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Written by: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan (screenplay), Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer (story), Bob Kane (characters)
Directed by: James Wan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Nestor Carbonell, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
When the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice.
Verdict
This is a great Batman story due in a large part to such a great portrayal of the Joker. This sequel builds on Batman Begins, going bigger with more action and explosions, but it also examines the dichotomy between Batman and the Joker, justice and chaos.
Watch It.
Review
I watched this when it came out, and it's such a great Batman movie. After re-watching Batman Begins
and liking it more than I remember, I had to watch this again to determine which one is my favorite. It's a toss up. I love the origin story of Begins and how introspective it is. It forgoes a prominent villain to focus on Bruce Wayne. Dark Knight is a more traditional Batman tale with great action and a great villain.
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| Joker's first scene |
The cinematography is a step up in this one. From the first shot that introduces the Joker and beyond, you can pause this movie at almost any point and get a great image. This movie is more refined on a technical level, and I have to imagine that Nolan took what he learned from Begins.
Joker (Heath Ledger) steals the show. Joker is an intriguing character, and the idiosyncrasies that Ledger bring to the character add a lot of depth. This is Joker's movie, and the role gained prominence as it was Ledger's last completed role.
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| Heath Ledger plays the Joker |
Joker is an agent of chaos, everything he does serves to undermine rules. In this movie, Joker forces Batman (Christian Bale) to confront his dual life. The thing about the Joker, you can't trust anything he says. So often villains follow predictable routines. The Joker doesn't. He wants to prove Gothan is corrupt. Joker's nemesis is Gotham, Batman is just a diversion. The Joker sees someone that is on the outside just like him. The difference between the two are their beliefs. One believes Gotham is worth saving, the other doesn't.
There's a motif of being a symbol and being a hero. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) can do what Batman can't, bring a sense of justice and law. Batman wanted to become a symbol, more than a man. He's done that but he's still a vigilante. It's justice, but it's outside the law. The Joker is the chaos and crime of Gotham. The Joker wants to prove that the law, Dent, is fallible.
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| Christian Bale plays Batman |
Bruce Wayne wrestles with being a hero and the sacrifice that requires. He and the Joker both wear masks. That's the intriguing thing about them, wearing masks to hide and scare. One is obsessed with justice, the other chaos.
So which is better Batman Begins or The Dark Knight? The Dark Knight Rises isn't even in the conversation. It depends on preference, as these are distinctly different movies. Begins is a great story that builds, while Dark Knight showcases exciting images and thrills. I would have said Dark Knight was my favorite before the re-watch, and it still might be with Ledger's performance giving it a narrow margin, but I really like the focus of Begins and the story it crafts. Begins deliberately focuses on Batman, forgoing a prominent villain. I appreciate the decision as it's easy to throw in the Joker for added fanfare. The Dark Knight edges out Batman Begins by just a hair.
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