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Review: THE DARK KNIGHT / Christopher Nolan (2008)

July 18th, 2008 by Scott Marks

The Dark Knight (2008)
Directed by: Jonathan Nolan & Christopher Nolan
Written by: Christopher Nolan &
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhall, Morgan Freeman and Eric Roberts
Running Time: 142 min.
Aspect Ratio:

Rating: ★★★☆☆

As summer thrill rides go, it’s certainly not boring and it’s a helluva lot smarter, better put together and infinitely more watchable than Speed Racer, Indiana Jones and Hancock combined. Yet after a two-and-a-half hour trip to Gotham City, Illinois, there are these quiet feelings of indifference that are hard to buck.

With the exception of some of The Joker’s (Heath Ledger) elastic outbursts, the film takes itself far too damn seriously. Christopher Nolan has no sense of humor. I’m not asking for another helping of Tim Burton’s bat guano, the always “Socko” Adam West or, dare I mention, Joel Schumacher’s gay Ice Capades, but lighten up, Chris! This is a comic book tale about a pent-up millionaire playboy who likes to spend his evenings dressed in a latex bat costume beating guys up. Add Robin and a couple of bat poles to slide down and they could call the third installment Rough Trade. Come to think of it, maybe Joel Schumacher did have the right idea.

There were a couple of red flags in the film’s opening bank robbery sequence. After a traditional “hit the deck” spray of bullets to announce his presence, The Joker wraps a patron’s hands around a grenade and pulls the pin. What’s to stop this hapless victim from throwing it back in the Joker’s direction the minute his back is turned? (We later find out that Gotham City is loaded with makeshift vigilantes.) The same goes for bank manager William Fitchner who has a gas cannister shoved in his mouth. The detonator pin is strung to the bumper of the getaway car, and instead of spitting the smoking cylinder across the room (and possibly saving his skin) he opts for a lecture on morality as the Joker hits the accelerator.

***SPOILERS AHEAD!!!***

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