‘The Dark Knight’ Still Thrills
Christian Bale in The Dark Knight | Credit: Warner Bros.
The Dark Knight transports us into Gotham City, where a new villain is terrorizing the town. Will the heroes in the city be able to stop him? Or will chaos reign?
This movie is awesome! Though I’ve watched it numerous times, it’s still absolutely thrilling. There’s so much to this film that there’s something new to discover upon each rewatch. Plus, the action rocks!
The opening of The Dark Knight is one of my favorite parts of the film. That’s how you introduce a character! As Joker (Heath Ledger) and the rest of his crew are robbing this bank, we learn so much about who he is and how he operates without him having to say much at all. Joker is ruthless and strategic, which is a pretty fantastic combination for any villain. Immediately, we know that he is going to be a great match for our hero, Bruce Wayne, aka Batman (Christian Bale).
I was particularly impressed by how well The Dark Knight is paced. Everything happens on time in this film. There are the requisite chases, explosions, and fights, but they’re all interesting and unique. No action set piece looks quite like any of the others in this film. What’s even more important is each action-filled moment has stakes. Each one has a purpose and helps move the plot forward.
In the moments that don’t involve car chases and explosions, we get to see conversations that are sometimes just as riveting. The dialogue in this film is top-notch, and watching these really interesting and competent people constantly clash with each other is exciting.
Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight | Credit: Warner Bros.
The standout in this film is, of course, Heath Ledger. This is one of those roles that you have to stop and pay attention to. I can’t imagine scrolling on my phone or trying to do something else while watching this, but it would be next to impossible to do anything else but watch in awe while he’s on the screen. Ledger fully embodies this character and has full command of the screen.
This version of the Joker is also so unknowable, which I think makes him so interesting. We know about aspects of his character, but his motivations aren’t always clear, which means that we’re never sure what he’s going to do next. As Alfred (Michael Caine) says, “Some men just want to watch the world burn,” and that’s what we see from Joker.
The fact that the Joker isn’t the only complex and interesting character helps make this film thrilling to watch over a decade later. And I imagine that it is going to continue to age well through the coming years.
The Dark Knight features many characters, but it’s never confusing to follow what they’re going through or what their motivations are. And each one has something interesting to contribute to the plot. None of them are one-dimensional, but each brings something important to the overall story.
Nolan and the team really outdid themselves with The Dark Knight, and with so many years of the MCU dominating superhero films, it was a joy to revisit this different take on heroes. If you haven’t watched this film in a while, I highly recommend revisiting it. It does not disappoint.