The Dark Knight - A Review (* * * * *)

Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ is so phenomenally good, it makes other films on superheroes look like also-rans. This film is cutting-edge and has the kind of compelling drama rarely seen in blockbusters. It defies expectations of its genre and sets new (read difficult) ones, be it in terms of performances, writing & technical finesse.

While ‘Batman Begins’ finally tapped the mystique of the caped crusader, ‘The Dark Knight’ takes us deeper into the realms of moral conflicts that are endemic to the Batman Series. So deep, in fact, that the film looks & functions more like a thriller than a comic book flick. Principal to this effect is the film’s villain, the Joker played by Heath Ledger in a performance that channels loud hints of the acting legend he could have been. When Mr. Ledger’s Joker is on, you can’t take your eyes off him. It is such a creepy, magnetic portrayal that it justifies the film’s strange infatuation with the character. His method involves trapping his adversaries in ‘games’ that pits their morals against instinct. The film’s rendition of the Joker is so twisted, that he easily upstages the bustling pantheon of comic book villains seen on screen so far.

Picking up from where the last film left, the plot introduces the character of Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the new district attorney, bent on seeing the mob off the streets of Gotham. Feeling cornered by the collective efforts of Dent, Batman (Christian Bale) & Lieutenant Gordon (Gary Oldman), the mob turns to the Joker. Using the links of the mob with the Gotham Police department, the Joker sets about executing sensational crimes, holding Batman responsible for not coming out in the open & revealing his true identity. Rachel Dawes, now played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, returns as the Assistant DA and as Dent’s girlfriend. So do the redoubtable veterans, Michael Caine as Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox.

The film continues the vein of developing Batman’s wardrobe. The Batsuit is now more compact, more futuristic with a cowl that enables Batman to move his head more freely. Other details include the introduction of Bat sonar and the Batpod, a behemoth of a bike that neatly breaks free from the Batmobile.

One of the truly marvellous things about ‘The Dark Night’ is how well it develops parallel story threads to create a dense atmosphere. As one scene plays out, you can still sense what is happening in the background elsewhere. Nolan is helped by David S. Goyer and brother Jonathan in carving a canvas that is broad & engaging. Consider for example the opening heist scene or even the spectacular car chase. The pounding soundtrack composed by Hans Zimmer & James Newton Howard serves to create the queer effect of quickly jumping from one frame to the next, much like in a comic book.

Indeed, the whole production is so intricate and polished that ‘The Dark Knight’ justifies the tag of the best superhero movie ever made. But curiously, it delivers more resoundingly as a complex moral drama, one that thrives on tension and clash of personalities rather than pervasive action sequences. And all of the film’s virtues stack up around Heath Ledger’s final performance, the one thing that most truly exemplifies how far ‘The Dark Knight’ has gone to conjure an extraordinary experience. On being asked why he cast Heath Ledger as the Joker, Nolan reportedly said it was because Mr. Ledger was fearless. I had anticipated this film & Mr. Ledger’s performance since last year and the news of his passing before the film released seemed unfair and tragic. After having seen this film the only solace is that he went out on top.