| Rating: | ★★★★★ |
| Category: | Movies |
| Genre: | Action & Adventure |
The first was The Dark Knight.
To begin, this is the spoiler-free review. I know critics just love to give everything away, but i don't; in fact I infuriate my wife with "read the book" and "go watch the movie" on a regular basis.
That said, it's difficult to say anything substantive about this movie without giving away plot points, so I decided to do two versions of this review, one with and one without spoilers, so feel free to if you'd rather read all the juicy tidbits.
I will first say that, granted that I haven't seen every movie that's come out in 2008 - although I have seen most of them - thus far, barring something really wonderful in a later movie, Heath Ledger flatly DESERVES the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
You hear that? He DESERVES it. I know, I know, the minute he died he was destined to win it; but I'm telling you outright that he would have won it even if he had lived. Jack Nicholson should feel like a jackass. (You may not know this, but when Heath Ledger was confirmed to be the new Joker, Nicholson pitched a fit about it because Ledger hadn't "consulted" Nicholson on how to play the Joker properly. Ledger didn't need any lessons; he openly steals the show.)
That said; this is not what you can really think of as a "comic book" movie, despite the origins of the characters.
There's a great deal of philosophy in this movie; it explores thoroughly the nature of vigilantism, of justice, and examines that element in human nature that seems addicted to chaos, despite our best efforts. The Batman as shown here cannot be a hero, because of his very nature; he can act in the best interests of the city, but he can never REALLY be clean, never have hands unsullied enough to act as a real hero.
This is not the Adam West Batman, folks.
Christian Bale does his usual stellar job; I have come to expect a high standard from him, and he delivers solidly; but in this film, what's surprising is that director Chris Nolan has pulled finer performances out of many of the bit players than they've delivered in years, if ever.
Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent is particularly fine; he carries his role with much more gravity and believability than has EVER been invested in the character otherwise known as Two-Face. I've seen him in several movies in small roles, and he's pretty much always been completely crap, in my opinion; and if anyone disagrees, I challenge them to find one single line he delivered believably in The Core.
He excels here. Harvey Dent, before, has been either a comic figure, or simply on to be pitied; can anyone believe the character - as played by Tommy Lee Jones - as a district attorney? But here, it is upon his character, his identity, that the entire plot turns.
Make no mistake; Batman is the hero; the Joker is the villain; but it is Two-Face's movie, from start to finish. Harvey Dent is the battleground upon which Batman's dedication to order preserved through disorderly means, and Joker's chaos and madness, are brought together to war; his is the soul over which they fight; and the lesson they leave you with at the end is that, despite the stains, sometimes a hero needs to get his hands dirty if anything "good" is to be accomplished.
I will note, here, that there are very, very great parallels between the ending of this movie, and the ending of the Watchmen graphic novel, written by Alan Moore. There's a Watchmen movie coming out, which from the trailer is almost slavishly devoted to accurately transferring the novel to the screen, and if this is the case, I fear that many may call Watchmen an imitator, simply because they never read it; that would be a damn shame.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and in this case, David S. Goyer, the screenwriter, has taken the concept of the ending, and worked (this is theory, but it fits) backwards to create from it the most powerful Joker portrayal ever. It's clear to see the influence of the SAW movies on the screenplay; many of Joker's actions, while seemingly random, are in fact cunningly constructed to turn the heroes' own beliefs and rules against them, to count on their actions and allow that to dictate the outcome in the Joker's favor.
It's not very often a three hour movie can really hold my interest.
This one does it. It takes an immense canvas, both of time, and of character, to build a story this epic in scale; Nolan succeeds on nearly every level here.
This is beyond doubt the best movie I've seen this year; unquestionably the best Batman ever filmed; certainly the standard for any future portrayal of the Joker; allows Two-Face to finally have some dignity; this sets the bar.
And it is a high bar indeed. This movie deserves all the accolades it gets, and then some.
"I would give it a better score, but I only have two thumbs!"
