"I'm going to do a magic trick. I'm going to make this pencil disappear."

[breakinglight11]

Oh, my GOD, The Dark Knight is amazing. You need to see it if you haven't. I want to see it again. 

First of all, every character was interesting and every actor held their own. I was concerned that everyone else would be subsumed in the fiery wake of Heath Ledger's performance, but every single one of them held my attention. Gary Oldman in particular had the task of taking Commissioner Gordon, arguably the most mundane character, and making him just as cool and just as fascinating as everyone else, if not more so. I never really get interested in Batman's women-- they all tend to be kind of placeholder-y, and you know they necessarily will all ultimately be abandoned --but even Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel was good. Katie Holmes is a dumbass to have declined to come back, but I didn't miss her because she's a lousy actress. I loved Michael Caine's sensible, grounded, wise Alfred, the only man who really understands Bruce and who loves him so completely and unconditionally that he can want the hard right path for him, and help him walk the way. And Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox just rounded out the party with that fantastic wisdom and aplomb. Forget Harvey Dent-- I believe in Morgan Freeman. And Christian Bale as Batman... oh, how I love my Batman. I love his struggle, I love the two roles he plays, and how the one you'd think is the genuine self isn't necessarily it. That Batman is a symbol, and it's both a burden and a gift to him to take on the part of that symbol. I was also delighted that they dealt with the man Harvey Dent was before he became Two Face, and his relationship to Batman/Bruce. His struggled and his devolution that finally resulted in the sacrifice of Batman's good name for Harvey's was freaking brilliant. Gotham needs a knight, and they needed a white knight more than a dark one.  

Aaaaand there was the Joker. This really was the Joker's movie. First of all, let me say that every word of praise for Heath Ledger's performance is earned. He is fearsome, funny, psychotic, philosophical, and scary as hell. And I loved how they emphasized his disconnect with his identity, making him in a big way as much as symbol as Batman is, by being unable to find any identifying characteristics about him, and how he told a different story about his scars every time. Such a huge part of the figure that is the Joker is that he has moved beyond personhood. That's why an absolute origin story is unnecessary, even detrimental to the character. The MAN he may have been at one point has faded into the past forever. Nobody remembers it, nobody can connect it to him, himself least of all. He is pure philosophy and madness and danger-- therefore, a force, a concept, a symbol, just like Batman. They are two sides of the same coin. They make each other exist. The Joker's chaotic nihilism is the perfect contrast to Batman's attempt to bring order and justice. He was just the right kind of badness too-- so cool and creepy I relished everything he did, and yet I passionately wanted Batman to stop him. The freaking perfect villain. I do confess I wished for just a little bit more Joker caprice. I always loved in the animated series how their Joker was so fucking random that depending on his mood and what amused him in the moment, he could be either a harmless prankster or a psychotic killer. He didn't do too much that was harmless in this flick, but they went in the dark direction, which worked for me. Batman may not have always been dark in his long comic history, but he came from a dark place, whether it was expressed or not. 

I even love the Joker's socks. They're all stripey and multicolored. And the bit with the pencil. Jesus Christ, that was awful and awesome.

Comments

[charoolz.livejournal.com]

*Looks away from entry.* I haven't seen it. Get in touch with me if you're seeing it again. ^_^

[koboldninja-5.livejournal.com]

I am having a hard time putting what I just saw into words (yes, I am lame and didn't see it until today). You are right about the characters, with Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine just adding an air of gravitas without ruining it in any way. I think what this movie did so well in the whole realm of Batman is that it emphasized the line between good and evil. Batman is not the shining good (a la Superman), but rather is a gritty, moody, troubled "hero" who walks the line, and then the Joker in the movie had the m/o to make other people walk that same line. Harvey acknowledges early on that "you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain" and that he is also walking the line...the only question is what, if anything, will nudge him over the edge.