So, I finally saw the the newest installment of the Batman franchise. What an amazing film!
First, the #1 thing that I've heard people say is that's it's really dark. But, people said that in 1989 when the first Batman movie with Michael Keaton debuted. The difference is that this one is so dark, it makes the 1989 film look like an episode of "Love Boat."
Everyone in this film puts on a fantastic performance. Of course, the big story here is Heath Ledger, but I'll get back to him in a moment. Aaron Eckhart gives a really strong performance as Harvey Dent and, later as Two-Face. But if you saw "Thank You for Smoking", you know he has great performances in him.
I suppose now is as good a time as any to discuss heath Ledger's performance as The Joker. It's a select few that have played batman's archenemy: Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson, and Mark Hamill (the voice in the animated series and animated movie). Each portrayed the Clown Prince of Crime in a unique way. But in this one, I finally got my wish.
Not that it was my wish to see Heath Ledger play The Joker. But I finally got a glimpse of what they hype was all about. I never saw why people thought he was such a wonderful actor. And you can't say I didn't give him a legit shot. True, I didn't see every film he was in. But I did see
The Patriot,
Brokeback Mountain,
The Four Feathers,
A Knight's Tale,
10 Things I Hate About You, and
The Order. I just never saw it. I resigned my self to thinking that maybe I didn't see it, because I myself am not an actor. But he gives a tremendous performance in this film.
I know there's kind of a big push to get him nominated (and win) an academy award for this role. We'll just have to see what comes along. Traditionally, films like this are not nominated for the "Big 5." But one never knows. (After all,
The Silence of the Lambs shocked us all in 1991.) If the academy does nominate and vote for Ledger's performance, it will be due not only to the strength of the performance, it will also be an, for lack of a better term, apology for last year's Oscars. None of the winners last year were Americans (which is fine, since the foreigners gave better performances). Nor was the best picture a very widespread film (though, it was in my opinion the best picture). I don't really think his death will factor in very much, as the Academy has only given 1 posthumous Oscar in recent history (Peter Finch, 1976). But,I could be completely wrong about this.
The film raises a lot of good discussion issues, especially about the nature of good and evil, as well as the limits of law, the need and usefulness of heroes, etc.
The "that guy factor" is there, but you have to really strain for it. here are 2 possibilities here. The bigger one is Anthony Michael Hall. The plays a TV reporter. The second is a bit tougher (at least for me). But it's Michael Jai White, most known (I suppose) for playing Spawn. But he's done other stuff as well. if I'm omitting anyone, let me know.
Overall, a wonderful effort. Let's give out the grades:
Acting: A
Directing: A
That Guy: B
Total: A
I will be blogging later about the issues that I mentioned that the film raises.
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