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THE DARK KNIGHT- REVIEW


THE DARK KNIGHT

(ENGLISH,2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gylenhall, Gary Oldman

Just when we had started to give up hope on Hollywood after a string of mediocre releases "The Dark Knight" came to our rescue . Literally.

We have to admit that we were never big fans of the Batman franchise. Maybe a few comic strips once in a while, but nothing beyond that. However, we had loved " Batman Begins " the predecessor to this movie. Christopher Nolan is one among the best in the the business and had done justice to the Batman character in " Batman Begins " . But generally sequels tend to cut a sorry figure, apart from maybe a few.

"The Dark Knight", thankfully, is a rare exception. This is another classic Good v/s Evil movie but it is the execution that differentiates this movie from the other Superhero movies.

The movie starts off rather well with a bank robbery scene.The audience is left to wonder, "Who the hell is the Joker? ". That's when we have a close up shot of the late Heath Ledger. " I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you .... Stranger", pretty much sums up the character of the Joker.

Then we have the Batman making an appearance in a rather interestingly shot impersonation scene. The movie then dwells on the corruption and crime scenario of good, 'ole Gotham City.

Unlike "Batman Begins" the character of Bruce Wayne is underplayed by Christian Bale. "The Dark Knight" focuses more on the Batman character, with very little emphasis on Wayne. Michael Caine as the butler is impressive as usual. The role of Mr. Fox is again portrayed by the versatile Morgan Freeman.

What stands out in the movie however is the character of The Joker. Heath Ledger gives us a performance of a lifetime. The sheer ruthlessness of the character is portrayed brilliantly.

The movie could have easily been "Oh..so predictable" like many Superhero flicks.But you can always bank on Nolan to give that extra something, which makes his movies stand apart. Yes, being a Superhero movie there are a few cliched scenes, but you will hardly notice them as Nolan keeps you glued to your seats. Although the movie is pretty much based on the Joker v/s Batman rivalry there are some exceptional scenes without these two characters. The "Social Experiment" scene with the two ferries is simply brilliant. This scene stands out because we believe that's what the movie is all about.

The Batman character is the best among all the various Batman versions on screen. Bale is as reliable as ever. Although the Joker easily steals the show, there are some scenes involving The Dark Knight which will take your breath away. There is this amazing sequence based on a party hosted by Wayne in which the Joker makes an appearance. Or the shots of the Batman swooping down across the night sky among the skyscrapers. And the BatPod sequence. It is scenes like these which makes the movie stand out.

"The Dark Knight " is technically brilliant and will be a visual feast. The background score is mighty impressive and the OST is definitely worth your money.

The movie is a tad long compared to recent releases with a runtime of 152 mins. But rest assured you will never feel bored the slightest bit as the screenplay is as fast as lightning and Nolan ensures there is never a dull moment.

The piece 'de resistance however is the " Why so serious, Son" scene involving the Joker. This is easily one of the best cinematic scenes in history and there is a superb scene in which the Joker joins the applause when Oldman is appointed Commissioner. Heath Ledger definitely deserves an Oscar. May his Soul Rest in Peace.

The star cast is top-notch. Bale, Ledger, Freeman, Eckhart, Caine, Oldman are all at the top of their game in this movie. Maggie Gylenhall does have a rather small role and does justice to it.However we terribly miss Katie Holmes from Batman Begins. She was a stunner!!!

Alright then. The Verdict. This is an exceptionally brilliant movie and it has something in it for everyone. We will give it 4.5 out of 5

Verdict: Simply Uber (Ultimate) . 4.5 / 5