Early Reviews of The Dark Knight
Is the Follow Up to Batman Begins Destined to Be a Classic?
Jul 2, 2008
On July 18, 2008, Warner Brothers will release the second installment of the Batman franchise entitled ‘The Dark Knight’. A follow up to the 2005 smash hit ‘Batman Begins’, this film will see the rise of one of comic books greatest antagonists, The Joker (portrayed by the late Heath Ledger).
‘The Dark Knight’ will commence immediately following the final moments of ‘Batman Begins’ and will focus on Batman (Christian Bale), Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and their fight to suppress the violence and chaos ravaging Gotham City (with The Joker being the key contributor and mastermind behind it all).
Though the film is yet to be released, it is still garnering fantastic reviews by those who've lucked into a sneak preview.
Heath Ledger’s Final Completed Role
This film has had a magnitude of buzz and publicity leading up to its release. Some of it has been good while other news has been downright tragic. It is now a well known fact that Heath Ledger passed away shortly after filming wrapped on this production. Though he was working on another film at the time, ‘The Dark Knight’ will be his final completed project.
Thus the film, in a sense, will be viewed and understood differently in light of what has transpired. Within the context of the film, Ledger’s ‘Joker’ will exist within a tightly wound narrative but, in reality, audience members may find it extremely difficult to put aside the fact that Ledger is no longer here.
Ledger passed away far too soon and, as a result, his legacy may have the ability to take on mythic proportions such as James Dean and Marilyn Monroe.
Early Indications are Fantastic
According to Garth Franklin, creator of darkhorizons.com, the film is a masterpiece: “it really isn’t a comic book movie, this feels more like a great Michael Mann movie-literally a film of ‘Heat (1995)’ caliber. The sole common complaint is that it’s a few minutes too long, but the story is so tight that it’s difficult to see where you could trim anything out of it”.
Famed film director Kevin Smith echoes Garth’s words of adulation: “It’s the Godfather II of comic book films and three times more earnest than ‘Batman Begins’ (and that was an earnest film). Easily the most adult comic book film ever made”.
Even without the encouraging reviews, it appears that the film is marked for blockbuster status. According to darkhorizons.com: “Though the film is still three weeks out, midnight showings on opening night for ‘The Dark Knight’ have essentially been sold out in major cities. As of Friday, the film has pre-sold eight times as many tickets as ‘Spiderman 3’ did at the same point in time before its release”.
The Realism of the Franchise
‘Batman Begins’ was met with such critical and commercial acclaim that it is quite difficult to imagine ‘The Dark Knight’ not living up to expectations. The fact that Christopher Nolan’s (director) interpretation of the series does not revolve around the camp excesses and comic book shenanigans that fueled the 1960s television series and the Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher films is a major benefit for the series.
Nolan delivers more of a level headed and serious tone to the films. These characters do not exist in a fantasy land but rather fight and struggle for survival in a city much like anywhere in the world. The fact that the films attempt to base themselves in a distinct reality helps to add a sense of realism that has never been attempted before with the franchise. As a result, the films become a respected piece of art rather then a superficial comic book yarn.
A Villain Named for the Third Film?
Though Nolan is in no rush to commit to a third film, rumors are already spreading about who the next villain(s) will be. When asked a question about whether or not The Joker will appear in the third film, actor Gary Oldman made this bold and tantalizing announcement: “Maybe we don’t need The Joker because we’ll have The Riddler”.
If The Joker does indeed survive the ‘The Dark Knight’ it would be best if he were omitted from the third film. Why ruin the legacy of what Ledger was (from the looks of it) able to create for the sake of drawing audiences back a third time with a different actor in the role. Allow his final completed role to become an iconic representation of who Ledger was as an actor; a skilled and highly professional artist.
In light of it all, ‘The Dark Knight’ appears destined for greatness and for once a film’s reception may actually match its hype. Now all one needs to do is wait for it.
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