The Dark Knight

“This town deserves a better class of criminal…and I’m gonna give it to ‘em.”

And audiences deserve a better class of summer blockbuster. Christopher Nolan has given it to ‘em. The Dark Knight improves in every way upon the first installment of the Batman restoration project, Batman Begins.

I honestly don’t know where to begin or what to address other than to say this is the greatest comic book film of all time. The comic book film surge over the past decade has included wonderful efforts such as Spider-Man 2, X2 – X-Men United, and Batman Begins. But The Dark Knight transcends the comic book genre. It succeeds in every way a comic book film should and enters into the realm of just plain great films.

Christopher Nolan has honed his skills as an action director. A stunning opening scene channels the best of Michael Mann’s Heat during a bank robbery. The Hong Kong skyline serves as a backdrop for Batman to showcase his ability to appear and then just as quickly disappear. A chase scene through the lower bowels of Gotham City in which Batman’s Tumbler becomes a big-wheeled motorcycle gets the adrenaline flowing. Even more intimate scenes confined by tight spaces pack an intensity and emotional depth such as an encounter between Batman and the Joker in an interrogation room.

Speaking of the Joker…

The acting is uniformly superb throughout. Maggie Gyllenhaal improves upon Katie Holmes performance as Rachel Dawes. Aaron Eckhart gives an excellent and heartbreaking performance as new Gotham DA Harvey Dent. Gary Oldman (Lieutenant Gordon), Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), and Michael Caine (Alfred) continue to shine as Batman’s inner circle. And Christian Bale shows his increased comfort in the role and completely embodies the role of Batman. He is Batman.

But Heath Ledger steals the show as the Joker. I never thought Jack Nicholson’s 1989 performance as the Joker could be equaled, much less overshadowed. Heath Ledger has succeeded in making me forget Jack Nicholson ever even played the Joker. That face. Those scars. That make-up. That laugh. Whatever magnificent plot inspired by the writing of Christopher Nolan and his brother, Jonathan, the Joker spends two-and-a-half hours carving his way through it. The result is frightening.

The Dark Knight is a lot to take in during one sitting. I can’t wait to see it again, hopefully on the IMAX screen for which several scenes were specifically filmed. It’s a film to be taken seriously as one of the best films of the year. For now we’ll call it the summer blockbuster movie-going audiences deserve.

Thanks, Mr. Nolan!