I know that this is a blog that editorializes video games. I know that we don’t write about anything besides gaming… Well, you know what? I’m the Editor of the blog. That means I get to write about what ever the heck I want. Well, I just saw the Dark Knight and it fu*king blew my mind.
So, I’m gonna write about my take on the movie and it’s gonna be full of spoilers. I’m gonna get down and dirty, but I’m not going to review it. Why bother with a review anyway. This is more stream of consciousness than review. More talking points and awe, than critical analysis.
I just wanna talk about it. All of it. Read on and join in, cause this movie was worth it.
I’ve seen a lot of super hero movies. Movies about ordinary people rising to the occasion to punch evil in the face. But what if you can’t win by punching? What if, punching evil in the face only makes it worse? What if, by punching evil in the face in order to defeat it, you just cause the evil people that enjoy getting punched in the face to come out of the woodwork… Now what do you do?
Believe it or not, I thought that was the central theme of the Dark Knight. How could a costume vigilante exist in real life? If he did exist, how would he fight “crime” and how would he be necessary in the real world. What happens when the Joker comes along. Whoa nelly… the Joker. The Definitive Joker.
Movies are usually quite formulaic. You know, almost at the beginning of the movie, who’s gonna live and who’s gonna die. When you think of the Joker as a villain in comic book lore, he’s often portrayed as the “Clown Prince of Crime” a silly buffoon that is a thorn in Batman’s side. The Dark Knight changes all of that. I know there have been “menacing” Jokers in comics. Grant Morrison, Alan Moore, and others have taken the psyche of the Joker to new levels, but Christopher Nolan just nailed it.
The Joker is a force of nature in this film. He’s unbridled. He does whatever he wants, whenever he wants to, just to fuck things up and see what happens. He’s a self described force of Chaos. Think about that. He has no rules, nothing to bind him to this world and nothing to stand in his way. Not even his conscience. Not even Batman.
Watching the Joker in this movie, I often felt a sense of dread as a result of the “no holds barred” aura of the Joker. When the Joker was on screen, you felt afraid for the characters that he was interacting with. The characters in this movie are so rich and have so much depth. You don’t want to see harm come to them. Oh, but it does. When it does happen, it’s often unexpected and jarring. The Joker is really fucking scary in the movie. Whenever you see him, you’re sure he’s gonna kill somebody, you just don’t know who, or when, or how. Except for Batman. Nope, he just wants to play with Batman in his sick game. That creates tension. That creates dread. Is he gonna kill the old man at the fundraiser? Is he gonna blow up the SWAT van. What the heck is he gonna do next? That’s a testament to Heath Ledger, who absolutely owned every minute he was on camera. Best. Villain. Ever.
Better than Vader.
Calling him the best villain ever is an oversimplification. Best character ever. Yeah, that’s about right.
This movie simply doesn’t take the easy way out. They take the ideas of order vs. chaos to the mountain top. Who’s a hero? Who is a villain? Why do people do what they do and what if you can’t do anything to stop a person that doesn’t live for anything? What happens then?
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24 responses so far ↓
1 Edthefreak // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:08 am
Wow, this article might be longer than my blog entry on The Dark Knight. But nontheless, I found your review of the Dark Knight to really focus on what the movie was about. The rise and fall of Harvey Dent, and the Joker. That’s kind of what your article focused on because basically, the movie doesn’t seem to actually have as much to do with Batman, as it does with them. Either way you are right. Maybe not THE best, but certainly one of the best movies ever.
2 Keith K // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:15 am
The only thing that blew me away was Heath Ledger. Until I saw the movie, his untimely passing was, to me, merely unfortunate. When I saw his performance in The Dark Knight, it finally struck me as a tragedy.
3 Yousty // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:29 am
You said it best
Best. Villain. Ever.
Heath Ledger steals the show. The first scene we actually see him talking (in the basement with the mobsters) I seriously sat glued to my movie theater seat just staring in awe at what I was witnessing. I have never, EVER seen such spot-on, perfect acting. I was so blown away I literally had goosebumps. From that point on, the movie just kept getting better and better until the end where I was actually sad that it was over and just sat there in silence saddened by the fact that I will never get to see him act as the Joker again.
If Heath Ledger doesn’t win every single acting award out there this year then I will never watch a movie awards show again.
4 Lono // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:37 am
You watch movie awards shows??? LOL.
5 SWSilentkiller // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:49 am
Everything I have heard of the new batman movie has been almost nothing but positive. And personally I am inclined to agree because the Dark Night was an amazing movie. I would gladly go see it again and again. It was just that good, if this movie doesn’t win any awards then It proves those award shows are rigged.
