'Dark Knight' strikes a serious tone

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By L. KENT WOLGAMOTT / GZO

Unrelentingly dark and intense, “The Dark Knight” is more film noir than it is standard superhero movie.

Filled with spectacular action and effects, director Christopher Nolan’s second trip to Gotham City has all the trappings of a popcorn movie. But it’s really a grim, serious film about the nature of heroes and moral choices that touches obliquely on contemporary issues.

That intensity and depth combine with striking design and a brilliantly creepy performance from Heath Ledger as The Joker to make “The Dark Knight” the rarest of films — a sequel that matches, if not surpasses, the movie that preceded it, and a much talked-about summer blockbuster that was worth all the anticipation.

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Heath Ledger and Christian Bale star in "The Dark Knight." (Warner Bros.)

Heath Ledger and Christian Bale star in "The Dark Knight." (Warner Bros.)

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Ledger’s final performance has been the topic of most of the pre-release buzz, and it more than matches the hype.

Wearing white pancake makeup with red lipstick covering scars, he looks scary strange, and with his tongue repeatedly zipping out of his mouth to lick his lips in lizard-like fashion, he’s disturbing before he ever says a word. And when he starts talking, it’s clear he’s created a unforgettable unhinged, diabolical psycho/sociopath who is no joke.

The Joker enters the picture in the movie’s first sequence — the robbery of a mob-controlled bank. But he doesn’t become Batman’s primary foil until he gets hired by the gangsters he ripped off to take down the bat who is putting them out of business.

That’s part of the morality play at the heart of the movie.

Batman/Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) has, in conjunction with square-jawed, crimefighting D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), ratcheted up the battle with Gotham’s criminals to the point that they resort to their last chance for survival — the psycho, uncontrollable Joker.

That raises a pair of questions. The first is pretty direct: Does Batman have to become as amoral as The Joker to dispatch his foe? The second looks at the nature of the hero: Gotham City embraced Batman when he was cleaning up the crooks, but now that The Joker is wreaking havoc and killing cops, the hero in the black suit is a loathed vigilante who is bringing violence on the city.

If that wasn’t enough weight, there are references to The Joker as a “terrorist” and talk about Caesar, who was put into place democratically and became a dictator. That can’t help but be read as a subtle commentary on the war on terror and its domestic ramifications.

It’s not necessary to get that deep to enjoy the movie, but that’s part of the seriousness that pervades the picture, which some have criticized as not being enough “fun.” But the brilliantly conceived action and gripping storyline were plenty of fun for me.

 I’m trying to avoid giving much away here. So the plot summary is going to be minimal except to say that Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, taking over for Katie Holmes) is now working for and in a relationship with Dent, having left Bruce/Batman until he puts down the cowl, and, over the course of the picture, we see the origin of the next villain and learn how Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) becomes Commissioner Gordon, as he is known in the classic comics and TV show.

The action scenes are chaotic to the point that it’s sometimes hard to tell exactly what’s going on. But they’re exhilarating, with fights and flights and old-school weapons such as bazookas, guns and knives going up against the Batmobile.

Nolan uses all kinds of tricks to charge up the picture, including switching from widescreen to fullscreen during the action scenes, a technique that is especially effective in IMAX (which is how I saw the film), where the leaps off buildings and wild chases are gasp-inducing.

Nolan makes another significant visual change with “The Dark Knight.” Previous Batman films have gone out of their way to disguise Gotham City with elaborate sets and visuals. This time, Nolan makes no such pretense. The city where “The Dark Knight” takes place is Chicago. But by eliminating the sets and going with a real city, the movie is that much more gritty and towering, particularly because so much of it takes place in skyscrapers.

“The Dark Knight” runs 2½ hours. But it is never close to dull — you never know when The Joker will pop up on screen or the action will take off. It is rated PG-13, and it is dark enough that it’s not for kids.

It is, however, the best of the big summer movies because of its seriousness, depth and brilliant execution.

 “The Dark Knight” is a film that has to be seen on the big screen to be truly appreciated, so don’t wait for the DVD. Seeing it on a TV screen — no matter how big and expensive — can’t come close to matching the thrilling theatrical experience, and, if you’re somewhere near an IMAX screening (the nearest one is in Council Bluffs), I’d highly recommend seeing it huge.

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.