I know the movie has been out for about a month, but I wanted to be sure that I got the review just right. I had waited all Summer for this film to come out, so I wanted to take my time with the review. That was before I saw the movie. After I saw the movie, I realized I would have to take my time with the review, just to make sure I fit everything in. But, in any case, here, at last, is my take on  The Dark Knight.

I have read every other review and discussion on this movie and have heard so many different descriptions of it. It has been called the biggest blockbuster of the Summer. It has been called the brilliantly tragic final performance of a gifted young star. It has been hailed for it’s reinvention of one of comic’s most famous villains. It has even been suggested as a social commentary for living in the post 9/11 world. It is at once all these things and so much more.

The Dark Knight continues the reinvention of the Batman Movie franchise began three years ago in Batman Begins. Again, Director Christopher Nolan teams with Actor Christian Bale to ground the fantasy world of Batman in a gritty, realistic vision.  Bale returns in the dual role of Batman and Bruce Wayne, and a little more exploration is done into the internal struggle between Wayne and his alter ego. Wayne is a man who does not want to be Batman forever, but who also cannot deny the effect Batman’s arrival has had on Gotham. The mob is dseperate as Batman continues to crackdown on organized crime. Other characters from the first movie also return. Michael Caine reprises his role as Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s faithful Butler, and one of the few people who know the secret of his double life. After the destruction of Wayne Manor at the end of Batman Begins, Alfred helps Bruce set up a temporary “Bat Bunker” in an abandoned Wayne Construction facility. Alfred also continues his role as Bruce’s conscience in this film, advising him to “know your limits.” Gary Oldman returns as Lieutenant James Gordon, who has forged a “working relationship” with Batman after realized that their aims are the same, though the methods are different. Gordon has been given command of his own hand-picked team, the Major Crimes Unit. Gordon has installed the Bat-Signal on the roof of Police Headquarters to instill fear into the criminals. Gordon finds that the signal also instills confidence in the populace, who feel safer. Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Lucius Fox, the CEO of Wayne Enterprises and Batman’s “Gadget Guy.” Lucius has more to deal with this time and actually ends up at odds with Batman at one point in the film.  This film also sees the return of Rachel Dawes, but there is a new actress in the role. After originating the role in Batman Begins, Katie Holmes passed on the chance to reprise the role in the sequel. The role has been recast for The Dark Knight, with Maggie Gyllenhal filling the role. Finally, also reprising his role, albeit in cameo fashion, is Cillian Murphy, who consented to reappearing as Dr. Jonathan Crane, better known as the Scarecrow. Though not an essential part of the plot, this little touch helps to build the new frachise’s continuity.

However, there are also some new cast members to talk about. Aaron Eckhardt brings the character of Harvey Dent, Gotham’s newly elected District Attorney, to life. Dent is Gotham’s new “White Knight” and his success against organized crime lead Bruce to believe that the day when Gotham no longer needs Batman may at last be near. Dent is also Rachel’s love interest in the film, creating an interesting dynamic between him and Bruce. However, Eckhardt also gets to play the other side of Dent, the villainous disfigured maniac: Two-Face. Eckhardt filmed the Two-Face scenes with black and white motion capture dots on one side of his face. These would later be removed and the computer generated disfigurement added. All of Two-Face’s traits are intact, most prominently that he flips to make each decision. In fact, the coin is introduced prior to Den’t transformation and is even given a back story. The transformation of Dent into Two-Face is handled differently in the film than in the comics. Gasoline is used instead of acid to affect the transformation, but the moment is no less dramatic. Eric Roberts also has a minor role as Sal Maroni, the man who takes over the mob after the fall of Carmine Falcone in Batman Begins. Maroni is a character famiiar to anyone who has read the Batman comics, as he is the mobster who throws acid into Dent’s face, creating Two-Face.

