The Dark Knight

Rarely has a film left me speechless, much less a comic book inspired film. Christopher Nolan's rendition of the DC comic character has. "THE DARK KNIGHT" may well be the best comic book film I have ever seen. Christopher Nolan, along with Jonathan Nolan has crafted a screenplay of nearly unbelievable proportions. The duo has taken the "Batman" mythos and has turned it into their own; what results is a film that captures the essence of the comic book and combines it to a truly gripping and engaging psychological crime drama-action-adventure. You heard that right, a psychological crime drama and an adventure.

I'll get right to the point, you don't need to read any reviews, (including this one) just watch this film. It stomps Burton's rendition of the caped crusader to the ground and may well eat "Batman Begins" for breakfast, lunch and dinner; all the more evolving the concept of Gotham City's "Dark Knight".

Still here, no trust? Ok then, here we go…

                 

Gotham City is the battle ground. The mysterious "Batman" has the crime element by its ear. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is an incorruptible force in court and Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman) has his special unit to combat crime. Seems like a good time to be in Gotham, doesn't it? Wrong.

A mysterious "Joker" (Heath Ledger) has surfaced and seemed poised to take Gotham's soul by creating mass hysteria and chaos. Gotham's population is at the mercy of this madman--and what does he want? To prove a point.

Christopher Nolan has impressed me before, with his films; "Blade" and "Memento". But never as much this time around. The director has abandoned the idea that "Batman" has to have a comic book feel. The film goes for the comic book's soul. Nolan is armed with a near flawless script that exudes the spirit of Gotham City as well as its Dark Angel. If there are any holes in it then I cannot see it. The movie is unstoppable, the direction it went is awe-inspiring that it almost gave me goose bumps. The movie not only portrays the usual Batman vs. Joker main event, it also defines the meaning of the word "hero" as well as the morality that surrounds the idea.

"The Dark Knight" has a lot of characters and the film develops each one. No one is a plot device, everyone has a purpose in the screenplay. Heath Ledger gives the performance of his career (Rest in Peace, Heath) and trumps Nicholson's portrayal. Ledger's "Joker" is very reminiscent of the Joker in the comic book "The Killing Joke". The maniac is not after money, he has no grand scheme but he wants to prove a point. This Joker isn't joking around, this villain is frighteningly twisted, maniacal and homicidal. Ledger performs as if he saw the adage: "Crazy people don't know they're crazy" and brings all to bear. There is no "origin" as to where he came from, although his past was suggested by his "quippy" remarks. The Joker will remain an enigma in this film, and I think it was a very smart move to do so. Christian Bale is still a great Bruce Wayne and as his alter-go. Bale changes his voice to a raspy one when he is Batman. Aaron Eckhart is an intriguing Harvey Dent, the district attorney is charismatic, heroic and the embodiment of Gotham's hope, until he--well, has a very bad day. Yes, Two-Face makes an appearance and not to worry, the character won't be one-dimensional.

    

                           

The film's success is that the plot has attained a life of its own. The characters can breathe and everything has a purpose. The film's main premise is not limited to our two nemeses. Even Gotham City itself has become a character in the movie as well as its inhabitants. Gotham is portrayed as a melting pot of chaos and disorder and one nudge towards the wrong direction may unbalance the city's moral fiber. Yes, the film has its bit of morality in it and explores the decency of everyday folk. Before, in "Batman Begins" James Gordon and Bruce's lost love Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal) embodied this idea, but the concept is more widely expressed this time around. The Joker's target is the soul of Gotham and never more has the stakes been this high. The Mantle of the Bat is by itself a separate entity from Bruce and the concept is even given more depth, just what it means and what it is.

The movie still has the tank-like Batmobile and a newer version of a Bat-cycle or in this case, a "Bat-Pod". The mantle of the Bat has undergone some updates to make it lighter but for me, it looked bulkier. Tim Burton's rendition of the Bat-suit may have the edge over this one but none are more accurate than the Bat suit in the fan film: ‘Batman Dead End". If the film had a fault, is that the fight sequences need some smoothening up. They're not bad, it's just that it's not as hard-hitting as I would've liked and the camera work needs to hang back a little bit so the audience can see the fight a little more. The action sequences itself are exciting, the movie does have some very cool car chases which are intense and adrenaline-pumping; further complemented by Hans Zimmer‘s powerful soundtrack. The proceedings have that somber but intimidating "dark" feel that the film's cinematographer needs to be commended. The visuals are great, the CGI doesn't look they're CGI at all.

  

                               

There are cleverly placed bits of humor that help the film's pace. Alfred (Michael Caine) supplies the sarcasm that is reminiscent of his character. The sarcastic exchanges between him and Wayne give a lot of depth to their relationship. Morgan Freeman reprises his role as "Lucius Fox" and his character has a humorous exchange in sarcasm with a Wayne Enterprises employee. Fox also has a significant role as Bruce's conscience almost as much as Alfred himself. Even "The Joker" adds some twisted bits of black humor--"I have a magic trick..", boy, what a way to add an exclamation point to his character. The bits of humor help the film balance its darkness towards its gripping build-up to its end game.

BATMAN is a dark character and he is arguably the most interesting character in DC's line of comic books. The man is an enigma and very mysterious. Obsessed? Crazy? a Genius? This man is an urban legend and Nolan and company has successfully represented all these factors. Ledger's performance may have taken the spotlight since this is his last film and he does somewhat steal the show from Bale--from Bale not the character itself.

I'm not exactly sure how Christopher Nolan will be able to top this film. The promise of things to come and its climax has such an impact the way everything was structured through its storytelling. Comic book fans have a reason to rejoice, the director has taken the Batman myth to new heights. "The Dark Knight" is epic, deliciously exciting, unforgettable, groundbreaking, scary and manages to put the audience in the struggle between Gotham's Dark Knight and his arch-nemesis. The film is very sincere and precise in its execution.

HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION! [5- Stars]

This review is Dedicated to the Memory of Heath Ledger.

