The Dark Delight

For me, a truly exceptional movie is when I am willing to pay $10 to see it again in the theater. Iron Man was the first of those movies for me this summer, and The Dark Knight is the second.
What a fantastic film. We sat through the credits in case there was something at the very end, but it also allowed me to come down from the powerful catharsis I felt once the movie was over (and no, powerful is not an exaggeration). It was the perfect follow-up to Batman Begins, a movie I felt was excellent and difficult to top. I guess Christopher Nolan was prepared to do just that.
It starts out with a great robbery scene that sets up the type of Joker we can expect throughout the rest of the movie- twisted, maniacal, inhuman, and seemingly well prepared amidst the chaos he inflicts upon Gotham City. He explains that his villainy is unlike most- it's not for money or power or fame. He's simply there to hold a mirror up to the people so they can see how out of control the world is, and how much of that is out of their hands.
But of course, there's Batman, played by Christian Bale, who really shares the starring role with Heath Ledger, who plays the Joker. It's a cat and mouse game, with the Joker seemingly holding all the cards (pun completely intended) until Batman reveals his true identity to Gotham. At this point the city residents are unsure of what to make of Batman, as is the fate of any misunderstood, dark superhero, and they feel he should pay for the Joker's wrath.
As the story unfolds, we see both good and evil in those who were sworn to serve and protect the people, Gotham's police force. There are dirty cops of course, and then there's District Attorney Harvey Dent, who brings down mob forces by the dozens. This leaves Batman wondering whether his services will be needed at all, now that the public has a favorable hero they can look to for help and justice.
But, as we all know, Dent eventually becomes Two Face, and his sense of justice turns like the flip of a coin. The Joker is able to reach right into the best of Gotham and manipulate their good intentions, turning morality into rage and justice into vengeance.
That is, until he's finally able to wrestle the demons surrounding Batman. The Joker even tells him, "You complete me," a statement from Jerry Maguire that's obviously taunting him, but at the same time holds plenty of truth to it. As the Joker explains, his chaos would be incomplete without Batman to restore the natural balance of things. Without good there would be no evil- you must have both sides of the spectrum for both to exist, and the Joker is not so insane that he doesn't realize this. This is the concept the Joker thrives on and why wants to continue to play with Batman. On the flip side, this idea allows the decent side of Batman, his sense of right and wrong, to shine through in his eventual treatment of the Joker.
The movie basically boils down to two things- a great script and great acting. Bale picks up right where he left off with Batman, playing him with the delicate balance of darkness and brooding, while continuing the playboy persona of Bruce Wayne. Michael Caine returns as the ultimate Alfred, and Morgan Freeman reprises his role as Lucius Fox, with even more fun gadgets and gizmos for Batman to try out. Aaron Eckhart plays Dent with ease, even though he undergoes the most transformation in the movie, and Gary Oldman is back as Lt. James Gordon, struggling to combine his forces with the force that is Batman.
And I know this has been said many times since the previews for Batman broke, but Ledger really is outstanding in this film. He is successfully creepy and unnerving, and he takes the Joker character to new heights. He is the true definition of a terrorist in today's society, one who focuses on the downfall of humanity, and Ledger plays him as such. It's unfair to compare him to previous actors who have played the Joker, simply because those movies were done in a completely different light. These more recent films take the lightness out of the story, and replace it with a darkness that goes beyond shadows and into the murky abyss of human morality.
Oh, and the action sequences were really kick-ass too. :)
I'll admit, I went into Iron Man with fairly low expectations, and was blown away by the complexity of its storyline and the acting by Robert Downey, Jr. But in this case, with all the hype surrounding the film, I went into The Dark Knight with the highest of expectations, and was blown away. That's a much more difficult thing to do.