The One on The Dark Knight

Second installment in Director Christopher Nolan's new take in the Batman series, The Dark Knight is one of the highly anticipated movie in the year 2008, even more so after the mysterious death of Brokeback Mountain's Academy Awards Nominee for Best Actor - Heath Ledger.

I went into the theatre filled with much anticipation and excitement, only to find my satisfaction level bested by so much more the movie had to offer. The Dark Knight has a pitch black dark tone, many of the regular casual movie goers may not like it, but those who come into terms with it will be in for a treat of that kind of escapism the movie relays.

Christian Bale is as charming as ever, sporting more control in his life this time round than in Batman Begins. Batman has came affirmed his responsibility as the condemned protector of the Gotham and has a whole new lot of gadgets under his belt, especially the Sonar Goggle which allows him to use ultrasound to scan an entire building or even city of Gotham for enemies, making him more Bat-like.

The Dark Knight will feel like - to many whether sub-consciously or not - a movie that put more emphasis on The Joker, played by Heath Ledger (though it might be possible too that it's because we paid more attention to The Joker.)

The truth is, whether he is still alive or not, Heath Ledger did play a fantastic Joker in the movie, from the way of speech right down to the sinister laughter. Forget about the critics' crap about the movie being overhyped, just put yourself in the shoe's of Heath Ledger's Joker, and you will understand what commitment to the role is all about, so much so that it may be driving force behind the reason why Ledger died.

Movie goers will have a love-hate tendencies towards The Joker, making him probably one of the most likable villain in recent times. The Joker commits crime and create chaos which people detest, but he does it in a manner that you can't help but even clap for his feat.

Overall, the movie is well paced and filled with perhaps too much adult dialogues, not the typical light-hearted action hero movie that you have been familiar with (read: Ironman). Coupled with the amount of disturbing scenes that made a couple of us cringe, think twice before you bring your nephews and niece there.

The Dark Knight has overtaken Spiderman 3's record of the highest revenue in its first weekend of the US Box Office, grossing $158.3 million as compared to Spidey's $151.1 million. Yes partly thanks to the hype, do consider too the fact that Sotongball had watched it twice.