“The Dark Knight” gave a new edge to the classic Batman tale.
In this action crime thriller, director Christopher Nolan took a tired story line and made it his own, with wildly vivid characters that make the story come alive to the audience.
Christian Bale plays the part of Bruce Wayne also known as Batman, reprising his role in “Batman Begins” (2005).
He is once more the protector of Gotham City, with the mission to rid the city of crime.
Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) calls on Batman for help to clean up the crime of Gotham City despite the numerous warrants for Batman’s arrest.
The white knight of Gotham City so named because of his intentions to clean up the city is the new District Attorney Harvey Dent, (Aaron Eckhart) he is opposite of the dark knight as he shows his face to the world and confronts the City’s crime directly.
The Joker (the late Heath Ledger) enters the scene attempting to create absolute chaos in Gotham City.
In this chaos he hopes to prove that people will do whatever it takes to save themselves.
He is able to illustrate this by turning Gotham’s white knight into the villain Two Face who is seeking revenge for his girlfriend’s death.
In order to shield the city from the truth batman takes the blame for Dent’s indiscretions.
What makes the film truly compelling is Heath Ledger’s extraordinary performance as the Joker.
It is nearly impossible to discern Ledger underneath his makeup and slightly green hair, but the many mannerisms he gave to the character truly bring the Joker to life.
The compulsive licking of his lower lip and his piercing hair-raising laugh especially provide depth to the character.
This is a completely new role for Ledger, who generally performed the part of the gorgeous heartthrob.
In his performance as the extreme villain he proves he can make the transition. He is the most thrilling character in the film.
Batman’s character is complemented by his entourage of his butler and technology designer.
The witty repartee between Batman and his butler Alfred (Michael Caine), brings a touch of comedic relief to a very emotionally intense film.
Alfred acts as the father figure to Batman protecting him and guiding him in his journey with each comment more amusing then the last.
The love interest Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) augments the story with another plotline.
Dawes creates tension between Harvey Dent and Batman from the beginning. However, the character is relatively pointless, as she is not developed.
Rachel Dawes’ sole purpose in the film is to spur Dent to revenge, and her character is left feeling one-dimensional and bland.
Two Face’s exit from the movie raised some debate of his survival, hinting that he will reappear in the next film.
Ultimately the dark (and at times horrific) film ends on a good note.
The last lines of Lieutenant Gordon are the most powerful in the entire script.
Gordon explains to his son that Batman is the protector of Gotham City and they chase him because he can take it.
“Batman is not a hero; he is whatever the people need him to be.”
This line is reminiscent of an earlier line by Alfred, who tells Batman that he can make the choice that no other man can make to do the right thing.
Despite the disturbing aspects of the film, the end lines give the viewer the satisfaction of a happy ending.
The film is a roaring success due to a combination of amazing talent, advanced computer graphics and a $150 million budget.
It was definitely not a waste of a trip to the movies worth the $8 movie ticket.