August 17, 2008

Like any continuation of a vulnerable franchise which is in its infancy, The Dark Knight, helmed again by Christopher Nolan, has upped its gamble by being bigger and grimmer, and as film critic Mick LeSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle says: ‘extravaganza that’s sadder than sad and never pretends otherwise’.

Christian Bale, who when not wearing his Batman cowl and the programmed rumbling voice, dons a stoic mask that rarely smiles; and an over-the-top Heath Ledger who, as the Joker “believe(s) whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you... stranger.”

Now more than ever its begun to ring true that behind every successful superhero there is an even more successful villain, whose manifesto might have started with the heading: World domination (or for some, city takeover) or bust. These villains are often less resourceful (and more willful) than the hero, but primed nonetheless to make things ugly at a moments notice.

Unlike the last two Batman movies before Begins, The Dark Knight simply builds a new story on previous foundation. A natural progression which has Batman trouncing syndicated crime, who in their beaten, battered shape turns to The Joker for help. As Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), Waynes dexterous father figure cum manservant says in one scene “You hammered them. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn’t fully understand. Some men aren’t looking for anything logical. They can’t be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

Nolan’s Bruce Wayne still parades in an air of carefreeness while his Batman is definitely darker than before and the dilemma’s he faces with Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman, more identifiable than last time) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (always enticing Aaron Eckhart) show an unspoken camaraderie between them. Wayne’s sorrow is not as overwhelming as before, nor is it as lifelessly musty and the romance is handled better than last time, especially since Harvey Dent rivals Bruce for Rachel Dawes attention (Maggie Gyllenhaal, stepping in for Katie Holmes). In creating his own dystopian settlement, Nolan made this Batman his own, complete with his trademark show-off climax where everything goes ka-boom and nothing makes sense (ala Batman Begins).

The stakes are personal and decisions are irreversible and the most devious villain in the DC Universe — the Joker — isn’t holding back. Ledger’s recent demise is sure to effect the perception of his performance, especially in the critic’s circles, but what one didn’t expected was that by the end of The Dark Knight his talent spoke louder than his death.

The film features an all-star cast of bona-fine actors in Christian Bale (Bruce Wayne/Batman), Heath Ledger (The Joker), Aaron Eckhart (District Attorney Harvey Dent), Gary Oldman (Lt. James Gordon), Morgan Freeman (gadget guru Lucius Fox), Maggie Gyllenhaal (Rachel Dawes) and Michael Caine (Alfred Pennyworth). It is rated PG-13, has mature themes of pulled-back violence. Watching Ledger’s creeping psychotic tableau, it’s no wonder why our Dark Knight has sleeping problems. — M. Kamran Jawaid & Farheen Jawaid