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Batman: The Dark Knight by Benjamin Donne
I left the cinema after watching 'The Dark Knight' speechless. I find it hard to write about because from start to finish it was sheer class. A normal review would go on to talk about the positive and negative side of this film. I have searched and searched the film for a negative point and I am honestly struggling to find one. I entered the cinema hoping that the film would live up to all the hype I had heard before I went, amazing reviews from every writer I knew and liked. I thought it would be impossible for a film to live up to it, I honestly thought that it would not. But as I said, I was shocked at the quality that Christopher Nolan has made this film.
The words 'brilliant', 'amazing' and 'great' are words that are thrown about loosely in today’s reviews, but I am certain that every single writer who used those words after watching this film meant it.
Batman has been around for 70 years, and everybody would have thought that after Burton and Schumacher's attempts to capture the spirit of Batman, that Nolan’s attempt would fail. But everyone who saw 'Batman Begins' would see that Nolan may be the first one to truly do the comic series some justice. And 'The Dark Knight' confirmed that. Nolan’s version of Batman totally revitalized the somewhat tarnished reputation, and now, no one has to watch Joel Schumacher's Batman films (Batman Forever and Batman and Robin) ever again.
Other comic book films, Spiderman 3 or iron man for example both did well for themselves when they were transformed into films. Iron man making $100.8 million on the opening weekend and Spiderman making $148m, which set a new Opening Weekend Record. But the Dark knight smashed that record by making $155.34 million on the opening weekend. So far only three films have managed to make over 1 billion dollars – Titanic, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest – but it certainly looks like The Dark Knight may be a fourth. 'The Dark Knight' has made over 900million dollars so far... So Yes, this film has been very successful.
If anyone watched 'The Dark Knight' they would clearly say that it has been moved away form the comic book stigma attached to it. It is no longer a childish 'Kaboom' kind of film. It now contains issues that are seen in many other cities around the world for example corruption and moral responsibility. Some would say that these themes are too grave to have in a comic book adaptation. But somehow Nolan has passed that test with flying colours, and in doing so, he has created, possibly one of the best films in my lifetime.
This film really has to be seen to believed. The characters have been given something extra in this film, more depth which makes them so much more believable. I left the cinema thinking whether it would be possible for a Batman to exist, something i knew deep down that could never happen, but that’s what this film did to me - it made me think. The story line would normally be given a paragraph or two to write about, but I could write pages and pages on how it was so special. All the factors in this film fit together like a jigsaw designed by an artist... faultless.
Personally I went to watch this film without watching 'Batman Begins'. And yes, the minute I got home I ordered it on DVD, because I realized how vital it is towards the development of all characters. It explains everything you need to know and then leaves the sequel to let us explore the characters, let us learn their personalities and really get to know them.
There are three main lead roles in this film. The Batman, who we saw build up in the first film, is now the complete article, Wayne by day, Batman by night. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) who is set from the beginning of the film as a District attorney set for a much less heroic fortune. But the lime light is taken by the truly legendry Joker played by Heath Ledger, to me, he is the one character that you remember clearly. Every scene he is in, he steals the attention of the viewer, and that is by no means a bad thing. he plays of the good Batman and Dent do, making him a clever villain, no longer a big butch brute.
The interrelation between these three characters is fascinating. Of course Batman and the Joker reside at opposite ends of the road, one idealistically good and the other inherently bad. One won't kill and the other will do nothing but - as the Joker notes during one of their encounters, "this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object." Dent is given free reign in between the two, and it is his character that in many ways represents the effect that both Batman and the Joker have upon the city. Dent is Gotham's 'White Knight', he is incorrupt and a beacon of hope for the city. Realising this, Batman sees in him the hero that he cannot be and decides both for selfish and selfless reasons to stand down. The Joker, for reasons made obvious by his expertly written character and the rock solid plot is unable to accept this transfer of power and wreaks havoc upon Gotham City, eventually forcing a divide between Batman and Dent.
This film certainly has action scenes... And great ones at that, and those are the scenes that we will remember. But be cant forget the somewhat low-key dialogue scenes, which makes this film more about the characters than big explosions, which is what most comic book films are about... Nolan did only 6 IMAX scenes in this film. 3 action and 3 character based, this backs up how important the characters where in his eyes.
I could go on and on about this film, but I am just wasting your time if you have not seen this film, and if you have, I am stopping you from going back to watch it again. I always put films in 2 categories: watch able once and watch able over and over again. 'The Dark knight' defiantly falls under the latter.
I thought it would be necessary to pay my respects to Heath Ledger. It was a truly inspirational performance which will stay with many people for a long time. And every review that has been written will mention his magical performance.
Some films are so good that you would give blood for a sequel, but 'The Dark Knight' is so good that you won't think one necessary. And I actually mean that.
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