Studio/Production Company: Warner Bros.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Written by: Screenplay - Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan. Story - David S. Goyer, Christopher Nolan.
Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.
Release Date: July 18, 2008
Genre: Action/Drama
Strong Points: Transcends the superhero genre; makes Batman, Gotham, and the villains more realistic than ever before; fantastic acting all across the board; script that rivals some of the greats.
Weak Points: There's an ending.
Technical Score: A
Artistic Score: A+
Final Score (not an average): A+
Moral Warnings: Very dark for a PG-13 film, some cruel violence (not descriptive), intense violence throughout, very mild language.
In 2005, a new series of Batman films were started with a movie called, appropriately, Batman Begins. The movie naturally explored how Batman came to be the superhero that is more familiar to the mainstream audience - the one that glides through the air dressed as a bat and beats the bad guys with his bare fists and his awesome gadgets. By the end of Batman Begins, an optimistic Bruce Wayne had started to find a happy balance between his personal life and his life as Batman; he had begun to capture the heart of the girl of his dreams; and he had that warm fuzzy feeling in his heart about saving Gotham, his beloved city.
That was Batman Begins. This is The Dark Knight.
Director Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan Nolan (who wrote the script) made a significant change of focus from that film to this. Batman Begins casually introduced its audience to a new Batman and the character behind him. We saw his good side, his optimistic side, essentially, his lighter side. Knowing that we are now familiar with their version of the hero, the two brothers use The Dark Knight to explore the darker side of Batman. And not only of Batman, but also of the city he protects and the people who inhabit it.
The result is two very, very different films. If you go into Dark Knight expecting an experience like the one you had three years ago, you are in for an incredible shock. There are familiar faces in the cast and familiar names in the crew, but this is not the same type of film. The ‘superhero movie,’ in this case, is not to be equated with ‘popcorn-eating-soda-drinking-feet-on-the-seat-in-front-of-you-fun.’ Not at all. Dark Knight is about a superhero, yes. But the movie itself transcends the superhero genre.
Why? Because this movie feels real. Batman Begins had moments of this spread out here and there, but it definitely held back so that the audience could receive more along the lines of what it expected. There was a stereotypical villain, the traditional love interest/conflict, plenty of one-liners to go around, and a theme that dealt with the hero coming to terms with who he is and what he stands for.
Dark Knight pulls as far away as it can from these elements without completely shattering its intended audience. They are still vaguely present throughout the film, but that’s needed. People do not expect to come out of a film like this wanting to commit suicide. This is something the Nolan brothers thankfully realized. There are a few one-liners, a number of funny moments - all of which keep Dark Knight... well... not so much on an even keel, but certainly keep the ship from sinking completely in dark, thematic waters.
And while it may not sink completely, audiences can be assured that they will get much more than just their feet wet. Since we last left him, Bruce Wayne is still managing to balance his company and his acts of vigilantism as Batman. But as time moves on and his confrontation with the city’s newest villain, the Joker, becomes more and more inevitable, the darker side of him begins to be revealed. The Joker slowly and painfully wears him down, seeming to be always in control of the situation and always ready to test the hero’s convictions and his abilities. Not for his psychological interest in Batman, either. Just because it’s fun.
Ultimately, Wayne has to answer the question: How far do I have to go to stop men like him? Dark Knight demonstrates, oftentimes painfully, that being a good person and standing up for what is right is a hard path to follow. And in the most trying moments, Bruce contemplates giving up - as we all do at such times.
All is not dismal clouds and brooding contemplation, however. Butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) are always there during the hardest moments to act as Wayne’s conscience. Their warm smiles and gentle advice are there to refresh both Wayne and the audience before the film drops back down into the dramatic pit. Caine and Freeman mostly play on the sideline in Dark Knight, seemingly moreso than in Begins. But both their performances are top notch and their time on the screen is always enjoyable.
A solid chunk of the credit for the revealing of Wayne/Batman’s darker side must go to Christian Bale. To play the role of Bruce Wayne is essentially to play two different characters - the calm and charming billionaire as well as the scarily powerful Batman. For an actor to do it as well as Bale is a true achievement.
It also helps that the Bat-suit is even more intimidating than last time, in order to reflect the darker side of Wayne. Modifications are made early in the film with a little help from Lucius Fox that both help Wayne move faster as well as turn his head, which he apparently couldn’t do in the first film (it makes sense if you think about it). But what truly adds to his appearance are his eyes, which seem to almost be a part of the suit. The designers truly perfected their use of Bale’s intense stare behind the mask, giving him an almost haunting look.
The one to cause the confusion and chaos that brings out this side of Batman is the famed Joker. The Joker explodes onto the scene within the first few minutes of the film, revealing his criminal genius, his cruelty, and his bizarre psychological issues with one punch. No explanation is given for the way he is, no backstory is told by the film or the characters. The Joker simply is. And this introduction to him is pure gold for the setting.
Heath Ledger’s performance is nothing short of brilliant. He attacks the role, absorbs himself in it, becomes the character. However you want to phrase it, Ledger is truly the standout in an all-star cast. His mannerisms, the way he carries himself, his facial expressions, straight down to the way he licks his lips, no one has ever captured the essence of the Joker like Ledger has in Dark Knight. And frankly, it’s hard to believe that anyone will ever be able to top it.
Many parents are probably wondering if The Dark Knight is too dark for children. While it is possibly the darkest PG-13 film I’ve ever seen, the content is surprisingly mild. Given the cruelty of the Joker, Nolan easily could have used more details in hopes of disgusting the audience even more. But he didn’t have to, and he doesn’t. There are some cruel deaths, but not once are any details shown. No gore, no blood. More often than not, death is implied and the scene finishes before anything can happen.
There is no glorification of violence. When there is violence, its only purpose is to move the plot forward or to define more of a character. This is something that is not often seen in films, and I applaud the makers of the film for it.
The language is pretty much the same. There are a few uses of “Christ” and one use of “Son-of-a-b****”, but that’s as strong as it gets, aside from a few “h***”s and “da**”s scattered sparsely throughout. For sexual content there are two kisses and that's it.
I should warn that when the villain Two-Face comes into the picture, the CGI burns on his face are somewhat graphic and could scare younger viewers. It reminded me of the Pirates of the Caribbean skeletons, save for burnt flesh and muscle being a considerable amount of the face.
While dark in nature, Dark Knight boasts a powerful message of persevering for good when it’s the hardest thing to do. And with such outstanding performances in almost every area, it’s not just one of the best movies this year, but one of the best in years.
--Zak Mellgren (zak@revolve21.com)
===== Second Spin =====
While I disagree with some very basic parts of Zak’s review (one-liners in both new Batmans? What are you talking about?), I agree with his view, overall. Batman went from a joke in the late-90s (face it, the Joel Schumacher movies were pretty much awful) to something absolutely amazing come 2005. Chris Nolan’s Batman series is dark, brooding and toxic, and Dark Knight is no exception. If anything, it actually expands on its predecessor. It drips atmosphere. The acting is all-around phenomenal, with the trio of Bale, Ledger and Eckhart standing apart from the rest of the ensemble (which includes Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman).
That, in and of itself, is saying something. All of that is to say nothing of the story, the camera, the sound… all of it comes together in a brutal, oppressive, amazing whole that must be seen to be believed. Not only has Nolan lifted Batman out of the mire, but he has done so with an artful style that only comes from the best of directors. The Dark Knight has returned.
--Drew Regensburger (drew@revolve21.com)
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