Hollywood finally went and gave an art film director (remember Memento?) an unlimited budget – and that guy didn’t go and fuck it up.
I liked Batman Begins; I LOVE The Dark Knight.
There are only the tiniest trace elements of fantasy (a cape, a cowl, some make believe technology) but the rest of this movie is pure realism. There is more in common with The French Connection than Fantastic Four. This is a dark, tense police procedural about a city gripped by terror. The performances – particularly Gary Oldman and Heath Ledger – are absolutely fantastic. The location photography is unstoppable (90% Chicago, 10% movie magic is the formula, I’m guessing.) And the music is insane (Hans Zimmer – Lord of the One Note.)
I’ve given high marks to the other comic book movies this summer – The Incredible Hulk and Iron Man specifically – but you go in to those movies expecting something and that’s what you get. The Dark Knight doesn’t need your foolish formula. It may sound weird saying this about the world’s most famous comic book – but this isn’t a comic book movie. Not as we know it.
