Another one down ...

The Dark Knight

 

I don't really know what to say about this movie. "I was blown away!" seems too strong of a term, but "I loved it!" doesn't quiet encompass how much I liked it. So I'll just settle for "Wow!"

 

I finally got to go see this movie after everyone and their monkey's uncle has already seen it (including John.) My husband's friends decided to go see it in IMAX so it was me and a bunch of guys just like the old days.

 

** SPOILERS AHEAD **

If you haven't seen this movie already, and/or you don't want to know what happens then I suggest you stop reading here and accept my review as it is.

 

First of all, I loved the Joker. He was maniacal, he was nuts, he was perfect. The joker was every bit of the antagonist to Batman that he is supposed to be. His pure evil to Batman’s sense of value for human life. Batman’s “one rule” is that he will not kill, but the Joker kills just to get him all riled up. Health Leger really did a fine job but the Joker character is good on his own, he doesn’t need the stigma of Health being dead to make one appreciate his diabolical genius. His mephistophelian laugh was so contagious, I found myself laughing with him during his evil schemes. I was waiting for him to pop off the line of “where does he get those wonderful toys?” each time he confronted Batman and his arsenal but it never came. The fact that he is constantly making Batman choose between saving one or the other is great. His thought processes and actions are all so calculated. I was very impressed.

 

Batman is Batman. Christian Bale has come a long way from singing and dancing in the streets of New York in 1899 and he is a fantastic actor. At some point during the movie I just started watching the difference between Batman and Bruce Wayne. I always find it absurd that no one seems to be able to figure out who super heroes are just because they wear a mask or part their hair on the opposite side of their head, but the subtle differences between Bruce Wayne’s foppish manner and Batman’s straight forward justice are there. Batman shows more teeth when he talks and Bruce speaks softly in that faint Welsh accent that he has and rarely shows he teeth. Then there is the gravely voice he tries to use – Scrat & Z - I also can't stand the smoker's voice – But it’s part of the split of Bruce and Bats.

 

I am very disappointed that they killed off Harvey Dent (even though Aaron Eckhart is totally ugly with that pencil sharpener for a chin cleft.)  I had a hope that he could come back as the villain in the next movie. – There are rumors that the next movie will have Cat woman and/or the Riddler (Johnny Depp is rumored to be up for that part) – Harvey Dent aka Two Face was great. I loved the animation of his bad face a little creepy, a lot insane. It’s sad that it just made such a short appearance.

 

I’m sorta glad that Rachel Dawes is dead. But at the same time it was nice that Bruce had a confidant other then Alfred. Maggie Gyllenhaal was a much better fit for Rachel then Katie Holmes was I commend the change in that character. I knew before seeing the movie that she was going to die, I just didn’t know when or where or how. How ingenious! Making Batman choose by lying about who was where, again, the Joker is just so clever.

 

Commissioner Gordon … I was surprised that they killed him off for a while, and as John said to me last night when he saw that he was impressed that the writers had the balls to do that when Gordon is such a huge part of the Batman mythos. But he came back so it was all good. I knew that somehow, somewhere he would come back. J

 

What else…. Seeing it in IMAX was awesome but I do think we were sitting too close. I hate having to turn my head to see what is happening on the other side of the screen, but I got over it.

 

I loved it. I may have to go see it again and it will absolutely be added to my movie collection. I think I’ll need to install a IMAX screen in my basement just so I can get the full effect of the movie again when watching it at home.