“Why so serious?”: The Joker’s wild
I am one of the few lucky ducks that got to catch an early screening of The Dark Knight this evening, and the verdict is in: It was dynamic.
Sure, we’ve all read the reviews and have heard of the late Heath Ledger’s stunning performance. As an avid DC comics fan, I can say that he is as frightening as portrayed in the comic book. Full of wit, comedic timing, and realistic sociopath behavior, Ledger speaks as if his words are measured. He spellbinds each character he comes in contact with and in turn, the audience as well. The kudos are shared; the entire ensemble cast had dynamic on screen chemistry and the interplay was notable. In prior Batman films, I feel that there has always been an unbalanced focus on the villain. Here, the time is well alloted between antagonist and protagonists.
After almost a decade of CGI effects, a la George Lucas and the Star Wars prequels, seeing good old fashioned stunts was a breath of fresh air. From turned over vehicles to colorful explosions, director Christopher Nolan knows how to approach an action sequence. Batman is known for his high tech gadgets, and The Dark Knight keeps with this by showcasing a number of his new toys. Batman also shows off his detective skills which is a nice nod to their namesake, Detective Comics.
For the first time, I feel like I know what life realistically would be if there were a caped crusader. The way the film is executed has a feeling of realism to it. The Dark Knight contained succinct dialog and it seemed as if there were no unnecessary conversations. Everything was well thought out and tied into another element. This was complimented by the tight editing which grips the viewer from one frame to the next. If you have read Batman comics, you know that Gotham is practically a character within herself; the Chicago-Gotham location captured the trademark dinginess of the DC universe excellently.
One issue that I had with Batman Begins was Christian Bale’s “bat-voice.” First off, I never understood why he needed to change his voice to a weird raspy tone when he was the Batman. Then, I read that it was so Bruce Wayne would not be discovered to be Batman, which made sense. This voice still makes me cringe in Begins, but it vastly improves in Knight. This could go along with the fact that TDK’s Batman is more confident and self evident than the fist Batman. It’s hard to remember, after all, Bruce Wayne is at the beginning of his hero lifestyle.
The bottom line is that it’s interesting to see how each character develops in the sequel. I dare say The Dark Knight is the Godfather II of comic book films, but I do need to re-watch it to solidify all my convictions. Go see it, and tell me what you think!
