Movie review: The Dark Knight - 4/5

Everyone should watch The Dark Knight (TDK) at least once. It matters little whether you are a fan of the Batman character or not-- this is a movie that transcends its origins and is recommended viewing for one and all.

A common review would be that TDK is the greatest movie based on a comic book, but that would be too-obvious a thing to say, and would also be doing the movie a disservice. The Dark Knight shines as a commendable work in itself. In many ways, the movie is the script. A script that is perfect, flawless, masterful, and drives the movie throughout -- this is one flick that doesn't have to rely on the crutches of action and explosions to carry it forward. The action serves to add to the movie's flavour, but it does not define TDK.
The actors are obviously inspired by the tight writing and exacting characterizations that the script offers -- everyone does a great job with his or her role, there isn't a single actor that brings the show down. And then there's (the late) Heath Ledger playing the Joker. Amongst all the good performances, the Joker -- ever the wildcard in the deck, steals every scene, every shot -- he is electric with his nuanced delivery, frightening through his expressions, hilarious in his body language, a presence through his makeup. It is a performance that is simply put, breathtaking. If there is a character that defines the dark soul of TDK, it is the twisted Joker. I pity the guy who has to fill Heath Ledger's shoes in future outings.

The Dark Knight is as dark as its title, and even as it pulls you through two hours of psychological fog, it manages to end on an uplifting note. Sort of.
Hey, it's Batman after all, not your everyday comic character: not so much a symbol of hope but instead a vigilante powered by money and driven by passion, a man symptomatic of the hopelessness that is Gotham City -- just a Dark Knight doing a dirty job.

In the end The Dark Knight is what you want it to be: it's a comment on fear and the frailty of civilization, if you want it to be; it's a popcorn flick, if you would rather see it that way; in summation though, it's a fuckin awesome movie, and a must-watch.