The Dark Knight

Genre: Action/thriller

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman and Morgan Freeman

Showing at Kumari

Kathmandu

Maybe the Joker’s words “What does not kill you, makes you stranger” is true.

Due of some psychological trauma they faced in early childhood, the harsh realities of life, the game of hide and seek with the world and self, the pain of losing all you’ve got or just the plain oppression of social norms and laws every character in the movie is twisted in head one way or the other giving their characters shades of grey. But the Joker is different — he is not just grey or the darkest shade of grey… he is pure black from the darkest and coldest corner of hell and the best part is that he knows that and enjoys that.

Christopher Nolan has done what was thought impossible. You may go to the theatre hearing how good Heath Ledger is as the Joker in this last movie of his, but you come out with total satisfaction with the treatment Nolan has given. Yes, Ledger’s death did give the needed hype to the movie, but when you come out, it’s not just the Joker you will remember, but also the story that has been presented so well. There perhaps has not been any superhero movie that shines beyond all the camera work and visual effects and The Dark Knight comes as the best of the all comic remade on silver screen.

The movie begins with a mad, crazy and blazingly brilliant Joker (Heath Ledger) robbing a bank. He wants all to suffer and his only aim is to show the world the real face of Batman. Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is tired of his double life and wants to break free from his image by giving up being the hero of crime city Gotham. His prayer is answered as new District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) decides to finish crime from the face of Gotham city and is helped by his girlfriend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal). Harvey is soon known as the White Knight of the city. Things go fine but the Joker is not ready to go with their plan. After the Joker makes all fight each other for justice and their life and all other innocent citizens, Batman is left with choices and anything he choses will be his loss.

There is no second opinion on saying that the Joker portrayed by Ledger is the best of all. He does the menacing act so effortlessly, you just can’t stop praising the actor. The role has been personified by the actor so well it will be tough for any other actor in future to break the image that Ledger has left in everyone’s mind. Bale is sleek, debonair and equally talented, letting the world know why he is the Batman. Whether in the playboy image, arrogant and extravagant or as the determined, righteous and decisive, Bale shines despite the blazingly bright Joker. He is hot with or without the (bat)suit and watching all the mean machines he has, he of course is the best Batman ever.

Another actor who stands out is Eckhart for his brilliant role as Harvey Dent /Two Face. Despite Ledger’s larger than life role and Bale’s central role, Eckhart’s character shows a great graph in the movie. Gyllenhaal in Katie Holmes’ shoes does a very good job and wins accolades for making it sweet and refreshing. Supporting roles by other well known and award winning actors like Micheal Cane (as Alfred Pennyworth the trustworthy butler), Gary Oldman (as Lt James Gordon) and Morgan Freeman (as Lucius Fox who makes all the divine machines for Batman) are superb and do well when it comes to supporting the story.

The action sequences and visual work is excellent but what captures the attention is the story, dialogues and super talented actors who play it best. All in all a must see.