• Year: 2008
• Review Type: New DVD Release
• Genre: Action
• Rated: PG-13
• Director: Christopher Nolan
• Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

Genres

• All
• Action
• Comedy
• Animated
• Drama
• Sci-Fi
• Horror
• Western
• Romantic Comedy
• Action, Film Noir
• Action, Animation, Sci-Fi
• Adventure Fantasy
• Mind Thriller

The Dark Knight

Reviewer: Vincent

Overview: Christopher Nolan's sequel to his amazing Batman Begins is a mind-blower that eclipses the director's first caped crusader film. It has better villains, a better storyline, better everything, and that is quiet an accomplishment. It's primary success is a great script in the hands of a cast that make it even better. The amazing action and special effects take a back seat to characters and that's what will make this film live long after the special effects techniques have been eclipsed by technology.

The super villain this time around is The Joker played by Heath Ledger. Ledger's effort is nothing less than mesmerizing. The Joker is so maniacal, he even scares the scariest criminals Gotham City can muster. His efforts are chaos. As The Joker says, "Do I really look like a guy with a plan…you know, I just…do things." Ledger leads the pack, steals the show and blows our minds with a performance that turns a great comic book movie an iconic film.

That said the rest of the cast makes the film work with multi-dimensional characters that make us once again believe Gotham is real. Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman aptly reprise their roles as Gordon, Alfred and Lucius Fox. Maggie Gyllenhaal now plays Rachel Dawes, Bruce Wayne’s love interest, with great sensitivity. Aaron Eckhart plays the fallen from grace hero District Attorney, Harvey Dent. Tragedy turns him into the twisted killer Two Face, who like Batman seeks justice, but with a different and more nefarious set of rules.

The visual dynamics of the film are as impressive Batman Begins, but not as necessary because the film is so driven by characters versus plot. One of the most innovative is a version of the Batcycle that would make Orange County Choppers envious.

Few directors who direct sequels to their original film have the passion or focus to equal their previous work. Fewer still eclipse that work. Nolan is in that small elite group. Once again, he makes us wait for the next chapter with the hope that his world of Batman won't become the parody that typically happens when a successful film becomes a series.

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