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THE DARK KNIGHT
(TWO-DISC SPECIAL EDITION) |
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| Actors: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman |
| Director: Christopher Nolan |
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Distributor: Warner Home Video |
| DVD release: 09 December 2008 |
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Runtime: 152 minutes (2 discs) |
| Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC |
| DVD Features: Aspect ratio 2.40:1, Audio tracks (Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 - English, Spanish, French; Dolby Digital Stereo 2.0 - English, Spanish, French), Subtitles (English, Spanish, French), Sound of Anarchy, Evolution of the Knight, The IMAX Sequences in original aspect ratio (The bank heist [Prologue]; Retrieving Lau [Hong Kong]; The armored car chase on Lower Wacker; Protecting Reese [Lamborghini Crash]; The clowns are the hostages [The Prewitt Building]; Batman the hunted [The Dark Knight]), Gotham Tonight (Six fictional news mag episodes), Poster art and product stills, Three theatrical trailers, Digital copy
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"Why so serious?"
"Kill the Batman."
When casting was announced for Batman Begins , I was dubious about the leading role going to Christian Bale. I had enjoyed the Tim Burton film and wasn't particularly fond of American Psycho . But Batman Begins turned out to be a tremendous film - and hugely successful at the box office. At that film's end, it was intimated that the next villain Batman would face off against was the Joker. Question was, who could top Jack Nicholson? Enter Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger. Would this be a blunder, or would Ledger fill those big shoes and deliver a captivating performance that would thrill audiences? The answer to him being a memorable Joker or not is a resounding "Yes."
The Brothers Nolan (Jonathan and Christopher) worked together on the script, and Christopher helms the camera as director. The usual suspects return in their respective roles: Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as James Gordon, and Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne. But this time around, Maggie Gyllenhaal is Rachel Dawes instead of Katie Holmes. Along with the magnificent performance by Ledger (a definite contender for receiving a posthumous Oscar) as the Joker, Aaron Eckhart does a great job (though it might be overshadowed) as Harvey Dent/Two-Face.
Dark, haunting, with the right mix of action, emotion, and stunning visuals to absolutely draw you in, The Dark Knight keeps you on the edge of your seat. The only complaint one might have is the one hundred and fifty-two-minute runtime. At two and a half hours, detractors might say it's a bit too long; but if you are totally into the story, the time flies by. Whether you see it as a parable or an allegory of the post-9/11 world, The Dark Knight is by far one of the best movies of the year.
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