Nappaland Movies

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BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT (PG-13)

Warner Bros.

Plot Summary: The newest action-packed adventure in the Batman series - this time featuring Batman's arch-nemesis, The Joker.

Reason for the Rating: Intense sequences of violence and some menace.

Even with all the hype surrounding Batman: The Dark Knight, This film meets and even surpasses expectations. Taking in the gritty, so-surreal-it's-almost-real world of Gotham City under the attack of The Joker's anarchistic terrorism, I found myself caught up in a movie in a way that rarely happens nowadays. I believed - in the characters, in the situations, and even in the impossible things unspooling on the screen above me. This is the kind of film that theatres were made for.

By far, the best part of Batman: The Dark Knight is the late Heath Ledger’s vivid portrayal of The Joker. He brings the character to life more than ever before. Ledger shows more of the dark, lucid insanity of The Joker that is not usually seen in Batman movies or TV shows, but which is often terrifyingly seen in the comics. Another great addition to the cast was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes. She did a much better job of playing the part that Katie Holmes filled in the Batman Begins film. Also, Aaron Eckhart, as hard-charging District Attorney, Harvey Dent, did a surprisingly good job of creating a character that takes you through a journey of a downward spiral that turned him into the maniacal Two-Face. The story as a whole also had so many plot twists and unexpected moments that the viewer is constantly on the edge of his or her seat wondering whether or not good will prevail in the end.

The short version of the plot is this: Batman, the nighttime vigilante and alter-ego of billionaire, Bruce Wayne, is wreaking havoc in the criminal underworld. Enter The Joker, a maniacal newcomer who, as Alfred the butler (Michael Caine) puts it, just wants to see the world burn. The Joker is out to take over the crime syndicates, and his plan is to "kill the Batman." What results is a twisting, topsy-turvy, cat-and-mouse game that finds Batman chasing The Joker, then The Joker chasing the Batman, and all of the people caught in the crossfire.

The worst things about this movie is how dark it is, and also the director's insistence at forcing political commentary into the plot. This is reflected in both the story and the setting. The story makes the movie frightening dark, and the setting makes it visually dark as well. Batman Begins was certainly dark, but it also had a pretty happy ending. This movie takes it the next step and is even more dark.

Political posturing with about topics such as cell phone surveillance of criminals and the forceful presentation of the absurd notion that terrorists only strike out of self-defense also weigh down the narrative with unnecessary moralizing. The ending isn’t necessarily a happy one, either. Not enough was resolved, and some of the key, recurring characters in the Batman universe were killed. Maybe they will return and somehow survived, but their deaths seemed pretty convincing.

Still, despite its obvious weaknesses, overall, I highly recommend this movie. The story and acting are fabulous and this is definitely one of the best movies of summer.

NAPPALAND RECOMMENDS:

Parents, I would not recommend Batman: The Dark Knight for your elementary-aged children. It is definitely very frightening, with graphic violence and images that stay with you long afterward. Also, the complex - sometimes convoluted plot - will make it hard for younger audiences to enjoy. But teens and adults should be wowed by both the cinematic skill and dynamite acting to be found in this movie, so enjoy it as such.

AFTER THE SHOW: 

• How can Harvey Dent justify his actions as Two-Face when he was once so against the thing he has become?

• The Joker uses trickery and coercive reasoning to get people to follow his evil plans. In what ways is that like real life? How can we unmask evil tricks so we don’t fall into the wrong things?

• What do you think happens next in the story of Batman and The Joker?

TN

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