WOW!
The other day I shelled out $1.75 to see The Dark Knight at the Discount Theater at the Main Place Mall, in Santa Ana.
Whle the action was impressive, as expected, what impressed me the most was the plot with its character driven story.
You would think that a film with 2 iconic major vilians, giving one the full-blown origin story treatment, and that briefly uses a 3rd as a throw away, warm-up, just to get things started, would be un-manageable to say the least.
There was lots of meaty stuff, here, for everyone to sink their acting chops into, and while I got more than I expected out of Gary Oldman as Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred, Morgan Freeman as Lucius, and Christian Bale as Bats/Bruce, thus moving their characters forward, from the 1st film, it was the villians than stole the show.
This was a Harvey Dent/Two-Face that this fan of the comics, After-Miller, could recognize, and it was a stunning transformation, extremely well acted by Aaron Eckhart in a complex, and moving performance.
Heath Ledger, as the Joker?
Jack Nichol-who?
WOW!
As well-played, and fun, as Jack's Joker was....THIS performance by Ledger WAS the Joker.
This was the Joker that anyone who grew up with the Batman line of comics, after Miller, knows, and loves.
Dangerous, psychopathic, unpredictable, funny, oh, and did I say dangerous, psychopathic, unpredictable?
This was the Joker that you could believe could Kill Robin, and DID.
This was Joker that you could believe could try to kill, and ended up only crippling for Life, Commissioner Gordons Daughter, Barbara, leading her to eventually leave Batgirl behind to become Oracle.
I sat there absolutely mesmerized by the performance of Ledger, from the 1st moment he appears on screen.
If there was any justice in the world he would at least get an Oscar Nod, and even win it.
They may get another quality performer to play the part, but his perfomance, no matter how masterful, will only suffer by endless comparisons to that of Ledger.
Can they even risk having another person play the part again?
The death of Ledger was tragic, depriving his fans, and the fans of quality acting in general, of seeing his continued growth, and maturity as an actor, as he tried to top this Master Class in acting that was The Joker.
The machinations of this complex plot, delving into the workings of the minds, and morals, of its major characters, especially where Gordon, Lucius, Alfred, and Bruce/Bats were concerned, could not have worked so brilliantly without the Origin Story movie that came before it, and I love how the way the film ends easily lends itself as a set up for a sequel...a film where the people of Gotham realize that as much as they may fear Batman (The crooks certainly do, and that more than anything was why Bruce/Bats made Gordon do what he did.), they will soon realize that they NEED him if they are going to survive the breed of super-criminal mind that is attracted to their city.
Bats is on THEIR side, they will see, and this will lead to his "Return" into their good graces.
At least that's where I see the story moving from here.
I have only 2 quibbles.
In these 2 new films Gordon has a son, daughter, and wife, not a daughter only, and on top of that the daughter is far too young for a comics purists taste.
A different Barbara Gordon appears in Batman Begins and this film.
She is Gordons wife, and DK establishes that the Gordon's DO have a younger daughter, simply credited as Gordon's Daughter (played by Hannah Gunn) in a non-speaking role.
Is this child meant to be the Barbara Gordon who grows up to become Batgirl and/or Oracle, as in the comics?
Like I said...just a couple of quibbles in an otherwise spectacular film. ;-D
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