The Dark Knight: Ledger's Last Laugh
Christopher Nolan Directs Ledger's Joker: A Villain for the Ages
Sep 8, 2008
For once, the quality of a performance matched the multitude of the hype. Ledger takes a character that has been universally recognized for the past the 60 years, and completely reinvents him. Fearless, fearsome, intense, and inspiringly entertaining, this type of turn that can mold an incredible actor into a legend.
Nolan's Extraordinary Vision Continues
The Dark Knight serves as Nolan’s sophomore venture in the Batman saga, and like he did with Batman Begins, keeps the tone as dark as can be. His vision of Gotham City is bleak, with citizens clutching onto the fleeting belief that The Caped Crusader (Christian Bale), along with new District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhardt) can rid the city of the slime that oozes along the streets. From mob bosses to criminal masterminds, crime runs rampant, and citizens live in fear.
More Than Your Typical Comic Book Fare
Unlike most comic book adaptations that focus mainly on the hero vs. villain routine, Nolan paints a richly textured crime saga that just happens to be based on a D.C. comic. The film begins with an intricate bank heist, anchored heavily in deceit and betrayal, culminating in the introduction of The Joker. From this point on the audience waits with baited breath, awaiting the fleeting moments when we can witness the maddening destruction created by the painted psychopath.
But, The Joker isn’t the only one causing mayhem in the troubled city. Crime syndicates work stealthily together, in an effort to thwart Batman and the copycat heroes who attempt to follow in his courageous footsteps. Despite the valiant efforts from Batman and Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), the city still slumbers in a bed of fear. In fact, even Bruce Wayne, that the safety of millions rests not on his shoulders, but that of the progressive Harvey Dent. Despite the fact that the D.A. is dating Wayne’s former flame Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, who replaced Katie Holmes), the wealthy billionaire knows that by fearlessly putting the mob behind bars, Dent is the face of hope in an otherwise hopeless fight.
Despite having a running time of over 2.5 hours, The Dark Knight jams down the gas peddle in the opening scene, and never relinquishes its breakneck pace. The story is filled with twists, turns, and a multitude of unexpected moments. The special effects are extraordinary, and the action sequences will blow you away. From the initial heist sequence, to the street war that rages between Batman and The Joker, Nolan finds a way to perfectly coordinate the right amount of drama and thrills.
There will be those who argue that Ledger’s portrayal is being so richly lauded due to the fact that the talented actor passed away months before the film was released. It should be apparent anyone who has seen this film, that this is simply not the case. His Joker will undoubtedly go down in the annals of cinematic history as one of THE great villainous performances of all time. He takes mundane moments and turns them into classics with effortless abandon. There is little doubt in my mind that when the time comes, members of the Academy will take notice of this brilliant display. And, if there’s any justice, Ledger will finally receive the award he so richly deserves.
FILM- A
