There is no doubt in my mind that the numbers for The Dark Knight will be huge this weekend; especially when I had to sit in the sixth row while arriving an hour early for the second midnight show to sell out -- I believe there were six total midnight showings at just that particular theater. Being a superhero fan by default (with two older comic book obsessed brothers, I just kind of got submerged in the worlds of human spiders and flying men) I was excited to see the latest version of Batman, especially with writer/director Christopher Nolan at the helm.
I have to say, I was never too crazy about Tim Burton's attempts. I enjoy his "I'm zany, just look at my hair" attempts at things like Nightmare Before Christmas, but I just didn't get his comic book films (I won't even delve into Planet of the Apes; Kevin Smith does a much better/funnier quip on his An Evening with Kevin Smith dvd). And even though I love Chris O'Donnell, enough to even put up with his rubber suit with nipples (remember those things? Talk about scary!) Schumacher seemed to muck up Batman even more. It seemed the tale of the dark crusader was going to fall into the pits of superhero obscurity. That is until Nolan came along, and with his brother, created a world where it doesn't seem so strange to have a man in a mask performing "vigilante" justice for the benefit of the citizens of a major metropolis...and those citizens unable to fully appreciate it.
Christian Bale once again plays the part of the reluctant hero perfectly. The greatest thing about Batman for me is that not only is he just a human being without any special powers, he is also a very flawed human being. Batman Begins dealt with the origins of Batman, while this movie deals with the aftermath. Once you have decided to become something more than yourself, what defines your limitations?
While several other dudes with masks have gone through an identity crisis (and performed some cheesy dance moves along the sidewalk...ahem...Spiderman 3...shudder...), Batman/Bruce Wayne does not have much time to do anything but stop what seems to be unstoppable; a villian with absolutely no morals, no plans, and no agenda besides causing utter terror and chaos wherever he goes. About as fun as clowns can be (and that is no fun AT ALL), Joker is truly terrifying in every aspect of the word.
Had this not been his last completed film, I'm not sure the acclaim for Heath Ledger's performance would be any less praiseworthy; and deservedly so. There are moments of humor to balance out his madness; but he is truly creepy. The worst kind of enemy is the one that has nothing to lose, not even a plan going amok. As he explains to Batman, he is "a dog chasing cars" that has no idea what he would do with it if he caught it, but needs the chase anyway. It is somewhat a blessing and a curse that this last film showed what a truly gifted actor Heath was; someone that escapes so much into a role that you forget about the actor beneath the character.
As strange as it sounds, this is really not a comic book movie. The action scenes are truly spectacular, but at the same time underplayed. They don't replace a storyline, they only enhance it. The plotlines move beyond the campiness of past attempts and has characters that are highly dimensional and fully developed. Thank goodness Katie Holmes was replaced; the only sore spot of the Batman Begins film, Maggie Gyllenhaal brings an intensity to Rachel Dawes character that makes you understand why Bruce Wayne would want to strive for a day when no Batman is needed. Unfortunately for him, that seems like a day that will not come anytime soon. Fortunately for us, that brings hope for some darkness in the summertime heat of years to come.
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