Movie #229 The Dark Knight *2008*

I can not believe that I have not reviewed The Dark Knight on here.  I have a lot of opinions about this film.  Far too many to capture with 4 other blogs on my plate tonight.  So here goes my cheat.  3 Reasons to see The Dark Knight

Reason #1.  The Joker.  This is not going to be a short reason.  I am passionate about this character and performance.  In order to make a comic book movie work one of the main things you need is a good villain.  I believe that the better the villain the better the movie.  I want to believe that there is a chance that the bad guy could actually win.  If not than there is an inevitable feeling that the good guy will win.  So why become invested in the story when you know the ending for it even starts.  This does go beyond comic book movies.  Westerns, samurai films, crime movies, ect.  If you know going in that Spiderman or John Wayne is going to win, then I bet your entertainment value will be reduced.  In The Dark Knight, The Joker is untouchable and has the upper hand for the majority of the film.  There were plenty of times that I though that he may actually end up beating Batman.  Then there is Heath Ledgers performance.  Mind blowingly great.  He inhabited this character and truly made him a part of him.  Everything about The Joker is terrifying.  The makeup, the changing back-stories, all the way down to his wardrobe.  This is one of the best realized characters I can think of.  I love it that he is really not a bad guy.  He is an agent of chaos.  You can't reason with chaos.  You can't bribe chaos.  Alfred says it best when he says "Some people just want to watch the world burn".

Reason #2.  The IMAX presentation.  If this is ever re-released in IMAX theaters I will be there on opening night.  Many scenes were shot in the IMAX 70mm format and it made the scope of the scenes and in effect the entire film its self seem larger and more grandiose. 

Reason #3.  Practical effects.  Of course many of the effects are CGI, but Nolan is a big fan of practical and physical effects.  This movie was shot largely in Chicago.  There is a scene where a semi truck and trailer were flipped rear over head.  That is not CGI.  They actually flipped a truck upside down in lower Chicago.  The action and effects, even the CGI, look great here.

This movie does have its flaws.  But for my money is the is best example of what a comic book  / summer blockbuster can be in the past 20 years.  I give The Dark Knight ★★★★.