THE DARK KNIGHT

THE DARK KNIGHT
(2008)
* * * *
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall
Warner/Rated PG-13/Action, Fantasy/152 mins

Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker — discomforting as a school girl’s nervous laugh — is the most outstanding feature of Christopher Nolan’s mesmerizing “Batman” sequel. From his seat atop the pit of hell, the marvelously twisted Joker pursues his diabolical heart’s desire. He’s the ultimate terrorist, wreaking havoc for the sake of watching others sink to new lows. To achieve anarchy, The Joker happily burns a mountain of money, but to worm his way into Batman’s psyche, the Joker will burrow deep into the caped crusader’s emotional world.

“Dark Knight” aptly describes Christopher Nolan’s sordid second chapter. He, and his co-writing brother, Jonathan, depict one evil man’s efforts to infect the minds of ordinary people with hate. Director Nolan has not forsaken the major action set pieces, but he has unexpectedly put the carnage into frighteningly relevant context. If The Joker, an allegory for anyone that goes bump in the night, can bring a megalopolis to its knees, then we begin to appreciate our illusion of safety.

While The Joker seeks his Batman fix, Batman awakens to the harsh reality of operating outside the law. A vigilante easily cast in a harsh light, Christian Bale’s Batman does the right thing at great personal cost. In real life he is Bruce Wayne, a billionaire dedicating a chunk of his fortune to high tech weaponry needed for stopping and capturing bad guys. For his personal needs Wayne relies upon his ever faithful butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine). For for his arsenal of gadgets he depends upon business associate and inventor, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). The two men are father figures doling out more than expertise -- they provide moral support and guidance for Wayne’s alter-ego.

District attorney, Rachel Dawes, is the third and final person entrusted with the secret of Batman’s true identity. Played by Maggie Gyllenhaal whose big brown eyes mirror Batman’s regrets, she is the best new thing (after The Joker) to emerge from chapter two. Warner Brothers wisely identified that casting Katie Holmes’ in this pivotal role was the weak link in “Batman Begins.” Gyllenhaal completes the circle of emotional intensity occupied by her male costars. Aaron Eckhart, playing DA, Harvey Dent, and Gary Oldman, disappearing into the role of police commissioner, James Gordon, are powerful brush strokes in this portrait of a city in peril.

When soaring on his batwings, Batman cuts a mournful, lonely and breathtaking figure. In ways even more profound than those embodied by The Joker, the caped crusader is an emblem for loss, longing, and emptiness. Listen and you will hear a lament on the wind.