and Dent set plans into motion with Batman as the centerpiece. From there the film is a maze of double crosses, cool gadgets and breathtaking action (especially in IMAX, where several scenes are shot in the considerably larger format).
This time, Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne is a far more confident and interesting character as his life as Batman begins to weigh heavily on him. His confidants, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal (replacing Katie Holmes as Rachel), Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, all add a nice human touch to the movie, and Gary Oldman steals scenes as Lt. Jim Gordon, Batman’s friend on the inside.
However, the villains of “The Dark Knight” give the film its beating heart. Ledger’s Joker is a pleasure to watch. He’s so scary but also so quietly confident you can’t help but smile when he’s on the screen. As for Eckhart’s Dent, well, you’ll have to see it to believe it.
But after an awesome introduction, a brief dry spot and then almost 90 minutes of near cinematic perfection, the two-and-a-half-hour epic suddenly ends. It begs the question, why not leave the audience a bit more satisfied?
For the answer, think back to the previous 150 minutes you might have forgotten because of exhaustion. It’s all right there.
