I couldn’t possibly make the The Dark Knight look any better than it already is because superlatives have been already heaped to the high heavens on this particular Bat movie. I haven’t read anything remotely bad about The Dark Knight, so giving it praise and posting another positive review would be utterly redundant already. Rather, I will just tell you why I like it (which is pretty much the same as giving it a positive review, haha). I just couldn’t resist telling you why the movie kicks butt.
1. This Batman has more cojones than all the other Batmans from the past movies put together. He is more physical, more hands-on with kicking the asses of his enemies compared to his earlier counterparts. Remember the interrogation scene with the Joker? Boy, that was a helluva beating the Joker got there. Christopher Nolan’s Batman is, for the lack of a better word, real. He gets hurt as much as he inflicts pain. This Batman does not hide behind his gadgets – he gets down and dirty and does not mind messing up his Batsuit.
2. The cars and the toys. The drool-worthy Batmobile, which is a cross between a tank and a Lamborghini, can make minced meat out of other cars stupid enough to challenge it to a collision course. And it just got better. As if the damn vehicle itself isn’t enough to make you purple with car envy, it also gives birth to an awesome Batpod upon self-destruction. Unquestionably, the Batpod is the meanest, bad ass motorcycle I’ve ever seen. A bike with monstrous 508-millimeter truck wheels? Beats a Harley anytime.
3. Gary Oldman. Morgan Freeman. Michael Caine. And yes, even Aaron Eckhart. Rare is the movie which combines such class acts, in a superhero movie, no less. Gary Oldman’s restrained acting is such a remarkable feat, given that he is usually known for outlandish roles. Michael Caine is just perfect as Alfred, no chinks there. Morgan Freeman? Like, can this man ever produce bad acting? Aaron Eckhart did a great job as Two-Face, and he managed to make his character shine even with the undeniable presence of Heath Ledger, which pretty much eclipsed all the other actors present in this movie, as good as they were.
4. Heath Ledger as the Joker. The man is undeniably a sublime actor, but what really made it work for him in The Dark Knight is that he basically nailed the character of Batman’s number one nemesis. Jack Nicholson was great in Batman, and his Joker was appropriate for how Tim Burton wanted his Bat movie to roll. However, Jack’s Joker was funny, campy and a tad cartoonish, even if he is a bad guy – Heath Ledger’s was pure evil, the way DC’s Joker should be – a violent, remorseless villain that you can almost mistake for crazy.* This is the most accurate Joker that you have seen, or will ever see.