Dvd Video/Audio quality:
2.35 anamorphic widescreen. The ratio on the disc doesn't change from 2.35 to 1.78 on some scenes as with the Blu-ray disc (as in IMAX). The American releases' dvd quality is ok, heavy edge enhancements, colors are murky. A Clear stunt to make dvd look bad and to push Blu-ray.
Why do I say this?
Because I own the Korean region-3 release and the picture looks better with some light enhancements but the colors were vibrant and solid.  The HK REGION-3 release by Deltamac also looks better. I heard the Japanese region-2 release looks even better.
The difference? the Asian OFFICIAL releases have a better quality, remastered in HD and looks amazing when up-converted to 1080p. (they have removable kOREAN, CHINESE, INDONESIAN, MALAYSIAN subtitles)
The 5.1 Dolby Digital track is powerful on all versions.
If you want multi-region playability, buy the Asian releases, assuming you can find them!
They are online from YesAsia.com, but I have my contacts, so I didn't need to.

Three years have passed since audiences thrilled to the exploits of the Caped Crusader in Batman Begins and now writer/director Christopher Nolan (Insomnia and The Prestige) brings us the second chapter in the unfolding Batman saga. Rather than creating a sequel that relies entirely on action, Nolan has decided to go another route. The Dark Knight is even more intense, violent and psychologically complex than its predecessor. 



After Batman saved Gotham City from the schemes of Ra's al Ghul, Lieutenant Gordon warned Batman of a new threat to Gotham's safety: The Joker. Now we learn how much of a threat he is. The Joker is revealed to be a psychotic criminal mastermind devoted to creating chaos whenever and wherever possible. And Batman becomes desperate to stop him. It's this desperation that drives him to use questionable methods in his nightly battle against crime. But The Joker is a master of manipulation and he's counting on Batman to up the ante. When he does The Joker takes advantage of the situation. He makes himself the central figure in Gotham's criminal underworld and soon even members of the mob become fearful of him.

Batman begins to question whether or not he can endure such hardships without being weakened or corrupted. He sees that Gotham needs a new hero, a leader who will in any situation do the right thing for the people. He believes Harvey Dent to be that hero. Harvey is an idealistic D.A. and a social crusader. He's also dating Rachel Dawes, who still loves Bruce but cannot be with him so long as he is Batman. This is why Bruce begins to ask himself if the time has come to pass the torch on to another.

But is Harvey Dent really the man to succeed Batman? Is he as noble as people believe him to be? Or is there something dark and terrible lurking in the psyche of "Gotham's White Knight"? If so The Joker will only be happy to exploit it. And he does so in grand fashion. An immense tragedy strikes and someone close to Bruce is left dead (I'm not telling who) and Bruce decides that Batman is no longer needed, that he's become part of the problem and not the solution.

Meanwhile, Harvey's sense of justice is perverted and he becomes Two-Face, a maniacal vigilante who is obsessed with chance and flips a coin to determine his actions. It's clear that only Batman can stop him and The Joker, who delights in creating moral dilemmas for his victims before killing them. But can one man make a difference or is Harvey right? Is it just a matter of time before even Batman's corrupted?



As with the first film, The Dark Knight features an extraordinary cast including Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Heath Ledger as The Joker, Michael Caine as Alfred, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Cillian Murphy as The Scarecrow. Other cast members include Eric Roberts, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Jai White. Every member of the cast is great, but especially Maggie Gyllenhaal, who replaces Katie Holmes as Bruce Wayne's love interest and Heath Ledger, who is phenomenal as the psychopathic Joker.

The Dark Knight is an amazing follow-up to Batman Begins and takes the "comic book film" to a whole new level of depth. It's easily one of the darkest superhero movies* I've seen, but that's what makes it brilliant. Christopher Nolan has made a disturbing, superhero tragedy that will in time redefine the genre. If Batman Begins was the philosophical Batman film then The Dark Knight is its sociological counterpart. There can be no knowing what the future holds for Gotham's Caped Crusader, but so long as Christopher Nolan is helming this series you can be sure that there are still many surprises in store.

* = I would strongly advise parents to take caution before letting their children watch this film. It contains scenes of intense action, brutal violence and presents viewers with moral questions to which it doesn't necessarily give any answers.

By now, The Dark Knight is known to be the best of the best when it comes to super hero movies as well as Heath Ledger's final Oscar winning performance.  What some people fail to realize about Christopher Nolan's masterpiece is that it is also the best crime drama of the decade.  Forget that Batman is in this movie for a second.  Without him you have a movie that focuses on the Mob, dirty cops, inner city politics and a mad man watching all of this unravel as he adds his own breed of chaos and anarchy to the mix.  What The Dark Knight did such an amazing job in doing was focusing on the story and the characters instead of just focusing on Batman, making the film so much darker and character driven.  While The Dark Knight is in fact a movie that features the character of Batman, his role was so secondary compared to all of the other characters.  Instead, The Dark Knight becomes about this trio of characters; Harvey Dent, Jim Gordon and Batman who tried to bring back clean streets to the city of Gotham, only to have The Joker standing in their way.

I think I would have been upset if this had just been another Batman movie and the fact that it turned out to be something completely different really made me love this film even more.  Many people will say that the film was to dark and that it has this stain on it now because of Ledger's death.  I disagree.  I expect a movie featuring Batman to be dark and twisted like how The Dark Knight was and the fact that Christopher Nolan ended up making this masterful crime drama speaks words to his creative genius.  As terrible and unfortunate as Ledger's death was, The Dark Knight would not have been the same movie without him as he ended up being a better Joker than Jack Nicholson ever was.

You can't really talk about this movie without talking about Heath Ledger's Oscar winning performance.  Before there was any Oscar buzz surrounding the film, I thought he deserved an Oscar for his performance.  When you can become a character so much to the point that you're unrecognizable as the person you truly are, than you should win an Oscar and that is exactly what Heath Ledger did.  Every time I watch The Dark Knight I look for a hint of Ledger when he is playing The Joker, but there is none of him to be seen.  I think he became the character more than any other actor has done in the history of film.  Whether or not this led to his pill overdose remains to be seen, but either way, it was an Oscar worthy performance.

Along with Ledger, The Dark Knight would not have been the success it was without such an amazing cast.  Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart were just as incredible and when those actors were in a scene together, the film really came alive.  I think the casting of Gary Oldman as Gordon is probably, along with Heath Ledger, one of the best casting jobs in the past fifteen years.  He totally embodies the character and is one of those actors who can play virtually any role. Great performances were also given by Michael Caine as Alfred as well as Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox.

