The Dark Knight

Wayne Blogged The...Dark Knight
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Superhero movies have become a trend once again in the last decade or so. Superman Returned, Batman begun, Spiderman sucked. It seems to me that whenever America is caught in a very (ahem) delicate and scary position, the masses flood to superhero movies. As do the studios.

And to truly appreciate the good movies of this over-populated genre, you must consider the awful. The Fantastic Four...awful. Superman Returns was lackluster at best (since when is Lex Luther a real-estate guru/diabolical madman?). Ironman had a chance to be good, but was too self-indulgent and flashy. The Hulk (and it's twin follow-up/do-over The Incredible Hulk) barely even show up on the radar.

Then, in 2005, Christopher Nolan took the Batman franchise to a new high. Batman Begins was the most realistic and plausible superhero movie of all time. The film was intense, and it was great to see the backstory of Batman finally be explained. But even then, you felt like there was something more that could have been done. A certain greatness that was hinted at but not fully acheived.

That greatness has been acheived, fully. The Dark Knight was not only the best superhero movie I've ever seen, but it's also one of the best films I've ever seen. Heath Ledger's interpretation of the Joker is terrifying, and hilarious. An unbeliveable performance, which Ledger probably wouldn't have topped if he had lived long enough to challenge it. Hemingway said "all good stories end in death", and Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker fits that mold. Although the villan's fate is only hinted at, we all know what really happened to The Joker. In other words, he won't be in the sequel. Ledger's unfortunate death actually added weight and depth to the film...not a fair trade, but it works to the film's advantage.

If I keep writing, I run the risk of sounding like a fan-boy. So I'll leave it at this: I've never been this blown away by an "action" movie. I will be seeing it again, most likely tomorrow.