The Dark Knight is the second film in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, with Christian Bale taking the mantle of Batman. However, the star of the show is reserved for Heath Ledger’s Joker, whose performance earned him the Oscar for best supporting actor posthumously (the only actor to achieve this so far). Ranked Number Four in the top 250 films of all time on IMDb and a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, The Dark Knight is arguably the most critically revered superhero film ever. Since its release in 2008 though, we’ve had the inception and rise of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, plus the mixed DC Cinematic Universe. So, does The Dark Knight hold up? And if so, should we consider it one of the best movies ever made?
Akin to the James Bond series, you’re thrown instantly into the action. A bank heist involving ziplines, guns, explosions, the works, it acts as the perfect microcosm. This five minute scene sets the tone and pace for the rest of the movie, as well as introducing us to The Joker. The Dark Knight benefits greatly from being the middle film, as Batman Begins presents the origin story, meaning we can seamlessly transition from this into a fight scene with Batman. There’s no needless exposition or long theme song, every scene is vital and pushes the story forward at breakneck speed. Even with the introduction of a second villain later on, the result of a subplot too integral to be deemed as such, there is no drop in momentum. With this amount of depth, they could have easily filled the project out to three hours, but smartly streamlined it to two hours thirty two, cleverly sprinkling in plot points to improve the batsuit along the way. Now armed with the ability of looking left and right, the upgrades produce a fantastic costume that helps cement the notoriety of this picture. Maybe just don’t mention his voice…
Regarding costume design, it doesn’t get more iconic than the Joker’s. The purple suit, green hair and stained make-up, an ensemble worn every Halloween since the film’s release. Heath walked so Joaquin could run, a fandom grown to epic proportions with ferocious support on social media. Quotes such as “Why So Serious?” and “Do you wanna know how I got these scars?” have been impersonated endlessly. His dialogue is biting, sharp and morbidly funny so, when coupled with his mannerisms, emphasises the true strengths of method acting. What’s most impressive is that this dialogue is consistent with the rest of the characters too. The screenplay is incredibly tight, no lines out of place or overly exaggerated. Even enforced character gimmicks, to remain accurate with the source material, does not take you out of the movie.
The stunts involved add to this realism. Shot on location in Chicago, the team uses models and hydraulics to create impressive set-pieces, as well as having people zipline & bungee jump from buildings. Known for his method acting and extreme weight changes, there’s no surprise Christian Bale has a hands-on approach. With CGI to a minimum, it’s easy to become engrossed with what’s on screen. Hans Zimmer’s composed soundtrack then is perfect as an accompaniment because it enhances characters, each with their own individual themes, rather than a distracting edgy pop-punk song. There’s so much care with crafting each scene but before you can really focus on it, Ta-da!, it’s gone and onto the next one.
From this re-watch, I found new appreciation for The Dark Knight. I had forgotten just how impressive it was, my rating increased after watching behind the scenes footage of how it was all made. With these large precise set pieces compared to the current crop of superhero films made primarily on computers, it feels special. When Martin Scorese talks about Marvel movies as amusement park rides, it puts the genre on an island compared to other action films. However, since Batman has no superpowers and isn’t fighting aliens for example, The Dark Knight feels closer to a James Bond or even a Dirty Harry action flick. With this in mind, how The Dark Knight gets snubbed for Best Picture against The Curious Case of Benjamin Button but Inception is nominated two years later is beyond me. It’s not a film Batman fans deserve, but definitely one we needed.