The Dark Knight

_____________________________

Well, I finally saw The Dark Knight with Violet, yesterday. Jeez. What an incredible movie! Christopher Nolan is a fantastic director, and did a really great job with Batman Begins. But, as good as that movie was, Dark Knight surpasses it in every way.

Heath Ledger was...phenomenal. He absolutely owns the Joker character now. I heard someone say that the one disappointment from seeing Dark Knight came from knowing that we wouldn't see more of Joker, with Ledger's passing.

I'll not go more in-depth with a review of the movie, as I've written a rather long-winded one on Flixster already. You can read it HERE.

My final word: Go see The Dark Knight, if you haven't already. Personally, having seen it in a regular theater, I am still eager to see it again, but next time I want the IMAX experience.

EDIT:
Well, as it would appear that Flixster is one of those many obstinate sites that won't allow you to view any content without first starting an account with them, I am going to repost my review here.

The Dark Knight
4 1/2 out of 5 Stars
Wow. Just...wow.

The Dark Knight has shot through the ranks and immediately settled itself in, amongst the top few titles in my list of Favorite Movies Of All Time.

Every aspect of this film was truly fantastic, from the directing and acting (of every major role) to the editing. Incredible.

Christopher Nolan has proven, once again, that he is a fantastic director capable of bringing stories to the audience in a deeply engaging and dynamic way. He seems to be one of those rare directors who's choices in story and art direction are difficult to pick apart or find fault in. Every frame of The Dark Knight seems well thought out. While some may argue that the movie felt a bit long, they would be hard-pressed to find the story elements that felt unnecessary.

Much has been said about Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker. One might be inclined to think that this is, at least in part, motivated by his recent death. One would be remiss to downplay, even one little bit, the phenomenal performance captured here. Ledger's Joker is a rare example of an actor truly disappearing into a character, leaving no trace of himself. Joker has become so completely...creepy, it's like approaching an awful accident on the side of the road. You feel your skin crawl in the presence of this psychosis, as if he will turn to look at you at any moment, and you will see that he knows what to take from you. But you can't look away. Incredible. Ledger's performance is worth every word of praise.

And even still, with the gravitas Ledger has brought to his role (and the attention applied with his death), there is still a balance careful wrought over the breadth of multiple, well-delivered characters. Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Maggie Gyllenhaal: what an incredible cast! I was pleased from the start, with the short but blood-pumping appearance of William Fichtner as the shotgun-wielding bank manager who brings the first adrenaline rush to the screen. Along with numerous big-screen roles, many may recognize him from his role as Alexander Mahone in Prison Break and his enthralling performance as Sheriff Tom Underlay in the (too) short-lived series, Invasion.

The Dark Knight truly delivered on the promise brought forth by Batman Begins; that a superhero movie series can be delivered in a dark but realistic world, and that Christopher Nolan can be trusted to deliver it.

_____________________________