There is no doubt that The Dark Knight will go down as as instant classic despite getting snubbed at the Oscars.  With a cast so rich and a story even richer, there's no way it won't be remembered.  Though a dark shadow does loom over the film with Heath Ledger's untimely passing, he can rest easy knowing he gave an Oscar winning performance as one of the most famed villains in movie and comic history.  For any true film lover, The Dark Knight is a must own.  Everyone will go home happy as the films serves as both the best crime drama and comic book film in the last decade.  Christopher Nolan deserved more for this film, but  masterful none the less, 5/5!

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of buzz, waiting, hype, and tragedy, what could easily be the biggest movie of 2008 is upon us: Christopher Nolan's second installment in his re-imagining of DC Comics' Batman, The Dark Knight. Does this mammoth two-and-a-half-hour superhero magnum opus live up to expectations? The simple answer is yes.

 

With The Dark Knight Nolan has crafted what may be the greatest superhero film to date. In a summer where Marvel blew the doors wide open with the lighthearted and fun Iron Man and then followed up with an entertaining rebooting of The Hulk, it looked like DC was at a distinct disadvantage in this whole cinematic superhero renaissance. Hell, even superheroes who never appeared in a comic book (Hancock) are raking in box office dough by the fistful. Fortunately for DC, their lone summer offering features their most interesting character by far (I know there are guys out there who would argue for Superman—but Batman's internal conflicts and existential crises make him a lot more interesting than The Man of Steel in my opinion), a fantastic ensemble cast, a director on top of his game, and an aesthetic presence that's so far removed from the Marvel comic book films that it often feels like a different genre entirely.

 

Iron Man is a great film, filled with fun and fluff and powered along by a fantastic performance from Robert Downey Jr. It's exactly the sort of thing filmgoers expect from a "comic book movie"—meaning lots of fights, explosions, and good times. The Dark Knight is almost a diametric opposite—it's a somber and heavy affair with a surprising amount of philosophical weight. It doesn't skimp on the action, mind you, but surrounds the action with an air of seriousness that has been lacking in this particular type of film to date. Because of this, comparisons between The Dark Knight and other superhero films are going to be hard to make. This film stands in stark contrast to the typical comic book movie and has more in common with the noir crime films of the 1940s than it does with caped crusaders. Because of this, I find myself loving the film but wondering what the popular consensus is going to be. I'm sure there are people who will find the tone of The Dark Knight at odds with their expectations. Some will accept and appreciate the film for what it is, while others will walk away sorely disappointed and wondering what all the praise is for.

 

I don't want to spend much time on the plot of the film—so here's a very brief rundown.

 

Christian Bale is back as Batman. He's cleaning up Gotham City, and along with Jim Gordon and new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) they're making quite a bit of progress. Of course, Batman's success has led to a spate of "copycat" vigilantes working the streets—which certainly makes things tougher on the real Dark Knight. In fact, the public isn't even entirely sure what to make of Batman anymore. Anyway, The Joker (Heath Ledger) turns up and things get really interesting. And that's all I'm saying about the plot. No spoilers here.

 

Nolan's direction continues to inspire in this outing. When Tim Burton was making Batman films, the movies featured a decidedly gothic looking Gotham City. At the time, I remember being quite taken with the effect. Nolan has dropped this in favor of a more industrialized look that seems to work even better than the gothic aesthetics of the older films. Gotham City in Nolan's film has a very oppressive feel to it—you can almost taste the danger that potentially lurks around every corner. In this regard, Gotham City is almost a character in its own right. It's a living, breathing metropolis that will beat you down if you're not careful.

 

The only real negative in the direction of this film is found in the editing of the action scenes. The frantic, quick-cut editing style worked well in Batman Begins because Batman often attacked out of the shadows ninja-like precision. It doesn't work as well in The Dark Knight because the action scenes feel more traditional and less like guerilla warfare. Because of this, the hyper-edits mostly serve to make the action confusing at times. It's not a major flaw, but it is something worth mentioning. It's one of the few flaws in a fantastically lensed film.

 

The cast is uniformly excellent. Bale is a fantastic Batman, the perfect mix of playboy playfulness as Bruce Wayne and tortured crime fighter as Batman. You can sense that the time between the two films has allowed Bale to refine his take on the dual characters, and the end result is an even more nuanced performance than his first time out in the cowl. He remains the only actor other than Adam West to make the character his own. It's a far different appropriation, of course, but from here forward there are only going to be two men who spring to mind when Batman is mentioned—West and Bale.

 

The rest of the cast is equally impressive. Aaron Eckhart continues to demonstrate just how diverse an actor he is. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine bring depth and respectability to their roles. Gary Oldman is Gary Oldman—I love the guy. Maggie Gyllenhall makes a fine replacement for Katie Holmes. The performances are great.

 

And now, we must spend a few minutes talking about Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker. Since Ledger's unfortunate passing, there's been a great deal of debate about whether or not he deserves a posthumous Oscar, whether he or Jack Nicholson was the better Joker, and if this is a performance for the ages. I can't answer any of these things definitively (and neither can anyone else—it's all subjective opinion), but I can tell you what I think of the performance.

 

I wasn't a fan of the Ledger casting when I first heard it. I couldn't offer up a viable alternative, but I just couldn't see this guy as The Joker. My fears were further confirmed when I saw footage of him in the role—his "Joker voice" was awful. The final nail in the pre-release coffin for me was the PG-13 rating. I understand wanting the PG-13, but when a Batman film does a Joker story with a PG-13 rating, the character is greatly reduced. As comic fans know, the Joker is not just a crazy clown—he's a full blown psychopath. The Joker kills with impunity and complete disregard for human life—innocent or not. Being restricted by a PG-13 rating generally means that this character will be neutered. It's just the nature of the business.

 

That being said, Ledger's Joker is the closest cinematic interpretation to the comic book version to date. I love Nicholson's Joker in the first movie—he's borderline psycho, he gets great quotes, but he also brings in a little of the Cesar Romero Joker's campiness. Ledger is genuinely scary at various parts of the film—which is a dimension that Nicholson's Joker never quite had. There's no campiness in this portrayal (unless you count his voice—which still bothers me). This is the finest portrayal of the character in terms of bringing the monster of the comics to the big screen. That being said, this takes nothing away from Nicholson's performance—the two movies are so different that comparing the Jokers is essentially pointless. Both characters work perfectly in their respective films and wouldn't work at all in the other. Nicholson's Joker in The Dark Knight would be a disaster, and Ledger's in Batman wouldn't be any better.

