Tuesday, July 29, 2008

What a Dark Knight!

On Saturday, after returning Benny, Chad and I left Joseph with his grandparents and cousins (and aunt) for a pool party day. At loose ends, we decided to go see Dark Knight. My take, no spoilers...

I love Christopher Nolan's realistic take on the Batman series. Heath Ledger as the Joker was creepier than creepy - especially when compared to ol' Jack. Then again, Nolan's Batman is so much darker compared to the bright colors and animated actors of the previous series of movies. I'd heard that Heath stole the show. I'd have to agree to a certain extent. The movie was primarily about the Joker. He had some of the best lines in the whole flick. The "why so serious" scene had me covering my eyes, forgetting that I wasn't watching an "R" rated film.

I'm also glad that Katie didn't return. I always thought that Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, Assistant DA and childhood friend of Bruce Wayne, was a bit like Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist. Maggie, on the other hand, looked the right age. She even had a few lines to add to the plausibility of a woman who is working for good in a city that's evil.

Loved Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. Their dry wit was a welcome relief in a such a dark movie. I also stand by my belief that Christian Bale is Batman. Now let's just hope that the current assault charges against him are trumped up. I'd be sad if started to channel pre-family Russell Crowe. (Fatherhood seems to have somewhat mellowed him.) Then again, I'd be even sadder if he went the way of dear Matthew. I can count that celebrity crush officially crushed.

Okay...I completely digressed. Overall, good, but not great, movie. (I liked Batman Begins better.) Like any superhero movie, you must, of course, suspend belief and hope that said suspension is rewarded. While I walked away feeling entertained, I was a little underwhelmed. It was definitely no Mamma Mia.

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