Movie Review: The Dark Knight

The new Dark Knight has dawned.

As a devoted Batman fan since I started reading comic books at age 6, I've felt compelled to watch every Batman movie version that gets plastered to the silver screen no matter how bad (i.e. the George Clooney Batman). The movies had been on a downward spiral. So, I didn't expect much when we went to see the new version, 'Batman Begins' a few years ago. But it was surprisingly the best Batman of them all to date. Christian Bale is an excellent Batman. And Ras Al' Ghul, while unknown to the novice Batman viewer, was a classic villain for veteran Batman fans.

Now the long awaited 'Dark Knight' with the Heath Ledger version of the Joker has arrived.

The acting in excellent. Take the back seat Jack Nickleson, a new Joker is in town. Also great acting from Aaron Eckart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. I enjoyed the aspect of the storyline that Batman is waiting for another hero in Gothom - someone Gotham can look up to - so he can step down. And Harvey Dent as the tough District Attorney is that man.

The gangsters teaming up and becoming more desperate due to the arrival of Batman and the impact it had on their 'business' was also realistic.

Batman's new high tech toys (the sonar glasses, the cell phone matrix, and the bat-cycle) were great. My favorite scene is when Batman retrieves the crime lord from Laos from the high rise building by blowing out the windows, jettisoning a weather balloon, and getting hooked by an aircraft that resembled a white C-140 carrier. The bat gliding scene previous was also pretty cool.

What I didn't enjoy about the movie was the typical Hollywood influence of most movies. The fight scenes were fast, furious, and overblown. I can never tell what's going on in those. Wake me when they are over.

<* Spoiler Alert! *> The movie was also somewhat predictable. Who really believed the passengers in either ship would blow the other up? And Commissioner Gordon dead? Never! No surprise when he shows up again.

Overall Rating: B

McDoogle

PS. Your Challenge: Make your own Batsignal by pasting shapes to a flashlight. At midnight turn the flashlight on and wave it in the night sky (cloudy nights work best). Wait for 10 minutes. See who shows up.