REVIEW: The Dark Knight — PG-13

The story

Gotham City's gangsters have it tough. As if Batman's (Christian Bale) anti-crime campaign is not enough, there's Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), newly-elected reformist District Attorney, smart and relentless police Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and The Joker (Heath Ledger), maniacal bank robber who steals from the mob. White-collar criminal Lau (Chin Han) offers to keep the mob's money safe in Hong Kong. For half the mob's money, The Joker offers to solve their problems - by killing Batman. Things do not go well for the mob. "We should have hired The Joker," says a mob boss later.

Can Batman, D.A. Dent and Lt. Gordon defeat the underworld and Lau? Will The Joker succeed in spreading anarchy throughout Gotham? Does comely Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) choose Batman or Dent? See "The Dark Knight" for answers to these and other questions.

Actors

"The Dark Knight" is about mortal and moral conflict between two intriguing characters - Batman and The Joker. Happily, two talented actors play the parts. Christian Bale returns from "Batman Begins" (2005) as a more conflicted Bruce Wayne/Batman. "Did I bring this on?" Batman asks of threats to Rachel Dawes. "I meant to inspire good not madness." Is Batman nothing more than an out-of-control vigilante? That's how the public sees him. Should he reveal his identity to stop the violence?

In every scene he's in, Heath Ledger as The Joker dominates. He disappears into the part in an extraordinary performance, poignant now that Ledger is no longer with us. The Joker is a demented free spirit. "I'm a dog chasing cars," he says. "I don't have plans. I just do things." Not interested in money, The Joker likes dynamite, gunpowder and gasoline. Like Batman, as critic Roger Ebert points out, The Joker is dealing with his cruel childhood.

Others in the cast are also strong. In the Jekyll/Hyde character Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart has his best role. Gary Oldman is outstanding as stalwart cop and family man Jim Gordon. Maggie Gyllenhaal is plucky girl friend Rachel Dawes, and accomplished actors Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman return to play Bruce Wayne's loyal staff, Alfred Pennyworth and Lucius Fox.

Other comments

"The Dark Knight" is a plot and character driven action drama. Don't dismiss this one - and this year's "The Iron Man" - as "comic-book" movies. There's plenty of action but a lot more. Director/writer Christopher Nolan and co-writer Jonathan Nolan treat Bob Kane and Frank Miller's Batman characters with considerable gravitas. Aaron Eckhart as troubled D.A. Dent summarizes the movie's narrative arc. "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." It's a counterpoint to The Joker's anomic view of the world. "The only sensible way to live is without rules."

Not that the movie's serious themes are unrelenting. Michael Caine's Alfred is smart and sardonic. The Joker has surprises to make you laugh or jump. At 152 minutes, it's long but doesn't seem so. PG-13 for intense violence and menace. Not for kids. The Joker is truly unnerving.

Final words

Batman v. The Joker,

See their mortal fight,

Learn how our hero

Becomes "The Dark Knight."