Having established Batman as a butt-kicking ninja-trained hero in Batman Begins, TDK takes the characters and story into the next level; one that is deeper, darker, more convoluted, and ultimately more intense. I think that while the previous film still bears the semblance of an average superhero film, this sequel strikes me more as a crime drama; there are no megalomaniac plots or outlandish supervillians, the focus is more on the ramifications of Batman’s actions (socially and personally) and the ongoing conflict between order and chaos within Gotham City.
The story has its share of action (the police escort scene has got to be one of my favorite car chase scenes of all time) but none of it is as frivolous as it would be in any other action movie. All of the action and violence occurs through the tragic consequences of the story, which takes on many drastic twists and turns (sometimes straining to suspend some disbelief). At its core, the story focuses really well on the themes of social and personal corruption, terrorism (strong parallels to modern issues in combating terrorism, and the film even includes a little blip about privacy invasion), and morality. In fact, morality is the prevailing element, for Batman’s moral code is tested and pushed to its limit; much of the story’s conflicts revolve around him trying to maintain it in himself and others.
Going hand-in-hand with the story is a strong group of characters. Bruce Wayne probably doesn’t get as much development as he had in Batman Begins, but the Joker and Harvey Dent definitely take precedence and are portrayed perfectly.
The biggest thing that catches my attention in this film (and in all things in general) is duality. The Joker is presented as the perfect foil to Batman; both characters are equal and opposite, and exert an equal and opposite force onto Gotham City. The Joker’s lines say it the best: “This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.”
As such, the writing is really impressive, as is the film’s direction. Much of the photography is great, and the editing style is very interesting. Acting is impressive; Heath Ledger performed perfectly as the Joker, and Aaron Eckhart is effective as Harvey Dent. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman all return with pleasing results. Maggie Gyllenhaal stands in for Katie Holmes’ character, offering the only weak performance of the lot. The production value is high; the film has some impressive set pieces, locations, costumes, and a slick style overall. And the music score is awesome as well.
For a while, I called this my top favorite superhero/comic-book themed film, and it took its place as my fourth favorite of all time. Highly recommended!
5/5 (Entertainment: Perfect | Story: Perfect | Film: Perfect)
This film is #4 on my Top 100 Favorite Movies list.
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