The Dark Knight: An Experience for the Modern Moviegoer

As I waited for The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience, I could barely contain my excitement. An hour before the the movie, the line wrapped the perimeter of the mall and vibrated with nervous energy. There was no way to have avoided the hype, or the myth and mysticism surrounding the last performance of the late Heath Ledger. As we shuffled into the large, empty theater, the amped AC provided perfect atmosphere: dark and cold. 

It begins with the already well-known (and I think instant classic) bank robbery scene where we get a view of Gotham's new strain of crazy. The story then takes off turning this way and that (the Six Flags ride of same name and similar nature was inversely disappointing) and it helps (and adds to the enjoyment) to have watched the Gotham Cable News broadcasts before you go. This way, you can understand the state from which the movie starts (some time has passed since Begins). 

I soon realized that the reviewers who labeled the film as a roller coaster ride were wrong. There are no upward climbs, no corkscrews, no flips; the movie is one terrifyingly, thrillingly steep drop with a few sharp spins thrown in for good measure.

The story's twisted thickness tests the characters and their thriving relationships. Without giving too much away, and with respect to the breathlessness of the movie, here are the basics: Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) tries to rekindle romance with Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) who's dating Gotham's shining new D.A., Harvey Dent (Aaron Echkart), who works with Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) to clean up mob-ruled city streets utilizing the masked (and now frequently imitated) vigilante, "The Batman" who, as you know, IS Bruce Wayne and who, as you find out, donates to Harvey's campaign. Of course all of this falls into chaos with the entrance of the Joker (and his clown-masked Arkham escapees) and some don't make it out... but that's fun for you to enjoy. (For more fun, watch for Scarecrow cameo.)

The character development stands unrivaled in the genre, even in Spiderman. The characters, and they all feature as leads, find their truths violated, their codes reconstructed, their lives ruined. No one is free, not Batman Bruce, nor DA Dent, not even Alfred, lovable butler and father figure, or Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman), the dark knight's merlin, are spared. We see their relationships and stability endure, mutate, or collapse under the strain of their stone city crumbling. The actors all perform with artistry and ease, allowing in depth insight yet maintaining subtlety, all of them lost in the people (they stretch farther than normal characters) they portray. 

The plot and character development were sufficient, but what held me was the movie's grasp of modernity in a technical, political, and spiritual sense.

 

The Ways of the Future

With Nolan's sweeping wide shots, and sharp, dark close ups, you will not lose focus, you will not calm down, you will be free-falling (in IMAX it actually feels that way) down Gotham's moral void one minute, and be swallowed by evil's distinct face the next. For a 2 and half hour run time, it flows to the finish. It's a drama and action thriller that ADD-ers of my generation can enjoy without squirming.  

As for the IMAX, it IS the future. While the trend's grown recently, we've reached a turning point (you can't buy New York Dark Knight IMAX tickets for days). With Internet pirating and international bootlegging, the industry must keep ahead of the curve, creating a movie-going event that will attract viewers who can see it for free in the comfort of their homes. This is the way to experience movies in the new generation and Nolan plays to, and masters the medium (do NOT see in regular theaters). Frighteningly heightened cityscapes and daring base-jumps make you feel everything, but never to the point of being unpleasantly overwhelmed. It avoids harping on the novelty of the huge screen and booming sound (see: Beowulf), but artfully uses these aspects to enhance the ambience, the story, and the themes. The movie is designed to suck you in and does just that.

No Laughing Matter

The movie's relevance, brilliance, and necromance come from one man: The Joker. Not Heath Ledger, he doesn't appear in this movie. 

The thing Ledger created: an instant classic. Holding to his ancestral influences, while bringing a new, true horrific psychology to the part, it never breaks, it never stops, no matter how much you wish it would. A day later, I can't stop thinking about it. This Joker dives off the deep end of insanity, but sinks in heavy with reality, the reality of villainy that knows no bounds, no limits, no motive, no rules. 

These are the "evil-doers" our generation faces. The bad guys who laugh, mock and revel in destruction. Those who view individuals as worthless and death as a way of life (not just talking about Islamic extremists people...). He is the worst nightmare of every man, woman, and child, a boogeyman brought to life. A terrorist, a criminal, he illustrates pure evil. Every word chills, ever smirk cuts, every flick of his snaking tongue petrifies. He contains within the wrongs of the world, and the havoc wrought to stop them. The Greatest Generation shot Nazis, the Boomers faced off with Russians, but our generation's adversaries have always been somewhat blurred, and never as well represented, even hid behind a purple suit and make up.

 

I was against the Oscar buzz from the beginning. How could a 1-dimensional role like a comic book crook be worthy of the highest acting reward? I won't say he's a shoe in for the winner (there has been little competition thus far), but a nom he deserves at least. He steals the show, and the audience can't decide whether they want to laugh, scream, hide or cry. 

Wrap Up

This was a Great Film and a perfect example of a quality action Blockbuster (evidence against those who believe in action for action's sake). It added to the superhero genre (and it's been attempted at quite a bit recently, with still more to go); the Joker will certainly surpass the film's initial fame in pop-culture history; it challenges beliefs about good and evil, heroes and villains, and justice; and as for historical importance? See: the BO records, the IMAX issue, and the political commentary. Everything about the filmmaking was well done, but nothing's perfect. There were a few (VERY few) lines of laughable dialogue and superhero cheesiness which were to be expected, but were unnecessary. Also some scenes lacked much needed scoring (I'm not a fan of dropping the music, see: No Country For Old Men). Also, and I'll admit there was no way to fix this without sacrificing something else, I wish Harvey Dent/Echkart had a little more chance to shine, perhaps in his own movie (I'm trying not to ruin it, see for yourself). 

Let me know what you thought? Was I too kind or not kind enough? What's the verdict on the Joker and Oscar buzz? Can a sequel ever live up to this?