Feeling out of place in a t-shirt and jeans, I quickly put my head down and strolled into the theatre... I could swear the ticket checker was smirking at me. Luckily, we did end up getting good seats - way back in the last row. Not all together though - no way! The last fifteen minutes are always the worst. And here we go... cheers all around as the film begins...
Frankly, I just can't come up with words to describe this movie. In one word, I could say - unbelievable! I may be biased here by the initial euphoria seeping through, but somehow - anytime, any day - I think this is a five-star movie.
Simply put, Chris Nolan's 'Dark Knight' is simply the best movie of the superhero genre ever made. And the Joker is up there as the best villain ever to be seen on the silver screen to date. The nightmarish look with the white face paint and the ever smiling scars, the menacing voice, the sadistic mind games - I cannot imagine anyone surpassing this performance anytime soon. Heath got into the mind of the Joker - and that's why I wonder if this was what killed him. Did he die for his art? Because undoubtedly, this was the performance that will make him a legend.The other actors have done their part - I thought Aaron Eckhart handled the transition from Gotham City's white knight as Harvey Dent to the coin tossing maniac Two Face great. And did I mention the make up job on Two Face? Classic.
In discussing them, Christian Bale has been reduced to a mere supporting role. Doesn't mean he didn't do well - in fact, he was great as a Batman confronting his demons - once again. He's been my favorite Batman so far - but this movie - it totally belonged to the villains. Batman was totally owned by the Joker here.
The visuals of the movie are awesome - Gotham City has never looked so dark, dismal and scary at night. (Loved Batsuit 2.0, btw) The story was gripping, fast-paced and exciting - leaving you wanting more. All the characters and roles are given the opportunity to mature - you can actually see the slow transition of Harvey Dent as he fights against all odds and loses everything. All through the movie, I kept wondering how this movie was going to end. The tone of the movie said it all. The ending was particularly fantastic - something I never expected.Looking at the academy award nominations for the last few years, I just hope that the Dark Knight is not overlooked - commercial successes tend to somehow fail at the Oscars. Heath Ledger is undoubtedly my choice for this year's best actor - not supporting, mind you - this movie belonged to the Joker who will give us nightmares for years to come.
Gotham needed a better class of criminal. The Joker has given us that - and more. I pity the poor soul that has to fill in his shoes. RIP, Heath Ledger, and thank you for the role of a lifetime.