 

Whether or not Ledger deserves an Oscar is hard to say. We haven't seen everything that's coming out this year, so it's really too early to tell. It's a very good performance though, and I wouldn't be surprised if it did garner a nomination. I'd just hope it would be because Academy Voters were pleased with the performance and not the groundswell sympathy movement that seems to be afoot.

 

Finally, I've read a lot of glowing praise saying that Ledger gives a performance worthy of DeNiro or Marlon Brando. I don't know that I'd go quite that far personally. The real tragedy of Ledger's performance here is that it does show signs of brilliance—of an actor coming of age and learning his craft. He may have become a DeNiro or Brando later in his career, but crowning him as such now is shortsighted and a disservice to two men had an entire body of work that was impressive as opposed to two performances. It would be nice if we all could just enjoy Ledger's performance for what it is—a truly inspired interpretation of a character who's very hard to portray accurately—instead of trying to hyperbolize it and place it into some historical context whether it fits or not.

 

In the end, The Dark Knight stands alongside Iron Man as my favorite films of the summer blockbuster season. The two movies are so different (despite sounding so similar) that it's all but impossible to compare them with any kind of objectivity. Nolan's film has a few very minor flaws (it could have been a little shorter, the editing could have been tighter), but nothing detracts from the power of the performances and the director's vision. Not everyone is going to like this film—but anyone who considers themselves a connoisseur of superhero films needs to see it anyway.

A better Batman movie will be hard to accomplish after this DARK (the kind Batman Returns SHOULD have had) movie roared back in 08. Bale, Ledger, Caine and Oldman among the rest of the cast are great. Love the Batpod too.

Wow, what a summer. Its only halfway over and already I've been treated to two incredible super hero films, The Incredible Hulk [Theatrical Release] and the masterpiece Iron Man (Special Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray] which, to me, is one of the top three super hero films of all time along side the likes of Spider-Man 2 (Widescreen Special Edition) and Batman Begins (Widescreen Edition). From deeper then expected films like Wall-E [Theatrical Release] to the resurrection of the Indiana Jones franchise in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull [Theatrical Release], this has been one incredible summer for movies. But as good as those films were, they pale miserably when compared to the newest installment of to the Batman franchise, The Dark Knight, staring the recently deceased Heath Ledger. Where Iron Man brought the super hero genera back to life with its wit and satire after the incredible flop that was Spider-Man 3 (Widescreen Edition), The Dark Knight manages to combine beautify choreographed action sequences, dark and grotesque hummer, and just the right amount of moral philosophy to make this film meaningful without making it self important and preachy.

Gotham City isn't the same it once was. Where crime lords and thugs once walked the streets at night unopposed and unchallenged, now they cower in fear, hiding their faces at night. Where Gotham City in the first film was a bleak, lifeless, hell hole, it has undergone a change of lighting which has transformed it from an almost mythical city to something a little more realistic and relatable. Gotham has always seemed, to me at least, considering the various comics, animated shows and films, to be somewhat, I don't know, demonic and unreal. It never seemed like a real place to me, just somewhere for crazy villains to run around and fight the Dark Knight; not so in this new movie. This could very easily be any large city in the US. The great lengths the craters put into making even the nuttiest villains, such as The Joker and Two Face, believable is outstanding. Remember the insanely stupid Two Face from Batman Forever? He's given a complete overhaul in this film, given character and personality as well as some wicked awesome makeup.

But the real story of this film isn't Two Face, its Joker. Because of the untimely death of Heath Ledger The Dark Knight became not just another summer blockbuster but also a homepage to a great actor. I remember something my friend said a few months back about this film which made me smirk, "It better be good, or else he's always going to be remembered as the gay cowboy guy." Ha, well, there's no fear of that, he will be forever remembered as the man who gave us the best super villain acting of all time. His performance as Joker is nothing short of incredible. Joker is utterly terrifying, not simply creepy or maybe disturbing like many other comic book bad guys, but down right bone chilling. Let me put it this way, HE SCARED ME TO DEATH! Its not so much the face paint, the scares on his cheeks, or the way he constantly smacks his lips together; its his maddening attention to detail, his complete disregard for life including his own, its the glee he shows while watching his victims die; but most of all its his unpredictable, spontaneous, and chaotic nature which scares me to death. See, Joker isn't like your typical criminal who commits crime for the sake of money, wealth, or power. No, as he said himself, "there are two things I like; gunpowder and knives, and both are cheap." He simply likes watching the world burn; he gets a kick out of showing off the hypocrisy of modern society by stripping us of our security and watching us destroy one another out of fear. He doesn't want anything, he simply wants to prove that, deep down, we're no different then he. He's not crazy, he tells us, he's simply "ahead of the curve."

We fear Joker because he doesn't have a plan; he simply does things almost at random.
"I'm like a dog chasing a car, I have no idea what I'd do if I actually caught it, I just do things."
"People never panic when things go according to plan. If I say a truck full of soldiers will die tomorrow, no one panics, because its part of a plan. But if I say I killed the mayor, then everyone goes crazy."
In a way, Joker isn't just a crazy anarchist; he's a symbol of what we humans really are deep down inside. We don't just fear him out of his disregard for human life, we fear him because, in a way, he reminds too much of ourselves, of what we'd like to pretend we're not. He's an animal who wants to show the rest of us that we are too, that when push comes to shove, the animalistic nature in all of us will win out and consume us. That's his goal all along, that and simply having a little fun.

"Either you die a hero, or you live long enough to turn into the villain."
Words of wisdom indeed. The three main characters in this film, Batman, Joker, and Two Face, each symbolize something different; Batman, absolute good, a protector of the weak, the "hero we deserve, but don't necessarily need," the moral compass which tells us right from wrong; Joker, absolute evil, anarchy, the evil nature of us all; and Two Face, the wary soul caught in between. He is us, the common man stripped of everything he values. With just the right push, gravity takes hold and he plummets into a downward spiral. His double face isn't merely the punch line of a bad joke as it was in Batman Forever; it's a tragic symbol of our own humanity.
"Evil is beyond the reach of no man."
-Emmanuel Kant.

