The Dark Knight (2008)

Director:

Christopher Nolan

Writers (WGA):

Jonathan Nolan (screenplay) and
Christopher Nolan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Why So Serious?

Plot:

Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by an anarchist mastermind known only as the Joker, as it drives each of them to their limits.

Plot Keywords:

Batman | Joker | Criminal | Gotham | Chaos

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 76 wins & 58 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Tue. Nov. 24	5:15 PM	HBO
Wed. Nov. 25	4:25 AM	HBO

Cast

Christian Bale	...	Bruce Wayne / Batman
Heath Ledger	...	The Joker
Aaron Eckhart	...	Harvey Dent / Two-Face
Michael Caine	...	Alfred Pennyworth
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman	...	James Gordon
Morgan Freeman	...	Lucius Fox
Monique Gabriela Curnen	...	Det. Anna Ramirez
Ron Dean	...	Det. Michael Wuertz
Cillian Murphy	...	Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow
Chin Han	...	Lau
Nestor Carbonell	...	Mayor Anthony Garcia
Eric Roberts	...	Salvatore Maroni
Ritchie Coster	...	The Chechen
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Mike Engel

Also Known As:

Batman Begins 2 (USA) (working title)
Batman: The Dark Knight (USA) (informal title)
Rory's First Kiss (USA) (fake working title)
The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience (USA) (IMAX version)
Untitled Batman Begins Sequel (USA) (working title)
Winter Green (USA) (fake working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace.

Runtime:

152 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.44 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS | Sonics-DDP (IMAX version)

Certification:

Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Australia:M | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Brazil:12 | Netherlands:16 | Malaysia:U | Argentina:13 | Iceland:12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Peru:14 | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Canada:PG (Alberta/Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44427) | Portugal:M/12 | South Africa:13V | Denmark:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Finland:K-13 | India:UA | Mexico:B | France:U | Italy:T | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:16 | Greece:K-13 | Austria:14 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Spain:13 | Australia:MA (original DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Atwood Cafe - 1 W Washington St, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

"The Dark Knight" on Blu-ray disc features the IMAX version of the film. Any sequence filmed with the IMAX cameras fills up a widescreen TV at a 1:78:1 ratio, thus giving a grander view from the top to bottom. The rest of the film plays at a 2:35:1 scope ratio which delivers a panoramic view. It is only on Blu-ray that the film can be watched this way as on a 4:3 TV the transition would be too jarring, however the IMAX sequences can be viewed as a special feature on the DVD version.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Harvey Dent is soaked in gasoline on his left side, the heat and flames of the ignition are enough to burn off the entire side of his face, down to the bone in some areas, yet his suit remains completely intact, with some minor burns to the shoulder area.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Grumpy: [before a bank heist] Three of a kind, let's do this.
Chuckles: That's it, three guys?
Grumpy: Two guys on the roof. Every guy gets a share. Five shares is plenty.
Chuckles: Six shares, don't forget the guy who planned the job.
Grumpy: He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice? I know why they call him "The Joker."

Movie Connections:

References "To Tell the Truth" (1956)

Soundtrack:

Balmoral

The sequel we deserved to the Batman we wanted

I used to leave a theatre after seeing a highly anticipated movie, specifically a sequel, and be so revved up about what I saw that I would declare that movie to be the best of a series. After each of the prequel "Star Wars" films, I rated that one the best, as good as any of the originals...for a time, until my opinion balanced out and I had a more well-rounded take. For that reason, I steer away from that mindset, and did for "Dark Knight".

Though my opinion is solidifying already after having seen a Warner Bros. screening last night, "Dark Knight" ably stands on its own with or without "Batman Begins". At a two and a half hour runtime, it's definitely an epic of a movie, but one that never runs out of gas. A delightful addition to this experience was a healthy amount of IMAX footage, which significantly adds to the feel of being on a personal, and gruesome, tour of Gotham City.

Christian Bale plays such a well rounded Batman and Bruce Wayne, qualities that none of those who have donned the cowl before him have pulled off. I still have to remember that Bale is British since he speaks with such a spot on American accent. Bale has a particular slurring lisp that serves him quite well, charmingly for Bruce Wayne and threateningly for Batman.

Countering him is the late Heath Ledger, who plays such a scary and creepy Joker that I found it impossible to NOT have chills half the time I saw him on screen. What really separates this brand of Joker from Jack Nicholson's portrayal is true unpredictability. It's obvious that, to be a good guy and think like the Joker, it really takes a toll, and it sure isn't easy. How exactly does one take him down when he's woven his harebrained plot around multiple hostages, explosives, or disappearing parlor tricks?

Initially, I was uneasy about how the character of Harvey Dent would be handled. In my mind, there was really only one faithful portrayal of him, and that could be found in the "Batman" animated series of the early 90s. As well as Tommy Lee Jones COULD have handled him in "Batman Forever", he certainly did not, though it still was a highlight of that movie. Aaron Eckhart ably assumes the mantle here, delivering a performance out of this world, easily on par with the Batman animated series.

Be it known, this caped avenger stands for the good of Gotham City that the police force and its counterparts can't represent, the good that has no jurisdiction, no procedures...and no rules, save for one. I can only hope that we've seen just the prelude to the Dark Knight's upcoming legendary battles with the worst of Gotham City's dark underside.

"The Dark Knight" gets a solid 10 of 10 stars.