Finally, we have the most significant new character of the bunch. In what, tragically, would be his final performance onscreen, Heath Ledger would leave an indellible mark on the character of the Joker. Ledger’s Joker harkens back to the roots of the character. He plays the Joker as not just a villain, but as a force of anarchy.  Ledger’s Joker believes in murder for murder’s sake with no rhyme of reason. Unlike his comic book counterpart, Ledger’s Joker grin has been obtained due to large cuts on each side of his mouth, not by acid. This Joker has a decidedly “punk” look to him, with long stringy hair that he applied a green rinse to. He has white makeup that he has messily and unevenly applied, smudging in spots and heavy red makeup around his lips, in addition to dark circles under his eyes. He goes about his destructive path with no apparent plan. As shown in the opening bank robbery scene, even those whom the Joker employs are not safe. Throughout the film, it is made perfectly clear that it does not matter whether it is on of his own common thugs, a mob enforcer or even the Police Commissioner, a murder is a murder to the Joker. The Joker’s brazen attitude in the pursuit of ananrchy knows no bounds. He blows up a hospital, attempts to assasinate the Mayor, takes a party hostage, chases down an armored car carrying Harvey Dent and crashes a party thrown by Bruce Wayne, all to draw that attention of Batman, whom he considers his only true equal. He has also decided to make the ruin of Harvey Dent his pet project. You don’t realize just how amamzing theperformance is until you realize the Joker’s explanation for his scars is different each time he tells it. Ledger’s Joker is a different breed of villain and his penchant for random violence is established early in the film by means of a gruesome and deadly “magic trick” involving a pencil.

To combat the violent escalaltion, Batman employs some new gadgets in his crusade, starting with a new suit designed to enable faster movement.Other gadgets are also used, including a new sonar technology, the morality of which seems to echo the current debate over illegal wiretapping. Also employed are new “sticky bombs” and a Skyhook device used to rappel into an airplane. In addition, familiar gadgets, such as the batarangs and the Tumbler returns. However, this version of the Batmobile sees it’s last ride in this film, self-destructing after launching the coolest new piece of Bat-tech, the Batpod. The Batpod is a two-wheeled cycle silimlar in look to the Tumbler. It has armaments, including missiles, machine guns and a grappling hook.

The story deals with the rise and fall of Harvey Dent, which plays out against the backdrop of the Joker’s reign of terror. Dent’s rise causes Bruce to question whether or not Batman is still needed. However, the inablility of anyone else to effectively handle the Joker reinforces the need for Batman. Joker sees himself and Batman as two sides of the same coin. In the end, however, it is Dent the Joker manages to corrupt.The kidnapping and subsequent murder of Rachel Dawes combined with his disfigurement and a little bit of urging from the Joker send Harvey over the edge and Two-face is born. His first act is to execute the cop resposible for his kidnapping. He then sets his sights on the cop who kidnapped Rachel, forcing her to help kidnap Gordon’s family.

The action has a slow build at times, but when it gets going, it is non-stop. There are some truly beautiful sequences in the movie. Apart from the opening bank robbery sequence. There is the Hong Kong building break-in scene, the Joker crashing Bruce’s party and a spectacular chase sequence involving the Tumbler, an armored car and a tractor trailer that the Joker has commandeered. This truck will be involved in a later sequence featuring the Batpod and will actually be flipped over near the end of this sequence.

The final battle, which features the Joker vs. Batman and the final tragic fall of Harvey Dent, takes place in a building site. Batman and the Joker face off, with two ferries full of passengers at stake. Joker initially gets the best of Batman, but he looses his footing near the edge of the building. Batman saves him, but leaves him hanging from the building.  Two-Face, meanwhile, has decided to punish Gordon by kidnapping his family. He forces Gordon to watch as he plans to execute Gordon’s son, but Batman intervenes. Batman convinces Harvey to flip his coin before each time he wants to shoot. His flip on Batman comes up scarred side, so he shoots Batman in the abdomen. As he goes to flip on Gordon’s son, Batman recovers and battle Two-Face to the building’s edge. Two-Face loses his footing and falls to the ground. As Gordon and Batman stand over the body, Gordon remarks that the truth about Harvey will come out and that the Joker has won. Batman says that cannot happen and that he will take the blame for the murders Two-Face committed. Gordon says he will have to hunt him and Batman leaves in the Batpod as cops chase him. Gordon smashes the Batsignal.

The film is great, but there are some points of contention that people have expressed, most notably concerning the ending and Two-Face’s death, which many felt was unneccessary. I believe thatt the way it was presented makes sense and creates a logical reason for Batman’s outlaw status. Also, there have been criticisms of Bale’s Batman voice. I personally did not think it was too much, but pther people have said it isa bit too much of a growl. Judge for yourself.

Even with these small faults, this is still. without a doubt the Best Movie of the Summer, and it will probable be one of the Best Movies of the Year. If you haven’t seen it yet, go. Will Heath Ledger win a posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of the Joker?  I don’t know. Should he? See the movie and try to come up with a reason why he shouldn’t

The Dark Knight gets 5 Joker cards out of 5