Film Review: The Dark Knight

by Gail Campbell-Thomson

THE DARK KNIGHT (Cert 12A, 152 mins)
Stars: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman
Written by Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Directed by Christopher Nolan

WITH Batman Begins, director Christopher Nolan gave us a grittily believable anti-hero who would appeal just as much to adults as to kids. With The Dark Knight, Nolan returns with an adrenaline pumping yet thoughtful film in many ways superior to its predecessor.

Like his first effort, this is a serious work, not a kid's film. No doubt, there will be many elements to the movie that kids will enjoy, but Nolan has crafted a richly textured adult story populated with believable, fully fleshed-out characters and serious moralistic underpinnings which raise it head and shoulders above 'just another superhero flick'.

In fact, only some deft editing keeps the gorier onscreen moments to a minimum, and the film's certificate to a 12A, while keeping the pervading sense of threat, tension, tragedy and at moments, downright fear almost physically tangible.

Batman's (Christian Bale) one-man war on the mob in Gotham City has crime bosses running scared. With the unofficial aid of police Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the flashily crusading District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) – along with Bruce Wayne's former flame and Dent's now girlfriend Assistant DA, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) - the writing seem to be on the wall for organised crime in Gotham.

In desperation mob bosses turn to the new villain on the block, the charismatically brilliant but seemingly insane Joker (Heath Ledger) in order to do what they cannot – save their lucrative empires by killing the Batman.

But the Joker has an agenda of his own…

Liberated from the burden of laying out the character's origins and moody introspection, Nolan is free to impose more of his artistic sensibilities after a strong start with Batman Begins.

The Dark Knight is not a sequel in the usual sense of the word. It is a film which stands alone on its own merits – which are considerable.

The richly textured narrative is paced solidly, and Nolan hands the audience an often dizzying amount of information with impressive skill and pace. At 152 mins, Dark Knight is long running, but considering the intricacy of the story, justifiably so - repeat viewings may be a must to fully appreciate its full complexity.

Yet that isn't to say that the action is difficult to follow.

Wally Pfister's dramatic cinematography and the utilisation of IMAX cameras in action set pieces ensure a stunning visual style both in the neon-bathed glass and steel metropolis that is Gotham City, and to the exceptional visual effects. There is a real sense of scale, energy and danger to the action thanks to some impressive, yet low-key, CGI effects which give a realistic sense of weight and physicality which is all too lacking in many recent 'action' movies. Add to that some impeccably choreographed stunt-work and fight sequences and the overall effect is truly outstanding.

Once again, Nolan has assembled a fantastic cast to do his characters justice.

Christian Bale is superb in his dual role of suave, seemingly frivolous playboy Bruce Wayne by day, driven, tortured anti-hero by night. The gadgets are just window dressing as Bale gives a broodingly quiet, solid strength and honest courage to an all-too-human character who realises the horrific personal sacrifices he is going to have to make in order to be the protector that Gotham needs.

Yet the film is almost (but not quite) stolen by the late Heath Ledger who gives an absolutely extraordinary performance as the Joker. He devours the role with a psychotic and truly frightening relish as the mutilated mask of unrelenting, remorseless chaos with a deliciously appalling sense of gallows-humour. The nightmarish make-up, horrific scars, keen intelligence and complete lack of interest in anything but anarchy is chillingly mesmerising to behold.

His fiendishly unpredictable antics throw an uncomfortable spotlight on everyone's shortcomings – right down to the most seemingly law-abiding citizen of Gotham, forcing everybody to their limits in an unrelenting quest to push everyone past them.

Aaron Eckhart is excellent as Gotham's shining White Knight, Harvey Dent, who it literally brought face to face with his own dark side. While Maggie Gyllenhaal is smart and sophisticated despite being a tad underserved by her role as the personification of Batman's hope for a normal life, and Dent's love interest respectively, and does her best with one of the more (sadly) underwritten roles in the piece.

Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman return again to provide an excellent supporting cast, particularly Oldman who excels as the only truly honest cop left in Gotham trying to make a difference while being surrounded by corruption.

The Dark Knight is a rich, visually stunning and thrilling look into the darker side of humanity, the importance of hope, and the very nature of what makes a hero heroic.