Review: The Dark Knight (2008)

This is my original review for The Dark Knight when I saw it back in the summer of 2008:

Flixster - Share Movies

Just saw Dark Knight for the second time, but on this viewing it was at an IMAX theatre. And it blew me away. It comes close to being a masterpiece. There a few little issues to talk about. But let me get to the good stuff first. Christian Bale returns as the masked hero and is solid once again. He is supported by one of the best casts in film history. Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, and Morgan Freeman all return for their respective roles and are very good. Newcomers Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, and of course Heath Ledger join the mix wonderfully. The story has pyschopathic terrorist Joker (Ledger) leading a crimewave through Gotham City that Batman, Lt. Gordon (Oldman) and DA Harvey Dent (Eckhart) team up to contend with. Also they have to deal with the rival mob gangs who threaten to overrun the city. Simple enough story that takes a few twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. The action scenes are truly mind blowing, especially on IMAX. Everyone should see a movie on IMAX at least once. And you couldn't choose a better movie than Dark Knight. Ledger is simply amazing as The Joker. One of the best performances I've seen in awhile. He becomes the character so much that you really forget about him as an actor and focus on his portrayal of the Joker. The effects, music score, and look of this film are all amazing. It's truly an amazing piece of work. The only negatives would be Bale's voice as Batman. It's raspier and at times sounds comical. And I really thought Ledger could have had a few more scenes. Other than that I thought this film was one of the year's best. From the thrilling opening bank robbery scene to the final confrontation between Batman and Joker. And Dent's transformation from Gotham's white night into Two-Face. This is truly epic film-making. A must see.
A-