The Weekend Review: The Dark Knight
THE DARK KNIGHT
Review by Josh Peterson
CAST
Christian Bale
Heath Ledger
Morgan Freeman
Michael Caine
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Gary Oldman
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Review by Josh Peterson
CAST
Christian Bale
Heath Ledger
Morgan Freeman
Michael Caine
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Gary Oldman
Directed by Christopher Nolan
This movie was wonderful. They finally did everything right. For the second time, I was able to watch a
Batman movie on the big screen that didn't make me cringe. Batman Begins was a wonderful movie, but I
felt that the gritty character story that drove the first half of that movie was sandbagged by a bunch of
Hollywood-type special effects and gimmicks.
The Dark Knight never faltered. My only complaint about the movie is that there was too much Joker and
not enough Batman. Most people disagree with me because they loved Heath Ledger's performance. It was
great, but I really don't like the Joker on a fundamental level. Why is the Joker still alive? I mean, I realize
that in the movie this was the first meeting of Batman and the Joker, but in the comic books, the Joker has
probably killed tens of thousands of people.
Batman movie on the big screen that didn't make me cringe. Batman Begins was a wonderful movie, but I
felt that the gritty character story that drove the first half of that movie was sandbagged by a bunch of
Hollywood-type special effects and gimmicks.
The Dark Knight never faltered. My only complaint about the movie is that there was too much Joker and
not enough Batman. Most people disagree with me because they loved Heath Ledger's performance. It was
great, but I really don't like the Joker on a fundamental level. Why is the Joker still alive? I mean, I realize
that in the movie this was the first meeting of Batman and the Joker, but in the comic books, the Joker has
probably killed tens of thousands of people.
Think about it. The Joker kills thousands of people and not one of their relatives takes a potshot at him
while he's being hauled off to Gotham Central. Plus, what moral ground does Batman have for not killing
Joker? There has to be a limit. The Joker has probably killed the population of the Dakotas twice over. If I
lived in Gotham City and saw the Joker walking down the street, I'd kill him if I could. It would be like a moral
obligation at this point.
Back to the movie. Everything about this movie was awesome. They weren't afraid to pull punches. They did
ballsy, unexpected things. Two-Face is also in this movie, and instead of doing a hokey villain team up like
in the Jim Carrey/Tommy Lee Jones vehicle, they made the creation of Two-Face into a thematic element.
That's right. They used theme. This movie was like that cereal that has a frosted side for kids and a wheat
side for adults.
while he's being hauled off to Gotham Central. Plus, what moral ground does Batman have for not killing
Joker? There has to be a limit. The Joker has probably killed the population of the Dakotas twice over. If I
lived in Gotham City and saw the Joker walking down the street, I'd kill him if I could. It would be like a moral
obligation at this point.
Back to the movie. Everything about this movie was awesome. They weren't afraid to pull punches. They did
ballsy, unexpected things. Two-Face is also in this movie, and instead of doing a hokey villain team up like
in the Jim Carrey/Tommy Lee Jones vehicle, they made the creation of Two-Face into a thematic element.
That's right. They used theme. This movie was like that cereal that has a frosted side for kids and a wheat
side for adults.
The Dark Knight is probably the best movie that I've seen in a long time. They got the Batman character
right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to make him feel
vulnerable and human.
right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to make him feel
vulnerable and human.
THE DARK KNIGHT
By Josh Peterson
By Josh Peterson
The Dark Knight is probably the best movie that I've seen in a long time. They got the Batman character
right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to make him feel
vulnerable and human.The Dark Knight is probably the best movie that I've seen in a long time. They got the
Batman character right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to
make him feel vulnerable and human.
right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to make him feel
vulnerable and human.The Dark Knight is probably the best movie that I've seen in a long time. They got the
Batman character right. He was driven, dark, obsessive and bordering on fascist. Yet they still managed to
make him feel vulnerable and human.
The Joker was downright scary. He didn't have the campy feel of the Tim Burton/Jack Nicholson version that
danced around an art museum, listening to Prince with his boom box-wielding thugs, squirting acid on
women. The Heath Ledger Joker was perfect.
This movie should be viewed often. This is what other comic book movies should try to achieve.
danced around an art museum, listening to Prince with his boom box-wielding thugs, squirting acid on
women. The Heath Ledger Joker was perfect.
This movie should be viewed often. This is what other comic book movies should try to achieve.
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