But as Joker would say, "Why so serious?" I could talk all night about the philosophical ideals and truths of this film, but this is still a super hero movie is it not? Shouldn't I say something about the action? No need to fear my little Batman loving minions, The Dark Knight may be a deep moralistic film but that doesn't mean it neglects the action. True, he doesn't use his little throwing bats that much, but from sonar eyes one really awesome motorcycle, the Bat carries enough gizmo's and gadgets to satisfy even the most avid fans.

I could go one and on about how this is one of the best movie I've ever seen. From the political spin it puts on the issue of warentless wiretapping, its commentary on the war on terror, the contrast between doing the right thing because of ones convictions as opposed to simply doing it out of fear for the consequences, to its aggressive attack on the hypocrisy of our modern society, The Dark Knight doesn't cut any corners. This is quite likely the best film of the year, and if its not nominated for best picture at the end of the year I'm going to throw a fit.

In the end, when we mankind is stripped of its security and possessions, we are nothing more then the most dangerous of animals.

The Batman franchise got off to a great start in the 1980's when Tim Burton directed the first film.  Despite upsetting comicbook fans and pleasing other comic book fans at the same time, the movie was a monumental success.  Unfortunately problems arose afterwards.  While Batman Returns was not a flop by any means it was a lot darker and sexualized.  So much so that Warner Bros. gave Tim Burton the boot because they wanted a more kid friendly Batman.  See, at this time, Hollywood was completely unaware that adults really loved Batman too.  With that, Joel Shucmacher gave us Batman Forever.  And yes, it was a little more geared toward kids than the other two, but that's not the reason why Batman Forever got mixed results from fans who enjoyed the first two.  Batman and Robin was such a monumental disaster that they had to put things on hold for Batman.  Would we ever get another one?  Turns out, we would.  Director Christopher Nolan stepped up to the helm and decided to reboot the franchise. 

Christopher Nolan?  The guy who did Memento and Insomnia?  THIS guy was going to restart the Batman franchise?  It was easy to be skeptical because it was something that Nolan hadn't exactly tackled.  But he did have a lot of talent as a writer and director--especially with Memento, which is a huge cult classic.  And Nolan turned out better than we expected.  Comic book fans were happy that someone was sticking closer to the the Batman mythos (particularly the idea that Batman does not kill).  Not to mention we got that dark and gritty Batman that many had come to be associated with.  Batman Begins was a smash hit.  So what was for an encore?  Well, The Dark Knight.  And what made The Dark Knight special?  So special that it spent 4 weeks at number one during the summer at the box office and that it nearly knocked Titanic off the number one spot for highest grossing domestic film?  A couple of things.  One of which is truly that Christopher Nolan understands Batman and the Joker as characters.  Along those lines Heath Ledger does a bang up job in what is perhaps his finest role.  In fact, seeing The Dark Knight only serves as a reminder of the potential we lost.  Heath Ledger could've gone far. 

Perhaps another thing that makes The Dark Knight special is that it actually reached across fanbases.  People who didn't normally enjoy Batman suddenly liked The Dark Knight.  Part of that is because Christopher Nolan wanted a more down to earth and gritty Batman movie than what we got from the Tim Burton films and especially the Joel Schumacher.



The Dark Knight opens with a bank robbery.  A bunch of "clowns" have gotten together to pull off this heist.  There will be at least five people splitting the shares.... well... six shares if you count the guy who planned the job: The Joker.  So why do they call him The Joker?  Well, some have heard that he wears clown makeup to scare people.  You know, war paint.  

Everything in the bank heist is going well until the criminals discover that The Joker has given them orders to start killing off one another as they serve their usefulness.  These instances happen until the Joker himself is the only man standing.  Everything worked out so well that he managed to trick all his henchmen into killing them.  He then exits by telling the bank manager, "I believe that whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you... stranger!"  It is our first introduction to The Joker in the film and it shows just how maniacal he is.  His make up is fairly gritty when compared to Tim Burton's first Batman film.  It makes the Joker a more realistic and, on the whole, more frightening figure.

After this, we then see how things have served since Batman has been in gotham.  There are some criminals who are scared to go out at night.  Gordon insists on reminding people that he's out there by using the Bat Signal (but they never actually call it the Bat Signal, that was perhaps a little too cheesy for Christopher Nolan).  A detective asks him how come he never shows up.  "Hopefully," Gordon says, "because he's busy."  The moment this line is pitched, we see that Batman often is busy dealing with the underbelly of Gotham.  Not only that, but it appears others have been inspired by Batman.  There are some people who like to dress up as him and engage in their own form of vigilantism.  A form Batman does not approve of and makes it clear when he shows up to bust a drug ring.  Scarecrow from Batman Begins shows up, but he stays there for all of two minutes.  

The toll being Batman takes on Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is all too apparent when he see him asleep in a board room meeting.  It also leaves his body battered and bruised most nights.  Alfred (Michael Caine) insists that Wayne needs to know his limits.  "Batman has no limits," he reminds Alfred. 

While Batman makes the streets of gotham safe during the night, there's another man at work during the day.  His name is Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) and along with Gordon (Gary Oldman) he's fighting the mob and corruption inside the Gotham Police.  If Batman is The Dark Knight, then Harvey Dent is certainly the White Knight.  Dent's actions have garnared lots of attention.  From Wayne's old flame Rachel (now played by Maggie Gyllenhaal)) to Wayne himself.  Harvey Dent seems like the man who will be able to bring Gotham to justice.  He impresses Bruce Wayne because he can do it without a mask.  And Harvey Dent makes a strong case in a scene where he says that Batman can't take up the mantel forever... that he couldn't possibly do it forever.  In one of Dent's (and the film's) best lines he reminds Bruce and Rachel: "You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain."  

Meanwhile the mob still isn't giving up in their conquest for power.  They think they've got everything figured out by hiding their millions away, and one of the best members of the mob going back to Hong Kong (because the Chinese won't turn in one of their own) and is far from Dent's jurisdiction.  As The Joker is quick to remind them, Batman knows no jurisdiction.  The mob doesn't listen and essentially refuses the Joker's help.  But when Batman actually DOES make Lao squeal, and Dent is able to put a good portion of the mob away, they decide that turning to The Joker probably is the best.  There's only one problem... they don't understand The Joker.  And Joker's methods are a lot more extreme.  If Batman doesn't take off his mask and turn himself in... people will die.  And the Joker is a man of his word. 

