After watching Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, I’ll happily add my own 2 thumbs up to the millions of digits already raised worldwide. Given that it contains the late Heath Ledger’s finest performance in his entire career, it’s a real shame this is the last we’ll ever see of his psychopathic clown.

Ledger doesn’t just walk into the shot. He explodes into it, terrifying and leaving you cringing and laughing at the same time.

Making even the simplest actions seem menacing (his standout scene includes only a pencil), the Joker is masochistic – a cross between Jack Sparrow and Leatherface.

In fact, his performance apparently scared veteran actor Michael Caine so much that he forgot his lines the first time he saw the former. Ledger’s second last performance has already sparked rumours of a posthumous Academy Award.

Pity the excitement among movie-goers to catch Mr Ledger’s portrayal has caused co-star Aaron Eckhart‘s equally intriguing turn as Harvey Dent to have been overlooked. Dent, known as Gotham’s White Knight, eventually becomes Two-Face, yet another villian in dire need of plastic surgery.

Eckhart manages to humanise his character, and Dent’s fall from city hero to vengeful Two-face is so tragic you can’t help still rooting for him even during his murderous rampage through Gotham’s streets at the last hour.

With these 2 eccentric villians around, it’s little wonder why Christian Bale‘s Batman appears slightly less interesting, his performance of the Dark Knight upstaged by his fellow actors.

Face it, we all know the good guys win, but the bad guys are so much cooler. Gary Oldman, who plays Gordon, is another one of Gotham’s incorruptible figures. Given a bigger role in this second installment, he delivers yet another impressive performance as the kind-hearted cop. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman take a step back this time round though, letting their younger co-stars soak in the limelight.

Nonetheless, this film is arguably the best Batman film to have been made so far. It’s smashing its way through box office records since its release 2 weeks ago. The film literally grabs you by your collar and shakes you for two and a half solid hours before dumping you back onto your seat dazed.

It leaves little breathing space, and requires its viewers to follow the action closely. Slower viewers may have to catch multiple viewings to fully grasp the plot.

P.S For all of you with pea sized bladders out there, you might want to bring along a catheter.

 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

 

Movie Details

Opens: 17 July 2008

Movie Rating: PG

Director:  Christopher Nolan

Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman