Movie Review: The Dark Knight
Published: July 22, 2008
Whether you are an avid fan of the Batman franchise, a casual summer moviegoer , or someone curious about the performance of a young actor gone far too soon, rest assured, you will not leave the theater disappointed. You will, however, likely leave the theater mesmerized by a film, and a performance, that will be talked about for a very long time to come.
With director Christopher Nolan once again at the helm, 'The Dark Knight' picks up pretty much where 'Batman Begins' left off. However, with the story of Bruce Wayne's transformation into the Caped Crusader taken care of in the first film, Nolan throws us right into the action this time and doesn't let up for the film's two-and-a-half hour running time.
As the film opens, the criminals of Gotham City are facing an enemy as intimidating as Batman in District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), who makes strong efforts to rid the city of the filth it has become accustomed to. Batman has slowed down his crime fighting efforts, due in large part to copy'bats' who attempt to imitate his style.
The public is in an uproar, believing these phony heroes are actually causing more harm than good. Batman, they deduce, must be the responsible party and therefore demand him captured and 'demasked' to put an end to the vigilante brand of crime fighting. But one person in particular is extra keen on the idea of Batman revealing his true identity, and has made it his goal to see that it happens.
We are introduced to this man, The Joker (Heath Ledger), nearly right away, as he orchestrates a multi-faceted bank heist with a chilling nonchalance. It means very little to him to take the lives of his victims, or his henchmen for that matter, and he leaves a long trail of bodies in his wake.
As the crime bosses of Gotham feel the heat coming from three different sources - Batman, Harvey Dent, and Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) - they are forced to seek the help of The Joker, who is more than willing to take on Gotham's finest single-handedly.
What makes The Joker a far more dangerous villain than any Gotham has ever seen is the way he appears to fly by the seat of his purple pants, but has strung together an ingenious, diabolical master plan that will test the resolve, and dedication, of everyone who hopes to stop him. The Joker isn't out to gain anything in particular, which makes him all the more terrifying. As Batman's trusty butler Alfred (Michael Caine) warns, 'Some men just want to see the world burn.'
The content of 'The Dark Knight' is far darker than the already bleak 'Batman Begins', and Christian parents should use caution in whether or not to allow children or younger, impressionable teenagers to see the film. The violence is heavy handed, and far more ruthless than in the original. Frankly, The Joker makes The Scarecrow from 'Batman Begins' look like a Saturday morning amateur. The Joker maims and kills without remorse, and one of the very first scenes features a 'disappearing pencil' trick that is stunning in its quick brutality.
The film hits on all sorts of different spiritual topics, and I could probably write a dissertation on them all. I won't get in to everything here, for the simple fact that doing so will reveal specific plot twists and developments that I don't intend to spoil. Suffice it to say, themes of sacrifice, redemption, fear, selfishness, revenge, and the basic sinfulness of man all present themselves in the film, along with a various host of other.
Characters are forced to choose who lives and dies, while others are forced to decide whether to continue fighting evil when it seems like nothing will work, or simply giving in and joining the forces of evil. Each character has their own world cave in around them, and each must persevere, or be sucked into the maelstrom.
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Movie Review: The Dark Knight
Published: July 22, 2008
ChristianAnswers.net gives us an in-depth look into this summer's newest blockbuster: The Dark Knight.
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