Film Review: The Dark Knight

FOLLOWING Heath Ledger's posthumous success at this year's Golden Globes for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight, I decided to give the film – and indeed Ledger's performance – another viewing.
From the dramatic opening sequence – quite remarkably filmed using a high resolution IMAX camera – the viewer is instantly drawn into the film's detailed and complex plot, which starts with a Joker-led bank robbery in the heart of Gotham.
From there the story unfolds slowly, with director Christopher Nolan's dark and menacing vision building towards an explosion of frantic action which is guaranteed to thrill die-hard and casual cinema fans alike.
It is in fact very easy to forget this is a comic book adaptation, with the film often feeling more like a hard-boiled crime thriller plucked straight from the neo-noir genre.
On top of Nolan's moody screenplay and some stellar character acting from both Gary Oldman as Lieutenant James Gordon, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, the special effects are genuinely mind-blowing, with high-octane car chases interlaced with stunning shoot-outs.
Ledger's performance as the Joker has of course been the subject of much debate, with many critics declaring the overall film's huge success as a by-product of the young actor's untimely death.
This is a somewhat harsh assessment, and his manic performance is one so deeply captivating that it becomes hard to tear your eyes away from the screen, even during the character's darkest moments – of which there are many.
Despite the grit and gloom, the script is awash with witty one-liners, as should be the way with comic book movies.
Throw in the subtle undercurrent of a tricky love-triangle between leading man Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), his childhood friend Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Gotham's district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), ultimately there is something for everyone in this truly epic blockbuster of a movie. But only after you've got over Batman's baffling gravel voice!