6 Yousty // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:50 am
I watch a TON of movies so I like to see if the actors/movies that really deserve the awards get them.
7 Archivist777 // Aug 7, 2008 at 11:51 am
That was a great review. Maybe I’m just saying that because I thought the exact same things. The characterization in this movie was amazing. I don’t even have the words to describe it… but you did. Thanks!
8 Tom Sawyer PhD // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:05 pm
Definitely the best superhero movie of all time. It had the feeling of crime movies like Heat and Godfather. My ONLY complaint is Christian Bale’s voice when he’s Batman. It sounds like someone is choking him every time he talks. I realize he’s trying to disguise his voice but I can’t help but laugh when he talks. He sounds like Solid Snake from MGS4 ! Is Batman smoking and aging unnaturally fast ?
9 Artemas // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:20 pm
@Tom
Remember that Batman/Bruce have many of the same contacts or atleast people who would recognize him, with a VEY dramatic voice change he would be discovered rather quickly.
10 Artemas // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Opps, I mean without a VEY dramatic voice change he would be discovered rather quickly.
11 Artemas // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:22 pm
F*** I mean without a VERY dramatic voice change he would be discovered rather quickly.
Sorry triple post
12 bueatifulraven // Aug 7, 2008 at 12:25 pm
WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!!
God where to begin, my favorite movie ever, best movie of all time, and best acting performances ever. Think about it, everyone other than the joker was really good. Now think about how Heath stole the show from them all, it really gives you an idea of how amazing he was. Nolan and team finally gave me my Joker, the one I wanted to see come to life, not some thief.
13 DigIt // Aug 7, 2008 at 1:18 pm
ABOUT TIME YOU SAW IT! I SAW IT FIRST DAY IT CAME OUT AND IT IS THE BEST F****** MOVIE I’VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME
14 DigIt // Aug 7, 2008 at 1:18 pm
but its good that you let the community know about it
15 Lono // Aug 7, 2008 at 1:22 pm
Sorry Diglt, I’ve been a bit busy lately…
16 DigIt // Aug 7, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Also the great thing about it is, it’s not really a superhero movie either….it’s like seven mixed with the best james bond movie ever
17 Rcwpong // Aug 7, 2008 at 1:52 pm
It’s interesting because Nolan has taken a very gritty realistic take on the DC world. A stark contrast to most people growing up with the campy TV show and the earlier Batman movies.
There is a part of me that misses the magical world where Batman just has some miscellaneous shop that makes all his crazy custom gadgets. I was always a fan of the line:
“Where does he get those wonderful toys”
But I agree on many points about TDK. Ledger’s Joker was inspired. Truly frightful. A man that doesn’t want money, fame or even recognition. He just loves stepping on an anthill and watching them all scamper to try and restore order.
18 jamezDeadman // Aug 7, 2008 at 4:17 pm
too much spoiler…i havent seen the movie, and with what i get to read….im feeling like a sinner
19 Jason Bourne223 // Aug 7, 2008 at 5:35 pm
I was wondering if any of you guys were going to get around to talking about The Dark Knight. Definitely one of the finest movies I’ve ever seen, and I watch a hell of a lot of movies. Heath Ledger was absolutely incredible.
20 cooleddie // Aug 7, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I saw this movie 3 times. Yes, three times. I could even go for a fourth time, since it was so good…
21 Sifer2400 // Aug 7, 2008 at 8:17 pm
i liked it alot altho i have a soft spot for Iron man Best hero Ever and NO batman isnt really a hero Vigilante more like it
22 Jarrett // Aug 7, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Booyah. I whole-heartedly agree with all of this.
Pretty good review there, Lono.
I loved the movie.
23 Vinc3nt // Aug 8, 2008 at 2:54 pm
I agree best film of the decade if not ever
24 mindhead666 // Aug 9, 2008 at 8:39 am
GREAT BUCKETS O’ BULL-PUCKEY!! I saw it twice in one weekend and loved every minute. Yay, the love interest is dead! Woo-hoo! It is pretty sad ol’ Ledger bit the bullet. I would’ve seen almost anything with him in it after that performance. Just hope they don’t try to craptastically replace him in a future Batman film, seein’ as how they left him alive an’ all. CEE-RIPES, WHAT A GREAT MOVIE! I must admit, though, I giggled a bit at Bale’s Batman voice a coupla times. In the first one, his voice was kinda scary, and I realize he must conceal the identity an’ everything, but I really think he overdid it sometimes. Much props on the review, Lono. Great Job!
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