This author has never read a comic book - ever. This author also went to see The Dark Knight when it opened at midnight Thursday night/Friday morning. The latest in the Batman series, a star-studded cast (listed below) and an action/intrigue-packed plot make this a great movie for anyone who enjoys a good action flick.
Cast
- Batman/Bruce Wayne - Christian Bale
- The Joker - Heath Ledger
- Harvey Dent/Two-Face - Aaron Eckhart
- Aflred Pennyworth - Michael Cane
- Rachel Dawes - Maggie Gyllenhaal
- Lucius Fox - Morgan Freeman
- Lt. James Gordan - Gary Oldham
The Performances
In lieu of not wanting to spoil the movie for people who haven't seen it yet, a discussion of the performances will work just as well. Christian Bale bulks up the mysterious side of Bruce Wayne and really underscores the "strong, silent type" characteristics of both Bruce Wayne and Batman.
Heath Ledger, by far, gives the best performance of the movie, and possibly the entire Batman series. He is both extremely creepy and very sardonic. He makes the viewer laugh nervously at his jokes, while secretly checking the seats around them to ensure they are still safe - he does an unbelievable job of getting under the viewers skin and really feeling the evil that he is.
Aaron Eckhart did an impeccable job of showing the conflicted human spirit, as he was torn between duty and love. He was very believable both as D.A. Harvey Dent and as Two-Face.
Gary Oldham evoked pity and respect in the audience as he portrayed Commissioner Gordan as one of the true heroes of the story, even though he didn't have flashy costumes or noteworthy makeup.
Morgan Freeman, though he doesn't have a huge role, gives a very human and believable performance as Lucius Fox. The audience really sees him become enlightened to the situation, and wrestle internally with how to deal with his new-found information.
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Michael Caine gave solid performances, adding to the backdrop of this very human story of betrayal, greed, and - of course - good versus evil.
Top Ten Reasons to See The Dark Knight
(Especially if You're Not a Comic Book Fan)
- 10. Great Gotham City-scape shots.
- 9. The many puns/plays on words by numerous charaters throughout.
- 8. Epic good/versus evil story where, like the real world, good doesn't necessarily always prevail.
- 7. The heart-breaking love triange of Bruce, Rachel and Harvey.
- 6. The pentultimate choice of love vs. duty.
- 5. The opening scene - just see it.
- 4. Morgan Freeman - as always, he portrays deeply human characters impeccably well.
- 3. A great look at personal privacy with Bruce's new monitoring device for the city.
- 2. Many fully surprising plot twists.
- 1. Heath Ledger's brilliant performance.
