The Dark Knight

<<Short review until I re-watch it tomorrow...It's one of the best movie I have ever seen, and it is my personal favorite.  If you haven't seen it, do so immediately.>>


Certain reviews are particularly difficult to write.  For me, The Dark Knight is one of those reviews.  Up front, it's my favorite movie.  My reviews shouldn't consist of an opinion with no back up, which makes writing this review a bit more difficult.  Verbalizing my thoughts is tough and seems like a large undertaking with The Dark Knight.

If you talk to most people about the Dark Knight, the first comment they make is regarding Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker.  It's amazing.  Once again, the entire cast is excellent with only one weak spot, Maggie Gyllenhaal.  As with Katie Holmes, I'm not sure if the problem is the actress or the character.  Either way, the character of Rachel continues to be the weak point.

Fortunately, most everything else about the Dark Knight works.  The story is well written, and the pace of the film is incredible.  Each scene fits and furthers the story, either moving the plot along or enriching the characters.  While the run time may seem excessive, every bit of it is needed to make the film work, to make is a cohesive piece.  The editing is almost perfect, but there are some weird cuts during the bike scene.

Nolan's work, as always, is visually exciting.  From the character design to the special effects, Nolan puts amazing imagery on the screen.  His use of practical effects* grounds what should be a cartoony film in reality.  The Joker is the representation of chaos.  As such, you would expect him to be where your suspension of disbelief ends, but instead, you accept him.  Heck, you find yourself just waiting for him to return to the screen.  

Last night, I had dinner with my in-laws.  At one point, discussion turned to the Batman marathon that Mark and I had attended.  We explained what films were screened and told Mark's father that they should really watch them.  His dad, whose last Batman experience involved Val Kilmer**, rolled his eyes and scoffed at our suggestion.  Unfortunately, this is the reaction of many people when you suggest they see a superhero movie.  So many people still see them as silly comic book movies.  What some people don't realize is that the Dark Knight rises above that.  It's not just a comic book movie; it's an epic and amazing film.  The story and performances allow the movie to become more than its source material.  It's able to become a movie, not just a comic book movie.

If you haven't seen the Dark Knight, you should.  Don't see it because it's a Batman movie.  See it because it is an amazing movie.

*The semi.

**Frankly, that shouldn't be anyone's last interaction with Batman.