The Dark Knight

Movie:The Dark Knight

Genre: Action,Drama,Thriller,Superhero,All time great

Cast:Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart

Running Time: 152 min (approx.)

Rating: *****

"Do I look like a guy with a plan??"

"I think you and I are destined to do this forever"

The Joker

Two lines from a character who has probably created more hype prior to the release of the movie than seen in recent times. The Joker, played by Heath Ledger in this continuation of the Batman story is a character that is a balancing act, utmost treacherous. A little less and you take away the freakiness that Joker brings to the table, a little more and you get branded as the guy who messed it up. But, if you are blessed enough you walk that tightrope and make the character your own ;you get to portray this monster of a person given some of the "awsomest" lines and production values that set the standards. At the same time you must've crossed the Almighty for not living to see the day when the world is going crazy raving about the performance that is billed to bag an Oscar. Watching the Joker crashing parties and mob meetings, looting banks and doing everything and anything to bring Gothan on it's knees all the time smacking his lips and asking the question "Why so serious??" is as eerie a cinematic villain as any and more so if compared to other superhero movies.This villain knows no reason, has no motive and cannot be threatened with anything. All he wants is the world to join him in breaking all rules and let chaos take over; which he believes is the fairest way to live. Alfred the butler describes him the best when he says "Some people just want to see the world burn"

Enough about the Joker, let's talk about the movie (though it is hard to separate the two coz Joker is the movie). The Dark Knight takes off where Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins had ended. But The Dark Knight is a movie that is an experience in itself and you really do not need to know the first part to understand this one, apart from the sporadic appearances of the antagonist from the first part. Christian Bale takes up the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman and looks a lot more confident and assured from the first part, his small team played by stalwarts Michael Caine (as Alfred Pennyworth) and Morgan Freeman(Lucius Fox) are back too accompanied by the Gary Oldman playing Lt. Gordon. Maggie Gyllenhall replaces Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, Wayne's love interest. All of them seem to fall in place except for Maggie who's quite "thanda" really. But in a master stroke Nolan brings in Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, the goody two shoes DA in the city of crime. Eckhart puts in a performance that really sets you up for the contrast and fall he suffers at the end.

The action scenes and set pieces are awe inspiring to say the least, Nolan makes the batman a creature of the night by letting him loose in the skies of Hong Kong and the streets of Gotham. Watching Batman leap of a skyscraper his cape spread is a jaw dropper, only beaten by a smartly thought and brilliantly executed car/truck/batmobile scene. Some of the scenes of the movie have been shot on an IMAX camera supposed to give a 3-D ish effect if seen on a IMAX screen. People in Mumbai or places where such screens are available are well advised to view the movie there, I saw it on a normal 70 mm and was blown away.

The story is tight and tense, and despite being 150 minute movie, it has enough gas to keep you hooked. Background score is amazing and keeps the tone of the movie sombre yet escalates when required, in fact the score that plays just before the end when Lt. Gordon is giving a mini speech as to why Batman is The Dark Knight is super cool and will surely make your hair stand while you are leaving your seat.

Writing on this movie is actually equivalent to spoiling a lot of fun for people who haven't yet seen it, though that number is going to be pretty small. The subtexts in the movie are also awesome and some of the lines from the movie regarding chaos, anarchy and chance warrant a discussion for themselves. There is also the issue of avenging evil without becoming it.But I shall leave that all for later. Right now I shall end with two big thumbs up for the movie and a strong strong recommendation for you all to catch it. I give the movie 5 out of 5 stars because I believe there is no other rating that can convey the message "Watch it all costs on the big screen (IMAX if possible)"

Before I finish another gem of a line from the Joker in the movie

"You know what I am, Harvey? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one"

PS: The post was delayed due to various reasons ranging from some unexpected work and to some unexpected travel, but mainly because I wanted to watch this one twice before writing this one