To say The Dark Knight is a dark movie might be an understatement.  It's definitely a darker Batman movie.  It's not exactly made for kids.  At least not a kid of say... nine years old.  For years The Joker has been a frightening character in comic books.  He is often labeled as one of the greatest villains of all time.  The Dark Knight shows why the Joker is. 

More than anything else, The Dark Knight is a character study.  And perhaps one of the better studies of good versus evil.  There are three central characters in the movie.  There is of course, Batman himself.  Who represents the good.  Who tries to make things right and just.  Then there is the Joker who represents all that is evil.  The Joker refers to himself as an agent of chaos because he as no rules.  He's a dog chasing cars.  He wouldn't know what to do with one if he caught it.  He'd just do things. 

The Dark Knight throws something else into the Good versus Evil mythos.  The Joker, while definitely being evil, also believes that everyone has a breaking point.  He's so sure of this that he spends a great deal of the movie testing both Batman and Harvey Dent.  To see just where they're breaking point it.  Batman shows the Joker he won't be subjected to corruption, even as he keeps losing those close to him.  But what about Harvey Dent?  This is the third part that not many movies jump into.  Harvey Dent represents those who CAN fall.  While his change comes off as a little sudden, it is still a nice trait to the movie as a whole.  Thus, when you watch The Dark Knight, you're also getting a movie that can be a little thought provoking, while being entertaining.  

All the performances are also kind of nice as well.  You have Christian Bale who is Wayne and Batman.  And yes, he still has that voice when he dawns the suit.  In fact, here's a Youtube video spoofing that voice right now. 



Aaron Eckhart does an unbelievably fantastic job as Dent.  He's charismatic in a way that you want him to be.  He plays the perfect politician.  And when he ultimately turns to evil he does just as commanding of a performance. 

The real star of the show, however, is Heath Ledger.  As the Joker he changes his voice to get into character.  While he provides plenty of dark comedy he is also fairly terrifying just the same.  When it was first announced that Ledger would play the Joker, everyone was a little nervous.  When Christopher Nolan was asked why he selected Ledger he replied, "Because he's fearless."  After watching the performance perhaps you'll come away thinking Ledger was fearless as well.

Here's that "magic trick," where most of us realized that Ledger was a great Joker, but also showcases just how brutal The Joker can be.  And yet at the same time it's a scene that has a bit of dark humor to it.



Don't try the magic trick at home... otherwise you might turn out like this guy:



The movie can run a little long, but there's also a lot to pay attention to.  The Dark Knight is not a movie you'll absorb everything from just by watching it once.  You'll probably find yourself having to watch it again just to pick up on things.  Almost every scene has a little something that is worth keeping in mind as the movie progresses.  It's easy to miss something the first time.  So much so that some have complained the story is too convoluted and makes no sense.  It does make sense... if you're willing to grasp small sections as well as the big picture.  So you may have to see it again just to grasp everything.  Regardless of that, it's still worth watching once more just for the fun of it all. 

Then you can head on over to Youtube and watch a bunch of nice videos that both spoof and have fun with the film.  Such as this nifty spoof trailer:

Batman Begins brought   The Caped Crusader out of the dark ages(so to speak.) It brought  a new  and refreshing look at the world of Gotham and  the interesting and twisted characters that live within it's realm.  I never thought  that  they could create  such a visual and  exceedingly darker  Batman  film. But after seeing The Dark Knight   all those doubts are gone.





The Dark Knight is the  2008 follow up to the   mega critical and commercial smash  Batman Begins. It picks up right where the first left off and throws us head on into it's  dark and menacing world, what Chris Nolan didn't count on  was when he thought of reviving the long dead Joker's cinematic  side  he never knew that   that Joker going head to head with his long  time arch rival Batman would  thrill and entice  audiences, but thanks to his steady hand and brilliant  film making techniques, he turned what would have been a standard  Batman sequel into something more, he turned it into the ultimate  Batman movie  and one of the greatest comic book adaptions of all time.




Christian Bale returns as the  eccentric  and  valiant  Bruce Wayne/ Batman  like you've never seen him before. He puts such emotion and power into the character and  drives him into new territories  solidifying Bale as an a class act. Heath Ledger(May he rest in peace.) Is the real star of this show, he simply mind blowing, dark, sadistic, scary, haunting, menacing and malicious as Batman's number one rival, The Joker. Ledger creates an astounding amount  of palpable reality around a character that over the years has been made to be nothing more than a funny man  instead of the homicidal maniac  The Joker is I've never seen my favorite Batman villain played like this before, he's so dark and scary Nothing like  the Cesar Romero incarnation or Jack Nicholson's. No. Ledger  is  so different in oh so many ways that words can't describe it he's the quintessential  and now no one can step up to fill his  shoes, no one.   Aaron Eckhart(who rocked my world in this film.) Is nothing short of vicious and evil as  the  horribly scared  and mentally  unstable  Two-Face. Eckhart brings a human quality to  this character which is  new  and refreshing, Tommy Lee Jones did great but  his incarnation was just wild and crazy  not  emotionally distraught and  revenge driven like he is  here, it's something to admire and   be shocked by at the same time.  But none the less the cast does  absolutely Fantastic here  in this beautifully crafted and handsomely made film.




The Dark Knight is not the average Superhero/comic book  adaption, It side steps the  things that made  it's predecessors(The Original four Batman films.) Well sort of goof in  some ways. But it does pay homage to the older films( The good ones at least.) And for that this makes my  top ten list. It's an all around great movie with amazing energy and a  dark, stark reality  of how ones choices in life can affect what happens to those around him/her. All in all It's one of the best of 2008 and  one of the best comic book adaptions of all time that delivers a mind bending experience that you soon won't forget.

despite the darkness of the dark knight, i like the remakes...

Not my typical type of movie, but I LOVED IT. Heath Ledger made this movie what it was.

One of the best movies of all times, if you havn't seen go forth and do so!!

