스테판's Movie Story

 Hi Harry and the rest of the crew,

Just after watching The Dark Knight. I see no reviews are online so I thought Id send you my review.

Ive kept this review as spoiler free as possible as I dont want to ruin anything like someone did recently with another Christian Bale movie!!!

Ill start by saying that I was a fan of Batman Begins and am a huge admirer of Christopher Nolan's body of work. I had my faults with BB mainly to do with how they shot and edited the fight sequences but felt it was a great start to a much larger story and I jumped with joy when Gordan pulled out the Joker card at the end.

The Dark Knight opens with a bank heist sequence that highlights how the joker is always one step ahead of the criminals he is working with and the police who are after him. Numerous men break into a bank controlled by the mob wearing clown masks and comment on how The Joker has put the whole thing together. This is the catalyst for which the rest of the events in this movie takes place.

The heist does not go to plan well at least not for all the gang. Its a great set up and payoff and a unique way of introducing the ace in TDK'S whole or in this case its Joker.

Heath Ledgers performance of the joker is truly one for the books. A man of no remorse or morals who simply wants to see things burn. There is no back story or establishing the character. He is fully formed. He does have some dialogue scenes that reveal a bit of his background. Lets just say he has some issues with his father and that smile of his is rooted in a gesture of love. He is far from a caricature and has depth . He realises that without Batman he would not be. The Joker is almost more of a terrorist than criminal. He is not motivated by money. He wants to see people suffer. Its a damn shame that this was Heath Ledger's final major performance as it shows a whole different side to him as a performer and I now know that he was endlessly talented. To watch him walk away from an exploding hospital dressed as a nurse is probably my favourite moment Ive seen on film so far this year. Also look out for when he makes a pencil disappear such a cool moment! Best supporting Oscar anyone?

Gotham is still engulfed by crime. Falcone's reign as the head of the mob is over and that seat has been filled by Salvatore Maroni played by Eric Roberts. What becomes clear is that there are also numerous other gangs within Gotham. Its no longer just one syndicate. They are all in some way in cohoots but the arrival of Batman has made it harder for them to operate.

Batman has inspired the city officials particularly Harvey Dent. The DA for Gotham city. This is really his story. The rise and fall of the white knight. He is Bruce Wayne's hope for Gotham City. A hero who doesn't have to wear a mask. A man who can inspire hope in the masses. If BB was about fear then TDK is about hope and is relevant in today's times. Harvey Dent is a good honest man who is willing to bear the weight of bringing down all the criminals on his shoulders and what that means for his own life and those he loves. In terms of his transition to Two Face all I will say is that everything online that Ive seen is fake. The moment we first see him in hospital when Harvey Dent asks Gordan what his nickname used to be in Internal Affairs and Gordan says Harvey Two Face and Harvey turns to him . Such a clever way of establishing the character. Even down to his double sided coin. Lets just say Aaron Eckhart puts Tommy Lee Jones to friggin shame!

The film feels more like a crime drama in a grand city scape than a typical comic book movie. It feels like Heat except Batman is Al Pacino and The Joker is Robert De Niro and just like in that film we have a great scene between Heath Ledger and Christian Bale across a table. There is also an element of a Greek Tragedy.. There is a vast sense of morality at play within the film.

Dent is trying to bring down the criminals and wants to bring them in under a RICO charge. To do this he needs Batman's help as he has to bring in the man who takes care of all their money. A glorified accountant as Rachel Dawes puts it.Think Al Capones accountant in the Untouchables. So Batman ventures to Hong Kong. It adds to the idea that this is very much set in the real world and its not just Gotham that Batman can access.

This all happens within the first third of the film. The run time is two and a half hours. It doesn't feel that long as there is so much going on within the film. Ive always felt Christopher Nolan was able
to handle pacing unlike many movies that are over two hours these days. This is also his first entirely linear film and he proves himself to be a gifted storyteller and a master of utilising film as a
visual medium. He fills each frame with so much scope and detail. You can tell he is enjoying himself with the amount of money he is being allowed to play with and wants to better himself and the franchise. Although this movie doesn't feel like an instalment in a franchise. The best thing I can think of for comparison is The Godfather Part 2.

