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THE DARK KNIGHT
Gotham City has made great strides against the mob since Batman Begins (2005), thanks to Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart, Erin Brockovich), the new district attorney, who has Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mona Lisa Smile) at his side. Rachel, an assistant district attorney, is the former girlfriend of Bruce Wayne.
As Batman (Christian Bale, Batman Begins), Bruce has been secretly assisting Police Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman, Batman Begins). The mob has been dealing with a crooked Hong Kong businessman named Lau (Chin Han).
Batman brings Lau back to Gotham to testify against mob boss Salvatore Maroni (Eric Roberts, Phat Girlz). The mob hires The Joker (Heath Ledger, Brokeback Mountain) to thwart the authorities. The showdown will be of tragic, violent proportions.
Heath Ledger, who died in January at age 29 of an accidental overdose of prescription drugs, plays the artificially smiling Joker with depth, startling credibility and an intensity that is almost painful. His disquieting performance overshadows that of otherwise fine performances by the rest of the cast. The film belongs to The Joker, and Ledger deserves an Oscar nod.
The Joker, scarred inside and out, hidden behind a grotesque mask, is possessed by a brilliant madness. He is a symbol of the powerless victim becoming the victimizer in a doomed quest for justice. The Joker, Dent and the hooded Batman form a trio that externalizes some of the realities and struggles of our complicated humanity.
This film is genuinely sinister. It is often pessimistic, yet moves beyond the limits of its comic-book origins to confront human hubris, the consequences of child abuse and the possibilities for authentic goodness.
The film examines the artifice of creating mythic heroes with feet of clay to respond to our need for a superman, a guardian, a savior. Directed and coscripted by Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Insomnia), the film offers social, political and even spiritual commentary. It conjures up conversations about virtue as counterpoint to human weakness. Intense action violence.
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