The Dark Knight

I saw The Dark Knight a couple of days ago - it's the sequel to Batman Begins which came out in 2005. Both reboot the franchise, which had started promisingly in 1989 with the Tim Burton films, then degenerated horribly, reaching its nadir with Batman and Robin. In didn't see that one, but it's dreadfulness was legendary, nearly scuppering George Clooney's caree before it had properly begun.
Anyway, I thought Batman Begins was tremendous, and I enjoyed it enormously. For a start, Christian Bale (one of my favourites) played the caped crusader, and it possessed a compelling atmosphere of dingy menace. I found the DVD on my shelf - I think it belongs to one of my sons - so I took the opportunity to see it again to get myself into the mood for The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight will, first of all, go down in history as one of Heath Ledger's last films before he was found dead from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. I always hesitate to use the word 'tragedy', and in the scheme of things, a well-heeled Hollywood/Aussie star crashing and burning is not the most pressing of issues. But Ledger had been showing signs for a while that he was moving away from routine leading man parts (see his performance in I'm Not There) and was becoming an extremely interesting actor, choosing parts which stretched and challenged him.
His performance as the Joker is superb; seriously scary. He really is someone with no moral compass on any level and knows it: 'Do I look like I have a plan? I’m just a dog chasing cars…I wouldn’t know what to do with one if I caught it. I just…do things.' My only criticism is there's not quite enough of him, but whenever he does appear the temperature visibly rises. His make-up is not designed to be amusing, but cadaverous, as if he's just been dug up.
Batman isn't much in evidence in this film - he's shown as seriously weakened by the Joker, and in many scenes, he's vulnerable and damaged. Bale has refined his portrayal somewhat, darkening and deepening his voice whenever he dons mask and cape.
This film has proved pretty controversial in this country due to its 12A cerificate, which allows children of any age to see it if accompanied by an adult. Many believe it should have been a 15 - I don't know, I can see their point, but I know that I would have allowed my children to see it. I once discovered that one of my sons at the age of 4, back in the very early 80s when videos were only just beginning to invade private homes, had happily watched a copy of Dirty Harry round at a friend's house. The friend's father had bought it and allowed the children to see it. So what can you do? It hasn't turned him into a raging psychopath, just a lifelong Clint Eastwood fan! In the end, I believe that it's always down to the parents to create the kind of atmosphere and environment at home that can withstand assaults on their values.
Anyway, I don't know how long this incarnation of Batman can run. Bale is certainly capable of much more, as is Christopher Nolan, who directed both films. Bale has been catapulted into 'A'-list territory, so we'll see - anyway, in my view an excellent summer blockbuster, though the cinema was pretty empty when I went. It's dark, dark, dark, both visually and thematically, perhaps too much so for popular taste, but apparently it's been a huge hit financially, and we all know, that's what matters.


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