The Dark Knight

It’s now who you are, but what you do that defines you.

Nothing sums up this movie better than that line from Batman Begins. Every character undergoes a life-changing moment where their actions define their character. Some for the better, a couple for the worst, but all in all, everyone changes.

In 2006, Batman Begins hit the box office with a bang. Actor Christian Bale received rave reviews for his portrayal of both Batman and Bruce Wayne. It was hard for anyone to fathom a better Batman movie… Until now.

The Dark Knight began with an action packed robbery scene, true to the original Joker, that set the pace for a thrilling ride. From the opening sequence to the closing credits, The Dark Knight was a roller coaster of excitement and suspense.

Since the age of two, the Caped Crusader was my favorite superhero. I watched old Batman shows and cartoons and have seen every Batman movie, but never in all my years of admiring the Dark Knight have I seen anyone play the role of Joker better than Heath Ledger. Though the real story of how Joker came to be was not portrayed in this film, the story they gave him in The Dark Knight was more realistic. As with the original Joker, Ledger’s version was just as shady about his past. He tells several different stories in the film about how he received his scars, as the original Joker did.

There is no doubt that Heath Ledger did a phenomenal job for his last ever on-screen appearance. The usual spontaneous, fun-loving, and sinister Joker was by no means over the top. He was very obviously once a normal guy who simply snapped one day, making the character more believable and easier to connect with. Over and over he managed to one-up both the Gotham Police Department and Batman by always remaining a step ahead. The look in his eyes–that of pure pleasure and knowing smiles–was both comedic and frightening. Ledger’s performance left me with chills.

Joker never “joins forces” with Batman, but mid-film he suddenly realizes that he needs Batman. He believes that he is the yin to Batman’s yang and desperately tries to keep him alive just to play with him.

The famous line from this movie, “Why so serious?” gave me chills every time it was delivered, leaving me anticipating the unexpected–another of Joker’s crazy plans.

“Because he’s the hero that Gotham deserves.”

As I mentioned before, everyone underwent changes… Including Gordon. In this film he finally became the inside man to Batman that he was in all of the comic books. He put incredible effort into supporting and believing in Batman, despite the leers he received from his peers in the Police Department.

Gary Oldman does a fantastic job with Gordon’s battle against his inner demons and personal choices. In this film the viewers finally get to understand the real Gordon. There is nothing he would not do to help the city, and there is nothing that could ever make him turn his back against Batman. He believes in the Caped Crusader with blind faith that sets an example for all of Gotham City.

I don’t want to say too much about Gordon, but this movie was groundbreaking for his character. I guarantee you will not see what’s coming next for him!

“People are dying, Alfred. What would you have me do? “

“Endure. You can be the outcast. You can make the choice that no one else will face – the right choice. Gotham needs you.”

What would Bruce Wayne do without Alfred Pennyworth? From start to finish Alfred is Bruce’s voice of reason, stating clearly and concisely what Bruce is unable grasp. Following with the serious theme of this film, Alfred forgoes most of his usual jokes (probably not finding them funny since their foe is called Joker) and adopts a more serious and concerned persona.

Alfred truly comes Bruce Wayne’s father figure. He watches over him, advises him, and does everything within his power and ethics to protect Bruce from whatever harm comes.

Alfred was always my favorite character in the Batman series. Michael Caine does a smashing job at filling the shoes for this role. His wit, kindness, and intelligence are a perfect compliment to Bruce Wayne’s personality and needs. Alfred lightens the heavy load with just a word and speaks frankly when the need arises. If only everyone had friends as loyal and caring as him.

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Such poetic words coming from Harvey Dent… The White Knight; Gotham City’s valiant defender.

Harvey Dent, Gotham’s premier District Attorney, works side by side, by side, with Batman and Jim Gordon to clear the mob off the streets and help the streets of Gotham become a little safer. Harvey is a good man with a great heart, and he’s completely clueless that the woman he loves, Rachel Dawes, is in love with Bruce Wayne.

But to anyone who knows about Batman, and anyone who saw the trailer, we all know what happens to the White Knight of Gotham. Though the accident is not true to the comics–Dent is scarred by sulfuric acid in the real story, not fire–the writers did a great job at making the accident truly tragic for Dent. It is not long after, when he loses hope and is filled with anger, that Dent takes on the dramatic persona of Two Face.

Aaron Eckhart made Dent both a sympathetic character, and a downright stubborn politician whose way is the only way. Though the character was not created to fact, Eckhart did justice to the injustice done to Dent.

“You know that day you once told me about, when Gotham would no longer need Batman? It’s coming.”

Ah, Bruce Wayne. The gadget man, the brain, the strongman, the heart of what is good and just in Gotham City. Over the years we have seen many men try and fill the shoes of Batman, but none ever filled the shoes of Batman and Bruce Wayne… Until now.

Christian Bale proved himself as a perfect fit for Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins, showing the spunk and class of the young heir to Wayne Enterprises… Not to mention the fact that he actually looks like he could be a play-boy. However, the role of Batman was small in the first film, giving Bale little chance to show his flare as the Caped Crusader. The Dark Knight has made up for that.

The second film was primarily about Batman, with only a few plot elements relating to Bruce Wayne. Bale not only fits the bill for Gotham’s prince, but also for the Dark Knight of the city. His acting was superb, as always from Bale, and he gave Batman more depth than anyone else ever has. He struggled with conscience when the city wanted him to turn himself in to Joker to save them all. It took Harvey Dent and Alfred both to convince him that, regardless of what the people thought, they needed him.

I have followed Bales career closely for years and have yet to be disappointed with a performance, regardless of the quality of the film itself. He doesn’t just act the part… he becomes the character.

Though there are some instances in The Dark Knight that will leave you scratching your head, such as why a man who has no superpowers can bend and break shotguns, overall this film gets 10 out of 10 stars.

Regardless of whether you are a fan of Batman, this summer blockbuster has proved its worth in numbers alone, breaking every opening weekend record. The Dark Knight is a heart-pounding, edge of your seat adventure filled with human need and estranged social interaction that will have you squirming in your seat from start to finish. There are few movies that I enjoy enough to spend the money to watch in the theater again, but this one certainly has me itching for a second peek. If you haven’t seen it, go.