5 stars****
The ‘biff’ and ‘pow’ of Batman films has been replaced by outright violence and murder. What happened? Did I miss the intervening years when Batman movies were really quite friendly even to the baddies?
The antagonist, the Joker, played to the highest standard by Heath Ledger, is now on a par with any James Bond rival. I believe I heard the joker say that he’d only killed six people, but I’m sure the body count was almost up to a hundred or so. The Joker has also turned into an arsonist blowing up more buildings and cars than Bond even manages.
Christopher Nolan as director, producer and writer, with more than just a little help, has put together a rather good movie that is excellent in so many areas.
The acting is high quality; Michael Caine becomes Alfred who has taken on a much more pivotal role in the organisation. Michael Caine continues to be Michael Caine; he never disappoints, his delivery is magical. Morgan Freeman appears as a major part of the team. Gary Oldman, as Commissioner Gordon plays a real hands on policing role with twists we couldn’t have imagined. They all return from the original film, Batman Begins.
The music by Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard is first class. That will be a CD worth buying/downloading. It captures the imagination and matches the changing pace throughout. You often miss the background music in a film; here it strikes you.
The blowing up of buildings, people, cars and trucks is outstanding. The Joker takes down a complete hospital towards the end of the film. I don’t know how they completed that scene, but it was worth the money.
The drive-in appreciated the tripping up of the Joker’s articulated truck as the masterpiece effect of the movie. I could watch that over and over again.
I’m sure I saw some robots that were so dangerous at the start of the movie which became as soft as tomatoes near the end; such were the mind baffling complexities of this script.
I don’t expect the late Heath Ledger will gain a win at the awards next year as his supporting actor role wasn’t really big enough; even though his acting skills were first class, but then you never do know about these things.
Nevertheless, despite all this good news about the movie, I didn’t feel I needed to hold on to my seat, jump up in fright or explode with excitement. The first half of the movie was worthy of three stars while the second half achieved five start status. It won’t be the movie of the year for me, but it was good, very good, in so many areas. It was well worth the few dollars and at almost three hours long I wasn’t bored, but I would like to have been more excited.
I guess tripping up and double somersaulting a truck at fast speed will be seen in many more movies soon.
Just where was Robin when you needed him?
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