Movie Monday - The Dark Knight

Some of you may be recovering from Supanova Sydney, so we'll keep this easy on you all. With all the excitement around Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, I thought we'd go back to one of the films that really solidified the superhero as a film genre – The Dark Knight.




Director: Christopher Nolan

Writer: Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, David S. Goyer

Starring: Christina Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Release: 2008

After Batman's appearance in Gotham City, crime has taken an odd turn. There has been an escalation in violence – and an escalation in vigilantism. District Attorney Harvey Dent is seen as the saviour of the city, the man that will be able to sweep corruption aside. Batman's efforts in conjunction with Commissioner Gordon have given Gotham the chance it needed. But order comes at a cost, and there is a new player on the field. A man with a mysterious past, who pays no mind to order and believes anarchy should rule. He is the Joker, and he has plans that will tear down the world Batman has worked so hard for. Not only that, but could he be right, and are the people of Gotham just as bad as the criminals Batman works to capture? And what makes Batman himself exempt?

This will always be Heath Ledger's film. Sure, it's about Batman, but one of the things that truly defines the character are his villains. This was why there was such a focus on Catwoman and the Penguin in Batman Returns, but here, the focus on the Joker is in direct comparison to what Batman is trying to accomplish. The Joker is a representation of anarchy and chaos, as opposed to the rigid order that Batman is attempting to accomplish. In general, Batman tries to plan for everything, but the Joker is utterly random, and can't be predicted. Heath Ledger was perfect in the role, truly embodying the character's psychosis and attitude to the world. The entire film is built around the character of the Joker and his opposition to everything Batman has tried to achieve.

While Ledger's performance makes the film classic, there's a strong message that the film doesn't shy away from. There is a balance between order and freedom that the film makes abundantly clear. This was really the strength of the entire Nolan trilogy of films – the focus on what Batman represents, rather than who the person wearing the mask is. It's why David S. Goyer is seen as a good screenwriter, as many of his films have these strong themes to work with. In a lot of ways, The Dark Knight is just a film featuring Batman, in that the themes are ones that could fit a number of movies, and this one just happens to involve Batman as the main character. A lot of what is developed here returns for the next film and this cohesiveness of storytelling is one of the reasons the film stands out. The action sequences are incredibly spectacular, but Nolan and Goyer combined create a tale that enthrals an audience.