To say that THE DARK KNIGHT is going to be the biggest movie of the year is more than hyperbola, it is the truth. It is certainly one of the most anticipated, from the Batman fans to those with a morbid curiosity of seeing what drove Heath Ledger to popping too many pills. When I say it is going to be the biggest movie of the year I’m not just talking about box office, because it is already evident that pre-sales in London have already set new records. I’m talking about the fact that it was shot in the IMAX format. OK not all of the movie, but some of it was shot using the special IMAX cameras.
I was one of the privileged many who saw the first full screening of the film at the IMAX on the Southbank last Friday night, and before I say anything else about the movie, it has to be seen at the IMAX – if you can actually get a ticket. As I already said, pre-sales for IMAX at least have broken all their previous records, and they have had to add extra screening throughout the night to cope with the demand. But has all the hype been justified. Well yes, and no.
Christopher Nolan has definitely made a spectacular sequel the magnificent BATMAN BEGINS, with a stunning opening scene that has already screened as a preview at the IMAX. The size and clarity of the images draw you into the picture, but such spectacle, like CGI effects, can only sustain interest for so long and it has to be supported by a decent story or great acting, and it certainly has that.
The story itself is pretty basic. Batman is being marginalised by Gotham’s public, but with the help of police lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and new DA, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) he is doing his best to clean up the city’s crime and corruption until The Joker comes along and starts creating chaos. Of course, the actual screenplay contains a lot more twists and character development than that, but I’m not going to reveal them because that’s why you go to the cinema, to see them unfold. In its two and a half hour running time there are plenty of sub-plots going on. In fact, if I have one complaint it is that there is almost too much going on and I felt a bit stunned by the end of the screening, not helped by the overwhelming, and sometimes vertigo-inducing, size of the IMAX screen. Not that I can fault the Nolan brother’s script, which is full of great dialogue and some truly surprising twists, which may not always please the hardcore comic fans.
What everyone is really waiting to see with this new movie isn’t Christian Bale as Batman but Heath Ledger as The Joker, and he doesn’t disappoint. Jack Nicholson’s Joker was already far removed from Cesar Romero’s TV version, but Ledger takes the character to a whole knew maniacal level. In fact the handsome, heartthrob is totally unrecognisable, even under the make up. From his posture to all the tics he incorporates Ledger has truly devised a most memorable character. Whether it is Oscar® worthy is another debate, but in the context of this movie he is definitely the star, which is no mean effort given the rest of the cast. Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman all reprise their roles from the previous film, with Caine and Freeman adding both levity and gravitas in equal parts to the picture. Oldman’s Gordon also adds maturity and grounding, especially compared to many of his previous roles. Aaron Eckhart does a great job in the twin role of Harvey Dent/Two Face and Eric Roberts (Heroes) seems to have found himself a good niche playing smarmy villains. A great addition to the original cast is Maggie Gyllenhaal as love interest Rachel Dawes, taking over from the ineffectual Katie Holmes, who seems to have found her role in life as a Scientology breeder. Gyllenhaal is both sexy and strong, but also plays convincingly vulnerable when necessary. But what of the main man? Christian Bale is undoubtedly one of the finest screen actors around, but in this movie he doesn’t really get to shine. As Bruce Wayne, his playboy millionaire is no match for Robert Downey Jr’s Tony Stark, and as Batman he is all gruff voice and big stunts and for most of that it could have been anyone in the suit, and for the more spectacular action sequences, of which there is no shortage, it probably was. Unfortunately for Bale The Joker not only stole all the money but the picture as well.
In a summer filled with superhero and comic book adaptations this is definitely the biggest and probably the best (there is still HELLBOY II to come – I’ve seen it, it’s good, but reviews are under embargo). THE DARK KNIGHT is a serious, grown-up film and why it got a 12A certificate and WANTED got an 18 I don’t quite understand. It can hardly be for WANTED’s shot of Angelina Jolie’s shapely backside, and the violence in it is really of a comic book nature. THE DARK KNIGHT, on the other hand, is very dark, The Joker is disturbing (and disturbed) and, given the current spate of knife crimes in this country, he does most of his menacing with a huge variety of knives. It really does make you wonder what goes on in the heads of the so-called moral and social guardians at the BBFC. Luckily, we are all sensible, mature adults here, even if the rest of the world doesn’t perceive us as that, so we can just go along and appreciate the movies for what they are.
Go and see it at the IMAX just for the sheer scale of it, but if you haven’t already got a ticket for it, in the meantime go and see it at the biggest screen you can find. You won’t be disappointed.
THE DARK KNIGHT is on general release from July 24.