Don't get me wrong, I jumped in my seat a few times during The Dark Knight, but I only had to actually look away once when they showed "Two-faced" and his new face. Overall, I really liked the movie, and was totally blown away by Heath Ledger and his Joker. He was definitely aware of Nicholson's version of the Joker, but created his own character and held it perfectly. He had an affected voice that worked to make him scary but not ridiculous. So much fun. I won't go through all the plot because knowing the story would give away too much. My big criticism would be that Christian Bale seems to growl all his lines as Batman, and his upper lip doesn't move because of the mask. But the other actors were all terrific - I LOVE Gary Oldman. And Maggie Gyllenhaal was an excellent replacement for Katie Holmes. You could follow her attitude and understand when she was pissed at Bruce and why. And as supporting characters Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine shone. They were memorable without being distracting. I highly recommend this one. 4 of 5 stars.
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I have to say I found this movie totally scary (went to see it last night), but not because of specific gross-out or terrifying images on the screen, but rather because of the terrorism subtext that runs throughout the movie. All the political allegory (Batman with cell phone access = wiretapping; Two-Face as the false figurehead people need to believe in) and also the Hobbesian perspective on people (will you blow each other up, ferry folk?) really got to me. Don't get me wrong -- I thought it was brilliant. But it amazes me that a movie this brutal and dark is a summer blockbuster. I'm wondering if people are feeling the same subtext I did because I have to say a lot of the movie had me pretty depressed and scared. Blowing up hospitals and such...Wanting to destroy for the sake of sending a message...Creepy stuff in our contemporary world. But maybe audiences need this imaginary space to work through those tensions and fears in? I just felt like some of those scenes were straight out of my nightmares of being under attack à la 9/11.
i still wish Katie Holmes had stayed on board as Rachel Dawes for the Dark Knight; it was like the time spent getting familiar with her character in Batman Begins was wasted...
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