The Dark Knight

I'm not exactly very up with the times these days. I just got around to seeing The Dark Knight late last night. It was a better movie than I expected, and not quite as violent as I was afraid it would be. That "not quite as violent" rating from me is a direct result of my seeing it in a "heartlands" cinema, where it was fairly heavily censored. I could see the spots where cuts were made, and only in a few did it leave me feeling a little lost. With the level of violence it did still have in it, I can't say I was disappointed to see the censored version.

OK, to the easy points first. Heath Ledger is good when he is bad. It is a real pity that there will be no second performance.

Now...
I liked the movie as a whole, though I thought it a bit too long. The story at some points is too convoluted to be something one can follow easily, and at other points too predictable.

I do like the dark edge to the film, even though you can't help but feel sad over some parts.

I am not quite sure what to make of the idea that lying to the public is a true act of heroism. That smacks of thinking too much like what got us into a war we now seem to regret. (Not exactly the first time we've done that.) It is a good reflection back on what is happening, isn't it? Create a clean-faced image that people will idealize, and then keep his flaws out of the public eye. Then make sure to make him stand for what it is you want him to stand for... and let someone else be the scapegoat. Interesting.

The political messages of the film are there to be wrangled over and picked apart. That makes it fodder for discussion, one way or another.

Overall, it is a good film, though I do have complaints here and there. It is a complex movie, and gives the viewer something to think about. That can't be all bad.




 Subscribe in a reader