The Dark Knight

DVD, The Dark Knight (2008) film

Long-winded, bleak and quite brutal in parts, this is somehow one of the highest-grossing films ever, perhaps partly due to sympathy over Heath Ledger's premature demise and his unpredictable turn as the favourite nemesis of Batman: The Joker. There's plenty of spectacle, but few visually satisfying stunts. There are no real climaxes, but the story moves along apace in the Bourne mould of a constant beating heart that never really lets up, but neither does it reach a peak. The characters are likeable, from Rachel Dawes to Harvey Dent and now-Commissioner Gordon, yet there is little to no attachment to them in sympathy. A revealing case in point is Rachel's death - I was mentally suprised that she died, yet it didn't fill me with sadness as there wasn't a strong connection between me and the characters, good or bad.

These are none of them criticisms as such, merely intellectual points, which is how I feel about the film: I don't feel, I just think. The story should be congratulated in its refusal to be a stupid blockbuster with only rollercoaster thrills to engage the viewer, but it is at times confusing in its mass of facts and interconnections. Rachel's knowledge of Bruce Wayne's identity came out of the blue. It may have occurred during the last film or in between, but the point is I didn't remember (even though I saw 'Batman Begins' only a few months ago).

Dent deserved to be a character that could be deepened and explored in further films, but he's killed off rather ineffectually by falling a few floors from a building, going against the film's established logic since Batman dropped the mob boss from a similar height and he only damaged himself, or Batman hurtled onto a car when saving Rachel when the Joker chucks her off a building. Perhaps the death was for the best as the reintroduction of the Scarecrow at the beginning only caused confusion. There are moments like this which serve to illustrate a point in a rather roundabout way (Batman's out defeating criminals; the citizens have been inspired by his example to become vigilantes), but should have been cut as fat from the lean centre of the film, which was the conflict between the Joker and Batman, and the development of Dent into Two-Face.

The music served as a constant reminder of the gloom and the darkness, fading in and out, but like the visuals never reaching a climax or featuring a strong theme. Realism is strong, but pizazz is lacking from some key moments, the most important being the opening. I believe strongly in pre-credits sequences and a break or taking advantage of the credits ins ome way, but many films in recent years jump straight in leaving no anticipation to proceedings. The bank raid wasn't strong enough to pull me in, but on a par with most of the film it simply rolled along. Similarly the ending could segue directly into a sequel detracting from a definite and needed conclusion. 'Batman Begins' did better in its wrapping up of the main story, but leaving a small hint as to what was to come next.

The violence is less shocking on DVD, as is Two-Face's 'Terminator' look, but still vicious, depicting normal people goaded into acts of brutality that were uncomfortable to watch. Batman is a troubled mind himself, and quite negative for a superhero, but I felt his beating of the Joker in prison was unnecessary - the Joker was going to get to the point of telling him whatever he did. Though I don't rate the film as much as 'Begins', and am clearly going against popular opinion in finding it unfulfilling as a viewing experience, even a bit drawn out, it left me wanting to see more, eagerly anticipating what villain they might pull from the roster of crazies next. I think it's going to be the Riddler which doesn't fill me with joy as he's always seemed like a second-rate Joker and I'd be much more interested in lesser known creatures such as Clayface or Scarface or Bane. Jim Carey's performance as the Riddler made me appreciate the character even less.

The strength is in the cast of characters, with Caine great as Alfred again, and particularly Gary Oldman as Gordon, so I'd like to see this cast of regulars grow if possible. As for this film's success I put it down to a bit of the Emperor's new clothes - everyone said it was good, people enthused over Ledger's work, and the more than usually dense plot threads presented a rendering that appeared more than it was. I watch the film and have a nagging feeling that it has greatness stapled onto it, with many philosophical questions on behaviour and psyche, but not a great deal to latch onto and in that regard I feel distanced from it.

**