Gotham’s charismatic freaks clash in ‘The Dark Knight’

(Published July 18, PDI-Entertainment)

By Oliver M. Pulumbarit
Contributor

Superior to its predecessor “Batman Begins” in many respects, “The Dark Knight” is a brooding, intelligent film that further confirms the grittier, more realistic aspects of the Caped Crusader’s reality.

Now that his origin is out of the way, this sequel defines not only Batman’s mission, but his friends’ and foes’ alike. It also re-introduces the Joker, who, like Jack Nicholson’s portrayal of the madman in Tim Burton’s 1989 film “Batman,” steals the show again. He’s deliciously interpreted here by the late Heath Ledger, whose performance is chilling.

“The Dark Knight,” co-written by director Christopher Nolan with frequent collaborator Jonathan Nolan, is a layered saga that avoids convolution by introducing and nurturing separate character elements. These cohesively connect to form multiple puzzles, so we see the Batman’s (Christian Bale) story unfolding alongside, and together with Lt. Jim Gordon’s (Gary Oldman), the Joker’s, and Gotham’s “white knight” D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart).

Especially threatening is Ledger’s Joker, whose fractured psyche finally gives Batman and other Gothamites some really confounding quandaries. As a villain, this new Joker is a force of nature, a self-proclaimed agent of chaos. His horrific face, smeared in clown makeup, soon elicits fear and mass panic. This guy has no qualms with sharing equally disturbing anecdotes about his penchant for bladed weapons and his victims’ final moments.

Surprisingly well-developed is Harvey Dent, known to Bat-fans as the disfigured baddie Two-Face. His origin here is complexly presented; Eckhart sublimely portrays the seemingly incorruptible D.A., who’s ready to cross the line when he (or his “lucky” coin) deems it necessary. Here, he’s the boyfriend of Bruce Wayne’s ex Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal). This certainly isn’t Joel Schumacher’s “Batman Forever,” where Dent’s turning point was shown in barely a few seconds of flashback.

Scene-stealers aside, Batman and Bruce Wayne are still at the center of it all. Wayne has grown considerably in terms of understanding the need for “real” heroes such as the celebrated Dent. He’s also more cunning when dealing with criminals; a daring overseas mission makes good use of his costumed vigilante identity and arsenal.

He still employs wise men, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), as his occasional advisers who help out with the minutiae of crimefighting. However, at some points you’ll wonder why Batman doesn’t act like a master tactician, and still resorts to brute force instead of initiating his own mind games during a key scenario with the Joker. But it’s fun to watch him administer a beating.

While there are points that can inspire minor quibbles, the storytelling is eloquent, overall. The circuitous machinations of the film’s “freaks” meet and conflict on a mythic scale without losing its vital human component. All these, plus explosive action sequences, help make this Bat-sequel one to relish and cherish.

(This review is slightly longer than the published version; I kept a few sentences to elaborate on some points.)