No need for sunglasses, it's dark enough (The Dark Knight (2 DVDs))

Member Name: bailey_kipper_uk

Product:	The Dark Knight (2 DVDs)
Date:	31/07/08 (149 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great sequel with some great actors

Disadvantages: Not really suitable for 12 year olds

Unsurprisingly the number of reviews of the Dark Knight is building by the day. So I'm going to try something a tiny bit different, maybe this will work, maybe it won't, but I've got some time spare at work today so i'll give it a try, and I might end up using it as a basis for my future reviews. I'm also going to try and avoid putting in leading statements that just turn out to be spoilers.

Question 1 - Is it a good film?

Answer - Hell Yeah! Lot's of action, a few twists, some magic (there's a great magic trick to look out for, see if you can work out how he does it), a good mix of main characters - some good, some evil.

Q2 - So who's in it?

A - Christian Bale reprises his role as Batman (or "the Batman"), and he doesn't disappoint. He doesn't spend a lot of time as Bruce Wayne in this story, though when he does he carries it off as the billionaire playboy who doesn't deal with criminals.

Heath Ledger is good as the Joker. He plays it very differently to the TV series and also to the Jack Nicholson Joker. It is much darker and with fewer laughs, and he is just out to cause as much chaos as possible. Should he get an Oscar, honestly I don't care, every year they go to people who at best 50% of people think should receive it. However he would certainly be a popular choice, he plays the part well, but maybe doesn't have a large enough part in the film to warrant the oscar.

Harvey Dent is played by Aaron Eckhart. Dent is the new Gotham DA (District Attorney) and wants to clean up Gotham in a big way, and he doesn't mind being the focal point for gang hatred. Dent is going out with assistant DA Rachel Dawes (Played by Katie Holmes in the previous film). Batman sees Dent as his possible replacement, as a White Knight.

Q3 - Anyone else

A - There's also Lieutenant Gordon who is again played by Gary Oldman and is as incorruptable as ever, though the same can't be said for his men.

Rachel Dawes is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, not much to say about her though as the film is mainly about the guys.

Finally there's Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman who reprise their roles as Alfred the Butler and Lucius Fox - now CEO of Wayne Enterprises, and ensuring that the company is run ethically. However Lucius is now more aware than ever that Bruce Wayne doesn't spend his spare time going spelunking.

Q4 - Does this follow on where Batman Begins left off?

A - Yep, the end of Batman Begins left us with a Joker calling card and the Joker starts this one off committing a bank robbery with robbers dressed with clown masks, all with their own agenda. Also, the scarecrow appears throughout the film, though nowhere near as menacingly as in the first film.

Q5 - So is there a plot?

A - Well the main storyline is about Harvey Dent being this 'White Knight' trying to clean up Gotham, most of the other storylines are as a direct result of this. The mob/mafia/baddies are struggling to cope with Batman and are on the brink of giving up, having to resort to extreme measures just to avoid having to give up organised crime altogether and signing on to claim Job seekers allowance. The Joker has a plan though to keep them from falling into the poverty trap, however they are getting desparate and haven't got time to check out his references.

The Joker is very unpredictable and often seems to be able to anticipate the moves of the good guys who always have a plan.

I feel like I should write more here but having read other reviews it seems to be quite hard to include phrases that don't give away large chunks of plot.

Q6 - Does the music score add to the experience?

A - There's a great score written by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard who wrote the Batman Begins score also. It's a great score and really adds to the atmosphere, it's a dark soundtrack and there's certainly no ninner-ninner-ninner-ninner-Batman.

Q7 - How long is it

A - It's a fairly long film by today's standards at 152 minutes (2 and a half hours). However I like good action films to be this long, like the old James Bond films. Also for 7.20 of your fine English Pounds it makes the cinematic experience worthwile.

Q8 - So should we go and see it?

A - I would recommend it as my pick of the year so far. Though it should be avoided by anyone who wants to go and see a cheery fun family film, as it's more for the older teenager, rather than the 12A rating it is received. There's a lot of implied violence and some actual violence which probably should have been enough to make this a 15, but there's no nudity or swearing so American's will be alright with it.

Q9 - So what else are you planning on doing whilst in London

A - ... Oops, got carried away practising my interview technique for my job interview tomorrow, need to go and do some preparation for that....

Summary: Go see the Dark Night, go now!!!