The Dark Knight.  Dark without charcoal colored buildings, dark without a miserable cast of lead characters, dark without low light shots.  From the story, to the outcome to the themes and everything else in between, this is a genuinely dark movie.  It snowballs from its bleak start, theres pain in the middle and the ending is bittersweet at best.  The best part is, it remains enjoyable without being completely ham handed and totally melodramatic and the characters remain likeable and magnetic even in what feels to be uncertain times.

Picking up a year after the events in Batman Begins has Batman continuing his war on crime and the streets have never been safer.  Gangsters are in hiding as news of Batman is out on the streets.  In steps The Joker a psychotic and chaotic loner who for a price, will rid the city of Batman and plans a crusade of terror and violence against the city for as long as Batman is in power and unidentified.  Batman uses everything he can in his inventory and any tactic he can think of and nearly comes undone, including selling out some moral fiber at trying to stop The Joker's terror spree.  This movie is dense and comes wrapped up with hardly any loose ends and I can't think of a scene that needs some kind of explanation as to why something is going on.

First off, the fact that The Joker makes the threat that "people will die" and we see little by little that people are dying and we see the fear in people and it's real effective.  Secondly they not only brought back The Joker but also Harvey Dent who will become Two-Face and it's a miraculous improvement over Batman Forever's interpretation as his gimmick of his coin to make his decisions is better utilized and upon seeing his scarred visage for the first time, it's a gruesome reveal.  The action scenes are better over Batman Begins and much like first movies in comic series, the origins are all out of the way. 

I used to think the movie got a little on the preachy and almost pretentious side which I can't stand but after seeing it again and watching the way the characters talk and the length of the scenes at which they talk it isn't nearly as bad as I remember.  Had the lines like "Living long enough to be what you hate" had been reduced to a twenty second conversation with said statement being the line going out it would have been worse.

Lastly I'd be committing a crime if I didn't mention Heath Ledger's Joker.  A twisted individual who is at least a step ahead of everybody else and gives not a shred of compassion for anyone while spreading chaos.  Personally I still perfer Jack Nicholson over Heath Ledger if only for my fonder memories of the character and that this Joker is more a re-imagining and not one of the traditional sense, still Jokers interogation of one of his victims over a camcorder is chilling, that and the pencil bit is great.  Gary Oldman is still great as Gordan whoes career continues to rise in this film and as mentioned above, Aaron Eckhart's Dent  is leaps and bounds better then the Batman Forever version.  Maggie Gyllenhaal is a nice improvement and has a more appropriate look for the movie over Katie Holmes, not that she was bad in the role of Rachael in the previous film, it's more a personal choice.

The only minor hiccup is Christian Bale.  There isn't anything wrong with his Bruce Wayne character at all but as Batman, theres two quibbles.  One is that voice you've always heard about.  Like Lawernce Tierney with laryengytis, Batman growls and horks his lines out through clenched teeth.  It wasn't quite as bad in Begins, but here it sounds forced and even worse, and that brings me to number two-Batman isn't quite as scary here.  Seeing his ninja like movements and the way he dispatched his enemies in Begins was cool and eerie, possbily playing up the fear angle that the movie was going for.  Here, he just doesn't feel as intimidating as he should and pouring on the phoney voice hampers it more.  Otherwise Bales good.

I can think of one other tiff with this movie.  How in the Holy Hell did Gotham get so CLEAN?!  Gotham looked like a rusting and graffitti tagged ghetto in the previous film and here, in the span of one year the city looks like someone really got to work with a mop and bucket.

The Dark Knight left me feeling bad for the way it ended but happy that I had seen a fantastic film but then I felt bad in another way, I have no idea how they can possbily out do themselves with another one as it's tough for a third film in the series to pick up the pace and thrill.  The best I can do is say that I can give it a chance, for a chance is similar to chaos:



It's fair.

We've all been there. Sitting in the theater regretting spending $9 on a movie based on a childhood superhero. Thankfully, The Dark Knight is not one of those superhero movies.

A great movie at so many levels. Can you think of a better movie villian than the Joker?

So friggin' cool! I believe the hype ;)

Rip roaring action and drama has Batman nearly coming undone to get to the cahotic Joker. Ignore the growly Batman voice and have fun.

This movie is so full of power! Whatever that means... Absolutely love it. Such characters, and really thought provoking, too.

The sequel to the 2005 Batman Begins is even better than its predecessor.  Much different than the earlier comical Batman series, this one is much darker, much tragic, and portrays the Batman that you read in comic books.

Batman with his fears and values refuses to cross the line that all the villains cross.  He uses his head to combat villains.  He tries to prevent bad things from happening to others that he has experienced himself.  He's an icon of yin and yang.  He portrays humanity at its best.  We are all capable of doing good and capable of doing something evil.  Batman controls and balances the two sides.

Joker on the other hand is a psychotic, chaotic, and creepy super villain who wants to inject more chaos into the world.  He's not a typical villain who goes after fame, power, or money.  He just wants to create more chaos.  He's a perfect arch nemesis, the opposite of Batman.  Both are smart, both are talented in what they do, both have a dark side, and both won't compromise.  And yet Batman refuses to take a life, refuses to cross that line.  Joker wants to prove that everyone has a price, everyone can be bought, even the most self-righteous person can be turned to the dark side.  If you can kill the innocence, then there are no innocent people.  If you can turn someone to the dark side, then there is no good in Gotham!  That's his psycho analysis of Gotham.

Heath Ledger does a superb job in playing in this role.  He's psychotic and creepy.  Even his jokes will send creepy tingles to your senses.  Brilliant script in a psychotic hands, Heath's performance shines in this move.  I still think, however, that Jack Nicholson can do a better Joker if he was younger given Nolan's script.

Two-Face is another villain that shows up in this movie.  He starts out to be the epitome of good in Gotham.  A shinning star that the city needs amidst all these corruptions.  And yet he ended up being a victim of the Joker.  Someone who wants others to pay for their mistakes.  The opposite of self-controlled Batman, Two-Face has a huge problem in balancing his good and evil side.  He uses his coin instead to decide whether he'll do good or evil, psychotic at the root.  Two-Face is a picture of Batman crossing that line of good and evil.

What happens at the end?  The Dark Night says it all.  Operating in the dark, outside of the law, and yet Batman keeps the value of true good in his heart.  Is Batman the mask?  Or is Bruce the mask?  Is it easier to stop being Bruce?  Or is it easier to stop being Batman?  Watch and answer yourself.  The best movie in 2008 so far, The Dark Night is a must see movie of the year.  Oscar buzz is already going around for Heath Ledger's Joker.

