Dark Knight Movie Review: All About the Joker

I wish more artists would act like Heath Ledger - that’s what occurred to me after watching the Dark Knight movie. For someone who plays a villain disgusted for the past 40-50 years, Ledger gave us a great performance and a different perception of Joker’s persona.

There was a sense of nobility to Heath’s portrayal - the false kind, of course. Joker as an anarch sold on the idea that the world is made up of rules governed by a higher evil, that the world swallows the weak and that every “Mr Goody Two-Shoes” would lean to self-serving decisions when the tides have turned on them.

No, the Joker does not have moral fiber - he is wicked, ruthless, and downright psychotic, and I would not glorify him even if he has such a morbidly awesome sense of humor, but he makes quite a case. Where Batman stands up for good, Joker maintains that there is no such thing as good. Hence he is evil. Now that, my friends, is a sense of purpose. ROFL!

Harvey Dent serves as the euphemism for both Batman’s and Joker’s philosophies. Where Batman believes that Gotham has found a “white knight” in Dent to rid the city of criminals, Joker makes of him a trophy in this tug of war and paves the way for him becoming Two Face.

I take this movie away from Batman because, while he rocked the Lamborghini and turned his motorcycle 180 like “Whoah!,” that stupid, husky voice and delayed fighting made me cringe a little. I also think he was a little short (What’s Christian Bale’s height anyway). And to Mr. Gordon - you sly man you - you had me fooled on whether you’re dead, or alive, or if you’re gonna die again. I didn’t know it was gonna be Rachel. Morgan Freeman is subtle as Lucius Fox - he’s always subtle. He makes a point along with Alfred (and the people in the boat) that good and evil is a choice for all of us, even for billionaire Bruce Wayne who plays nonchalant about the city he deeply cares for. That’s why he’s the Dark Knight.

Ok. That covers everything.

As for Ledger, I wasn’t sold on him being Oscar-worthy and I somehow felt that the clamor for him to be nominated was a sympathy prize. He was an admittedly talented actor but I thought it mediocre to give him an award he did not deserve. After seeing this portrayal, I say give him the bald dude and a tribute.

13 Comments, Comment or Ping

joyfulchicken

Heh. I applaud your Joker look.

[Reply]
paolo mendoza reply on July 18th, 2008 10:01 pm:
i thought of it during the Wanted review.. and Hellboy review.. but figured Batman was a more appropriate time. You might see more of that soon =P

[Reply]

Jul 18th, 2008
prinsesamusang

i haven’t seen this movie yet, but i will as soon as i find the time. by the looks of it, i say it’s pretty interesting.but the nomination for ledger is crap. he’s dead, it won’t matter in the first place.

[Reply]
paolo mendoza reply on July 19th, 2008 12:24 am:
I think it matters in as far as giving the award to the best actor for a movie that played within the year. Heath easily leaves his competition with this performance. But yeah.. different perspectives..

[Reply]

Jul 19th, 2008
kubi

there is no doubt that ledger’s joker was a complex demonstration of a depraved criminal genius. but christian bale manages to portray a batman whose intelligent grasp of gotham’s psyche often pushes him to make the difficult decisions no one else has the balls to make. at the same time, his bruce wayne has such a fragile understanding of himself or the people close to him. he is incorruptible, but tragically flawed. come on now. who can do that?

[Reply]
paolo mendoza reply on July 19th, 2008 11:40 am:
Christian Bale’s portrayal of Bruce Wayne was good. As Batman… uhh.. you write so well… i concede.

[Reply]

Jul 19th, 2008
kubi

i feel the need to defend christian bale haha

[Reply]
paolo mendoza reply on July 19th, 2008 11:37 am:
ok, what’s his height?

[Reply]
kubi reply on July 22nd, 2008 7:13 am:
mm…roughly 6′1″? why, is ledger taller?

[Reply]

Jul 19th, 2008
inflickted

I…shouldn’t have read this…

[Reply]
paolo reply on July 23rd, 2008 6:03 am:
YIKES. you haven’t seen it yet?

[Reply]

Jul 22nd, 2008
Jehzeel Laurente

awwwwwwwwwwww! Great review hehehe… ganda talaga ng Dark Knight woooooot! Best actor would be heath ledger for me :D.. too bad.. he’s at peace

[Reply]

Jul 24th, 2008