There is no sign of the Batcave in this film. Although Alfred does make mention of it saying how he looks forward to it being finished. Bruce now lives in a pretty sweet penthouse apartment and his new batcave is in an underground layer in the docks. Bruce and Lucious Fox have been working on the suit and toys although to my surprise the Batpod was in BB and nobody spotted it. It'll put a smile on your face when it makes its introduction.

Christian Bale owns this role. He is Bruce Wayne and he is Batman. He is also a third character in some regards as there are almost two sides to Bruce Wayne. The public figure, a playboy billionaire who knows how to spend his money and the Bruce Wayne behind closed doors who only Alfred and Rachel get to see. A man covered in bruises and wounds who desperately wants be free of Batman but is compelled to make a difference as no one else can. He can play the villain to be the hero as he does.

The second third focuses on the capturing of The Joker. The city is living in fear as he makes threats on national television that he always follows through with. You simple have no idea what he will do next. There appears to be no reason to his madness although that proves to not be the case.

I don't really want to give away anymore. I will say there is death but not in the way some of the fan boys who have watched the trailer are thinking. There is a prestige moment within the film that is a true Chris Nolan moment. The scarecrow is in the film but has a very minor role.

Just go see it on opening day in a room full of fans. Ill be doing the same and have no doubt Ill enjoy it even more the second time round.

Enjoy.
Tim Bisley

예고편을 통해서 고담시 병원의 폭파 장면을 보셨을 겁니다. (이 장면은 IMAX로 촬영된 세 개의 액션 시퀀스 중 하나입니다.) 그리고, 예전에 유출된 스틸 사진 중에 조커가 간호사 복장을 입은 것이 있었습니다. 예상하셨듯이 그 스틸 사진이 이 병원 폭파와 관련되어 있습니다.

병원에서 간호사 복장을 입은 조커가 걸어나옵니다. 그의 손에 들려져 있는 것은 기폭장치. 조커는 기폭장치를 누릅니다. 삐 소리가 나지만, 아무일도 벌어지지 않습니다. 조커는 계속 버튼을 눌러댑니다. 하지만, 그의 뒤에서는 아주 작은 폭발만 일어납니다. 조커는 화가 나서 세워져 있던 노란색 스쿨 버스에 탑승하는데, 그때 제대로 된 폭발이 일어납니다.

이 장면은 원 테이크로 촬영되어졌다고 하는군요.

공중에서 내려다보는 고담시의 모습으로 시작되고, 이이서 전 예고편에서 보였던 건물 위의 배트맨의 모습이 보인다. 그 위에 얹힌 하비 덴트의 목소리. '뵙게 되어 영광입니다.' 화면은 전환되어 지난 예고편에도 보였듯이 레스토랑에서 브루스 웨인과 하비 덴트가 같이 있다. 하비 덴트의 대사가 이어진다. '레이첼이 당신에 대해 모든 것을 이야기해 주었습니다.' 웨인 미소지으며 '그렇지 않기를 바라는데..' 화면은 바뀌어 내달리고 있는 배트포드가 보이고, 배트포드를 탄 배트맨은 유유히 좁은 길을 빠져나간다. 하지만, 그를 쫓던 경찰차는 그 좁은 길을 통과하지 못하고 충돌하며, 부서지고 만다. 이어서 사람들이 가전제품상에 전시된 여러대의 TV에 동시에 나타난 조커를 응시하는 모습이 보인다. 조커(흐리고, 어둡게 보이는)가 말한다. '오늘 밤부터 사람들이 죽어 나갈 거야. 난 한다면 하는 놈이거든.(조커 웃음소리)' (이 대사는 첫 티저예고편의 마지막 대사.) 고든, 하비 덴트, 배트맨이 옥상에 같이 있다. 고든이 말한다. '우리의 노력이 그에게 정의의 심판을 내리게 할 것이요. 당신들이 규칙을 어기는 것을 묵인해주겠지만, 우리는 그들을 처단할수 없소. 그렇지않다면, 우리가 어떻게 그와 다르다고 할 수 있겠소?' 덴트가 답한다. '물론이오.' 배트맨이 답한다. '동의하오.' 다크나이트 테마곡이 들려오고, 로고가 보인다.