I'd heard good things prior to the viewing so my expectations were admittedly high, but I have to say...this movie lived up to the hype.

Story: Typical of superhero tales...villain threatens/harms the innocent...hero comes to the rescue...and the battle of good vs. evil ensues. Although there really wasn't anything that hadn't been done before, the plot was well-executed and the action moved the story along at a nice pace. This movie ran for almost three hours but definitely didn't feel that long. One aspect in particular...I thought Christopher Nolan did a particularly good job of pulling off the underlying themes of the film - those of faith and trust...the different forces that drive each of us to do the things we do and shape the people we are...the choices we make when we're put to the test...and the need we all have for something to believe in.

Performances: Or should I say Performance. Heath Ledger as the Joker...probably not many people's first choice for the role. But after seeing the film, he may very well have been the best, if not only choice. Whoever made that decision...Genius. He so fully inhabited the psychopath persona that even when something was meant to be comical, the humor is tempered by that eerie prickle on the back of the neck that precedes total chaos and mayhem. The performance hit all the right notes...subtle when needed and over-the-top when called for. Almost made you forget this isn't the Joker's story.

Overall assessment...Better than Batman Begins and pretty much blows any other previous Batman endeavors out of the water. Much like how Hollywood seems to want to pretend the AngLee version of the Incredible Hulk never happened...this is how I prefer to think of the earlier Batman films. That those five cartoonish farces (seriously, were there really that many?) were just a bad dream and that Batman Begins and the Dark Knight encompass the entirety of his representation on celluloid. So far.

Such a Brilliant film! It's almost hard to classify it as a superhero film as it serves as one of the best crime dramas of the decade...

atCrime no longer pays in Gotham City. With the arrival of the Batman, criminals, thugs and crime bosses have found it rather hard to ply their trade. The grip of corruption is also loosening in the city's police force. Top it all off with the new DA, golden boy Harvey Dent, and you quickly find that a crook's wages are quickly getting poorer.

So what's a crime boss to do? That's easy. Eliminate the Bat. Who's insane enough to take the job? A heartless, maniacal, lethal and much-more-intelligent-than-he-looks villain who goes by the name on his calling card: the Joker. He lives by no rules and creates chaos for no other reason but to create chaos.

Christopher Nolan picks up where his wonderful Batman Begins left off in The Dark Knight.  Christian Bale reprises his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman and delves even deeper into the psyche of the character. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman also return. Neither of them skips a beat in their respective roles as Alfred and Lucius Fox. Cillian Murphy makes a brief (but still cocky) appearance as the Scarecrow. Another returning face is Gary Oldman as quite possibly the most sane person in the entire film, Lt. Gordon.

Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes from Katie Holmes in Batman Begins.  I felt that Holmes' performance was the weakest in Batman Begins and was actually glad to see her not return in this film. Gyllenhaal brings a much more believable performance to the screen. She's torn between two men that she legitimately loves. One is Bruce Wayne and the other is Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart).

Eckhart hasn't received much publicity for his role in this film when compared to another newcomer, but he is just as brilliant in the role of Dent. He's one of the more sympathetic characters in the film, and he rides an emotional rollercoaster throughout this story.

Of course, all eyes were on Heath Ledger as the Joker. All of the hype is true. Ledger's performance as the Clown Prince of Crime is the most sinister and cruel performance I've ever watched on the big screen. He makes you forget that this film is based on a comic book series that features a man in a batsuit and his boyish sidekick in red and yellow. Ledger is simply chilling. He's also quite hilarious in a sadistic way. You know you shouldn't laugh at him, but you just can't help it at times.

The film also features a number of other film and television stars in lesser roles. Keep an eye out for the photographer (Nestor Carbonell) from Just Shoot Me, the geek (Anthony Michael Hall) from Sixteen Candles,  Julia's estranged brother (Eric Roberts, as a slimeball crime boss) and the highly underrated William Fichtner as a gun-wielding banker.

The film is tense. Characters are given multiple choices, most of which are lethal no matter what they decide. There are also a number of surprises in this film. One in particular caught me completely off guard.

Without revealing anything else, I have to say that if you see one movie this summer (or buy one DVD within the next year), The Dark Knight is the film you want. It has a very, very hard PG-13 rating for a number of good reasons. Part of me wished that the film had gone ahead with an R-rated release, but don't let that keep you from watching this film. It's excellent, and I highly recommend it.

I'm not generally a fan of superhero movies, but wanted to see this movie because of all of the hype surrounding Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. I remember watching Jack Nicholson's Joker as a kid and being scared to go to bed. However, Heath Ledger takes the joker, and acting in the villain role, to a whole new level. Ledger achieves what few actors playing villains ever have - he has created a character so repulsive and deranged, but at the same time complicated and unpredictable. In the Dark Knight, Ledger's Joker is a sadistic anarchist who devises sick games to force people into making wrenching moral choices. My favorite one is where he plants explosives on two ferries, one with convicts and the other with civilians, and gives passengers on each ferry a detonator to the bombs on the other ferry - and forces them to make a decision by midnight! I won't spoil what happens, but the outcome was surprising.

The rest of the movie was good, but sometimes seemed a bit to into itself. At times, the plot twists and turns seemed a bit too intricate and unrealistic (yes, I know, we're talking about Batman, but still). At too many points it seemed the villains (and sometimes the heroes) managed to install dynamite, find people, and perform other tricks by magic. The movie uses "corrupt cops" as an excuse to drive the plot too many times, rather than actually explaining how, for example, the Joker takes over an entire building, plants dynamite on two ferries, knows exactly where all of the main characters are. Why were dogs such a problem for Batman - and how did Joker know to exploit them? And by the way, how did Dent escape from the hospital when it blew up? There were just a few too many leaps. Overall it was a fun movie, with great drama, tension, and fighting scenes, but it could have been better.

More seriously, I thought the sound quality was poor. At times, I could barely understand Christian Bale when he was Batman. He sounded muffled and coarse. Some of the other voices didn't come across well. I have a pretty good sound system that I've used with many other movies, so it seems like the problem stemmed from the film recording itself.