A COMPLEX TALE OF MORALITY. Review on The Dark Knight Movie

The Dark Knight based on the popular DC Comics character Batman is much more than your run of the mill comic book film, in fact to call a complex and intellectual piece of work  that would be extremely unfair.  Traditionally comic book films offer its audience popcorn thrills through dazzling effects and larger than life, dramatic characters but Dark Knight does  more and in the process transcends its genre.

It raises some deeply poignant questions - Is there place for morality and values in an immoral, anarchic world without rules? Does evil has any boundaries and can good overcome evil by staying within the realms of goodness and righteousness? And, at what cost does good prevail? These are the questions raised by TDK and the answers are sad and depressing.

But, I shall leave the audience to explore those answers. Here, I shall talk about other factors that make TDK such a compelling watch. For starters, let's talk about the performances because there are some extremely powerful ones at display here and none more than the soon to be part of legend performance by the late Heath Ledger as Batman's arch enemy 'The Joker'.

Ledger simply creates magic through his maniacal portrayal of Joker. Not only does he inject the role with unabashed energy he also steals every scene he is in. This is truly an epic swan song for the talented actor.

The rest of the cast too perform their parts admirably. While Christian Bale as Batman/Bruce Wayne is confident and adorable, Michael Caine as the loyal Butler and Morgan Freeman as Luscious Fox too do a fine job. Both have some witty lines and they are absolutely welcome in what is otherwise an intense and edgy film. Away from the regular cast a name that deserves a special mention is that of  Aaron Eckhart who puts in a sterling show as the heroic, idealistic and honest Harvey Dent. The way his character evolves towards the end of the film is a tribute to the wonderful script by the Nolan brothers. The character development which is almost nil in the case of Joker is at full throttle in Harvey Dent's case, so much so that by the time the final credits roll over the audience not only understands his motives they also empathize with his change. Maggie Gylenhall plays Rachel Dawes and does adequately in a role that has limited scope and requirements.

Now, lets talk about another brilliant aspect of the film-The Cinematography which is top notch. Some of the action sequences particularly are epic and magnificent in scale. Most of the film is shot on location in Chicago and the director exploits the stunning skyline of the city beautifully. Talking of  technical aspects, the soundtrack too is simply unforgettable. It is haunting and adds intensity and power to the visuals.

Finally, let me put in a word or two about the plot. Well, the plot at a basic level is simply the age old battle between good and evil. Batman wants to rid Gotham City of crime but his excessive ways unite the underworld. The Joker comes to fore through his sheer apathy towards rules or order. He leads the underworld to an all out attack on the city causing unprecedented chaos and anarchy. But, leading the fight against evil is the idealistic District Attorney Harvey Dent who is hell bent on bringing justice to the notorious elements in the city. He in a lot of ways is the new hero of Gotham and more importantly has nothing to hide behind a mask. Batman on the other hand is still uncertain about his role as a vigilante, as he constantly drives himself to the limits in his war against crime. For him the rise of Harvey Dent is an an opportunity to call it quits and return to normal life but fate and The Joker have other plans in store. The Joker through a series of murders and crimes turns the city against the Bat and then it is all about Batman sacrificing himself to bring back peace and order to his beloved city.

Even though the plot  and the theme are straightforward the execution is not. In fact this is where The Dark Knight wins hands down against movies of this genre. In the battle of good and evil the focus is not so much on the battle but on the choices that need to be made. The most important thing is just how far can one go in the pursuit of righteousness, what about the sacrifices that need to be made in this quest. Can morality and values withstand the force of immorality and lawlessness.These are the dilemmas faced by Batman in this epic struggle and eventually he must decide what is more important -fighting by rules or winning the battle. Its a difficult choice to make but when so much is at stake nothing is easy.

The Dark Knight is a must watch film for all the above. It is a mature, intelligent film that adds a completely new dimension to its genre. This is not fantasy, this is realistic film making at its best and a must watch event for ages.