The Dark Knight on IMAX was spectacular... and the perfection
continues on the Blu-ray disc edition that is awe-inspiring. For the
uninitiated, the character of Batman was created in the late 1930’s
by Bob Kane and Bill Finger which has spawned thousands of comic
books, live action television series, cartoons, movies and a
plethora of merchandise that has made this character a staple diet
of pop culture.
One of the most recognized super heroes of all time, the franchise
was reinvigorated by Batman Begins in 2005 that was written by
former comic scribe David Goyer and directed by Christopher Nolan
which not only gave the franchise a breath of fresh air but
successfully brought the character into the 21st century.
The sequel, The Dark Knight is visually one of the most
awe-inspiring movies that I have had the pleasure of watching and
certain elements were filmed for IMAX that translates amazingly on
Blu-ray... the quality is outstanding.
Co-written by Jonathan Nolan and director Christopher Nolan that is
based on a story by David Goyer and Christopher Nolan, The Dark
Knight takes the viewer into the psyche of not only Bruce Wayne
(Christopher Bale) as the Batman but also society itself which is a
dark reflection of the world that we live in.
From the very first moments of the film, you know that you are in
for treat as it opens up with an orchestrated bank robbery, led by
none other than the Joker himself. The Joker is played by the late
Heath Ledger who truly captures the dark psyche of this character
with his sociopath behavior and intelligence that makes him one of
films most nerve racking villains.
Ledger’s mannerisms for the Joker are brilliant from his twitches to
the way he moves as if watching an almost ethereal entity. Nolan
also highlights the relationship between the Batman and the Joker
which is quite chilling as they are almost a mirror image of each
other, however due to unseen circumstances, one is for order and the
other for chaos.
The story of The Dark Knight revolves around Harvey Dent (Aaron
Eckhart) who in conjunction with the police force and police
lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Goldman) wage war on the crime lords
that run this broken city with the assistance of Batman.
Unfortunately for Gotham, the Joker orchestrates a calculating
strike on those involved to bring redemption to the city which
forces Batman to make a life and death decision and go down a much
darker path. Near the end of the movie, the story did lose me in
some aspects and felt a little rushed and disjointed but fortunately
my fears were resolved in the satisfying conclusion. The Dark Knight
features a healthy dose of thrills, action and a touch of romance.
Christopher Bale is brilliant as Bruce Wayne and Batman, playing two
distinct characters perfectly, one of a famous billionaire, the
other, a masked vigilante with a gruff voice. As briefly mentioned,
Ledger truly captures the soul of the Joker in one of his last
complete performances and without spoiling the film any further, it
is one movie that must be seen. Watching Ledger as the Joker tease
the Batman in one of their battles with the Joker saying that Batman
completes him is a classic scene.
Visually, the film is quite a visceral action movie and my only
complaint about some of the scenes is that they are quite dark and
the camera moves dangerously fast which makes keeping up a little
difficult at times. The video is perfection on Blu-ray and is a true
reference disc.
Apart from the impressive visuals, the score by Hans Zimmer and
James Newton Howard rounds this movie up nicely, especially when
experienced through Dolby Digital TrueHD 5.1 which needs to be heard
loud and through a decent surround sound setup.
When it comes to extras, the movie is littered with a great bonus
disc that goes beyond the movie and truly into the psyche of the
character called Batman. Needless to say, it's probably the most
enjoyable extras that I have had the pleasure of watching.
In conclusion, the Nolan brothers give the viewer one of the most
realistic comic book adaptations of Batman that features first class
acting, stunning visuals and a story that is both relevant and
enjoyable. A must have Blu-ray disc!
Special Features:
Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene
Batman Tech
Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight IMAX Sequences
Gotham Tonight - 6 episodes of Gotham Cable's premier news program
The Joker Cards
Concept Art
Poster Art
Production Stills
Trailers
TV Spots
