Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight"
courtesy of Warner Home Entertainment
“Dark Is the Knight”

One of the most highly anticipated DVD’s has been “The Dark Knight.” Now the wait is over and the movie has arrived on DVD. The question is why were we so anxious to see it (perhaps again) and what makes it such an important movie.

In 2005 Christopher Nolan reinvented our view of the world of the Batman saga with his film “Batman Begins.” This was a more serious look at the man and the myth, and it stunned the critics and wowed audiences. Christian Bale emerged as the Batman portrayer we all wanted to see again and again. Then three years later Bale and Nolan came back with “The Dark Knight.”

This movie is even darker than “Batman Begins” and has a more philosophical approach to its story. We are now faced with the issue of whether or not Batman is a hero or a vigilante. Does he operate within the law or outside the law? And does he get a pass from law enforcement because he is doing their job for them? 

More importantly is the issue of whether or not Gotham City is safer than it was before Batman appeared on the scene. With the vicious crime that appears at the start of the film, it appears the criminals are not intimidated by the caped crusader. One insane criminal known as the Joker (Heath Ledger) is openly unafraid of Batman.

District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is doing all he can to put the top criminals behind bars. He is actually putting his life on the line and it is gaining him attention and renown. Plus it has gained him the heart of Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) once the love of Bruce Wayne’s life. 

Rachel and Bruce (Bale) split up because of his duties as Batman. Now she is torn between the two men and in love with them both. Her association with them puts her in immediate jeopardy.

Because of the attention on Harvey Dent and the Joker in the plot, Batman/Bruce Wayne becomes something of a supporting player. And because their stories are so dramatic Eckhart and Ledger garner most of the attention for their acting. Ledger’s untimely death before the release of the film threatened to hamper the audience reaction it deserves, but his brilliance won them over.

Ledger erases all memories of Jack Nicholson’s performance as “The Joker.” He is rivetingly evil in his portrayal, making the eerie voice as creepy as his painted face. Then there is his reptilian way of flicking his tongue out as he speaks. It all adds up to a total picture of insanity and amorality.

Eckhart’s role is not as showy as Ledger’s but his acting is equally impressive. He manages to insert nuances into his character’s personality that are subtle but important. And when his character is burned and becomes “Two Face” the changes in his personality are staggering.

Michael Caine is welcomed back in the role of Alfred, Wayne’s butler and Batman’s confidant. Morgan Freedom returns to the role of Lucius Fox, the provider of Batman’s equipment. Gary Oldman is back as Police Lieutenant Jim Gordon, and Cillian Murphy makes a brief appearance as “The Scarecrow.” All of these actors add to the enjoyment of the film.

As the main female in the cast Gyllenhaal has a responsibility to the audience to make Rachel someone for whom we care and for whom we are concerned. She fails in both respects. In truth Gyllenhaal drags the film down each time she appears on screen. Katie Holmes received terrible reviews for playing this character in the first film but Gyllenhaal is as bad as she was and maybe worse.

The film is rated PG-13 and that is a mild rating for a film as violent and intense as this one is. Parents should be aware this is no comic book, silly film but rather is a dark, disturbing look at crime and its aftermath.

“The Dark Knight” is a little overdone at two and a half hours and could have ended several times before it actually did. It also would have benefited from more of the action sequences taking place in broad daylight rather than in the gloom of night.

Is this DVD worth seeing? Absolutely. Plus there are “extras” on the DVD discs that might provide entertainment for the “Batman” enthusiast. Still the question remains is this the ultimate “Batman” film? I don’t think so. I think that honor still goes to “Batman Begins.”

Also available this week is “Lost: The Complete Fourth Season – The Expanded Experience.” This five disc collection contains all fourteen of the one hour episodes seen on ABC this year plus bonus features.

All of this arrives just in time for you to get caught up or refreshed son the happenings of this past year. The fifth season of “Lost” begins in January 2009. It promises to be another exciting one but you want to be ready when it comes on.

So make sure you get this “catch up” DVD plus extras such as bloopers, commentaries and deleted scenes. And you get behind the scenes action and activities. It is all waiting for you on “Lost: The Complete Fourth Season – The Expanded Experience.”

On a lighter note Toby Keith and Rodney Carrington co-star in the movie (based loosely on the song) “Beer For My Horses.” In the film Keith plays a deputy trying to save his lady love (Claire Forlani) from drug traffickers. He is aided and abetted by his buddy, played by Carrington.

Their boss is played by Tom Skerritt. He has told them not to take the law into their own hands but of course they don’t listen. So he is chasing them while they are chasing the drug guys. It is all done in good fun with Willie Nelson thrown into the mix.

Also available this week is “The Reaper: Season One.” A lot of people have not watched this show and it has a lot going for it. The primary reason to watch is to see Ray Wise’s portrayal of the devil. You may not know Wise by name but when you see him on screen you will recognize him.

Also fun is Tyler Labine. I watched him in the short-lived series “Invasion” and he was one of the bright spots of that show. Now he perks things up on this one. He is much more fun to watch than leading man Bret Harrison.

This comedy about a young man who has had his sold by his parents is full of surprises. The DVD has all eighteen episodes form the first season and it is consistently good. So get “Reaper: Season One” and watch them all.

Finally for the holiday season we have “Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage.” This is a TV movie that uses the paintings of Thomas Kinkade as a backdrop for a Christmas story. The movie stars Jared Padalecki of TV’s “Supernatural” as a painter who accepts a commission to paint a mural in a small town. This leads to a renewal of hope and spirit in the community.

Marcia Gay Harden stars as Padalecki’s mother and adds much to the enjoyment of the film. Peter O’Toole also makes an appearance and seeing him is always a treat. They are all there in “Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage.”
 

 

 

 

 

©2008 Jackie K. Cooper

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