Batman and Joker

Be warned before you set out to watch this movie in Dhanya Theatre, Trivandrum- The cinema screen is pretty dark, most of the dialogues are inaudible because the overhead fans make more sound than the speakers (Yes, AC is only in the name) and the theatre runs their own sensor board. You might see sudden cuts, sudden change of frame color and lot of jerks. So welcome to the theatres in Trivandrum.

Now about the movie. As of today, Dark Knight is rated at 9.6/10 and #3 in all time Top 250. It might not hold this rating but this movie is out to stay right at the top in any list. This is an almost perfect screen adaption of the caped crusader comics – Batman. A movie where the villain –The Joker (played by Late Heath Ledger) overshadows the hero -Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale). So we have a violent, gruesome, dark superhero movie which is one of its kind. The movie had me in the intro itself when Joker and his miscreants carry out a bank robbery with some heavy music in the background.

Already a big fan of Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, The Prestige and Batman Begins), expectations were really high as far as I am concerned, more because of the high IMDB rating and the huge hype surrounding Heath Ledger’s untimely death. Still the movie lives up to its reputation. Ledger had definitely performed the role of his life and is rumored to get a best actor nomination for Oscars already.

The net is full of reviews of the movie and so I don’t intend to give away anything. Because of the good dose of violence, it might be sensible to keep small kids away from the movie. Quite different from his usual style, most part of this movie follows a linear narration but Nolan manages to surprise us every now and then with twists which we could never see coming. The surprise elements, the shock elements and the heroic elements stand out truly in this flick. Watch out when Joker blows up a hospital. That is a scene of immense brilliance (no for SFX but direction).

Aaron Eckhart (of Thank You for Smoking) is really impressive as the DA Harvey Dent who changes to the villainous Two Face. Michael Caine and Gary Oldman do justice to their roles from the first part as the loyal Butler Alfred and the friendly cop Jim Gordon respectively.

Christian Bale is as impressive as ever. The replacement for Katie Holmes – Maggie Gylenhall fits the role. But the star of the movie remains the Joker.

To sum it up, the movie would have been aptly titled 'Batman and Joker' but then the title rolls up only at the end ;) So 'The Dark Knight' fits too :)

I have plans to see this movie another couple of times but not in that theatre because of the points in the first para.