The Dark Knight: Hype that Delivers

As the end credits came up upon my viewing of The Dark Knight, something happened that I had not witnessed in a long time. That something was applause. The entire theater was clapping and yelling cries of joy. I can’t remember the last time I witnessed such a phenomenon. This phenomenon, and the fact that I was participating in it, should give an idea on just how good this movie is.

The Dark Knight is one of those few sequels that lives up to, and in many ways surpasses, its predecessor. Masterfully directed by returning director Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan, David S. Goyer, and Jonathon Nolan, The Dark Knight remains true to the comics while at the same time brings the franchise into new territory.

The movie opens roughly a year after the events of Batman Begins, with Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) and Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) successfully bringing down the criminals within Gotham. The two men begin to work with newly appointed DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) in an effort to eradicate the mob from Gotham City. Unlike Batman, who is still regarded with mistrust and fear by the public, Dent is seen as a shining beacon of hope. He is so well revered that Bruce begins contemplating saying goodbye to Batman and allowing Harvey to become “The White Knight” Gotham needs. It is also his hope that if he does this he can finally be with childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is now involved with Dent. However everyone’s plans are thrown into chaos with the arrival of The Joker (Heath Ledger).

After a successful bank robbery, in which he kills both civilians and his own men, The Joker arrives at a meeting of the remaining mobsters and offers them a proposal; he will kill Batman in exchange for half of the mob’s entire money supply. He begins by having numerous members of the police and justice force killed and then proclaims that if Batman does not reveal his secret identity people will continue to die every day. As the film goes on it becomes clear that The Joker’s real plan is simply to create as much chaos and apathy as possible. As Bruce Wayne’s trusty butler Alfred (Michael Caine) explains, “Some men aren't looking for anything logical. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

Each actor in the movie is brilliant and brings much to their roles. Christian Bale brings a complex depth of struggle to the character as Batman questions what his limits should and can be. Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman (as Bruce Wayne’s equipment designer Lucius Fox) all act as stable forces in Batman’s fight for justice, with each actor bringing different emotions and reactions to their roles as the lines of morality are continually redrawn during the fight. Maggie Gyllenhaal adds a lot of emotion to her role and brings both strength and vulnerability to her performance. But of everyone in the cast, the two standouts would have to be Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart.

As I mentioned in my review of the film Waitress, I was determined to review Heath Ledger’s performance as if he were alive and not offer praise simply because of his death. After seeing the movie I can safely say that all the praise people have said about his work is well earned. His performance is nothing short of phenomenal. He brings such a degree of raw intensity to the role that it’s staggering. His version of The Joker is both revolutionary and extremely true to the character. He becomes so engrossed in the character that it’s very easy to forget who the actor behind the make-up is. I’ll admit that I had my doubts when I first heard he was cast as The Joker, since his name wasn’t the first that came to mind when I envisioned actors for the role. But after seeing the movie I can definably say he was the right choice for the part.

Although Heath Ledger has received much praise for his role, I thought that Aaron Eckhart’s performance was just as strong. He plays his character as similar to Batman, but in an entirely different way. Unmasked and visibly in the spotlight, he has a power over the people that Batman does not. He delivers his lines with such conviction that one begins to believe his vision in a brighter tomorrow. While playing him with passionate righteousness one also sees the rage that bubbles just under the surface. It’s the subtleness of his duel personas that bring the true realization of the character to life. His character’s journey is one of the most tragic aspects of the film. Even if you can see where his character will go, the ramifications and end results of the character’s journey is something no one could ever have seen coming.

The Dark Knight definitely lives up to the hype. Not only is it entertaining but it also challenges our views on humanity and morality. How far should those in power be allowed to go in our quest for piece? That question is one of the biggest aspects of the film, with cases made for both those who believe in suspending personal freedom for safety and those who believe in keeping civil liberties in light of terrorism. That’s not normally something one expects to find in a summer superhero blockbuster.