The Dark Knight Trilogy (Part 2 of 3)

Months after saving Gotham from Ra's Al Ghul and the League of Shadows, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has turned his focus to organized crime, working together with Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and ambitious district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) to bring down the mob. Bruce is aware that Batman cannot last forever and views Harvey as his true successor, the public hero that Gotham needs and one who is willing to fight crime without having to hide behind a mask, despite the fact that Harvey has been dating his childhood sweetheart Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Their plan to clean up the streets of Gotham is put to the test when the Joker (Heath Ledger) strolls into town and offers up his services to the mob, orchestrating a campaign of terror and destruction that pushes Batman to his limits. As the death toll begins to mount and chaos reigns throughout Gotham, Batman is forced to question how far he is willing to go to take this madman down - and what he is willing to sacrifice for the sake of the greater good.

I remember sitting in the movie theater during opening weekend of THE DARK KNIGHT and there was a moment during the film where I thought to myself, "I never want this to end." I went in with highest of expectations and, for the first time in a long time, I left the theater feeling like I had witnessed something special - a moviegoing experience that I would remember for the rest of my life. It was that good. It isn't without its flaws, like some will point out that Bruce Wayne takes a backseat to the Joker and Harvey Dent, but there is so much that Christopher Nolan gets right that his missteps are more than forgivable. And, to be quite honest, there is a reason Bruce gets lost in the shuffle at times, and its because the drama happening around him is so intelligent and compelling that the weight of the film didn't need to be on his shoulders. I'll get to the Joker in a minute, because I'd first like to talk about Harvey Dent, whose character arc provides the framework for THE DARK KNIGHT and brings the various plot strands together. Played with effortless charisma by Aaron Eckhart, Dent represents the kind of hope that Batman was meant to inspire, an ordinary citizen who believes that good can prevail over evil and is willing to fight the good fight to protect the people of Gotham. But, like the opposing sides of a coin, Dent also embodies the idea that even the most noble of men have a dark side and all it takes is the right push, as the Joker so aptly illustrates in his manipulations of Dent in the latter half of THE DARK KNIGHT. Like BATMAN BEGINS before it, THE DARK KNIGHT raises the question of whether or not the people of Gotham can be saved and explores the dichotic nature of mankind through Harvey Dent, whose tortured soul serves as the ultimate prize in the battle between Batman and the Joker.

But while I found the transformation of Harvey Dent to be the heart of THE DARK KNIGHT, what elevates this film to another level is the performance of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker. Simply put, it is one of the most iconic performances of our time, which makes his premature death all the more tragic. Almost unrecognizable behind the clown make-up, Ledger transformed himself into the Joker, so much so that you can't help but feel mesmerized every time he appears on the screen. From his nihilistic behavior to his lack of an origin, this is how the Joker was meant to be portrayed, and I give as much credit to Ledger as I do to the writers, who clearly understood the character and what makes him tick from the get-go. This kind of respect for the source material is what sets this franchise apart from other comic book films of the past, in this new era of fandom where filmmakers can win over a fan base by simply taking a serious approach to these characters and their storylines. By continuing to keep Batman grounded in the real world, Christopher Nolan has achieved something that no other comic book film could have even dreamed of, and it is the idea that these movies can reflect something about ourselves while also keeping us entertained. Which is why THE DARK KNIGHT functions not just as an exceptional comic book film, but also as a thrilling crime drama not seen since Michael Mann's HEAT. THE DARK KNIGHT addresses modern issues of justice, morality, and terrorism, hefty baggage for a superhero film, but it never feels forced because all of them are natural elements of this world the filmmakers have created.

I consider THE DARK KNIGHT to be one of the best films that I've ever seen because it excels in all aspects of filmmaking, both behind the camera and in front it. The look of the film is crisp and stunning, the writing is brilliant and imaginative, the acting is all top notch and headlined by a performance well deserving of its Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and the soundtrack from Hans Zimmer, as usual, is nothing short of magnificent. This is the kind of film that will be remembered for years to come, reminding us of the greatness that Hollywood is capable of producing when its most talented people are allowed to come together and work their magic.

Check back on Friday for Part 3!