"The Dark Knight"

So I finally saw "The Dark Knight" this weekend. It was really the only summer blockbuster film I had any interest in seeing. I loved what Christopher Nolan did with "Batman Begins" because it wasn't as cartoony (and ironically much closer to the actual modern graphic novels) as the other live action Batman's that have been done in the past and I have to say that "The Dark Knight" stayed true to this.

If you've read Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight" (I won't lie -- I've only read excerpts) you see similarities in theme and in the use of media to move exposition. There's a wonderful cameo in the film by Anthony Michael Hall as an anchorman that helps paint this idea of what people are shown through the media or the powers that be, as opposed to the actual truth.

This is not an hero story and that's what I love about it. It's the image of what people think of as a hero versus the actual hero. In reality a hero is generally not the person who looks good on billboards -- it's the person who has to make the tough choices and who isn't afraid to be looked at as a problem if that's what the masses need to believe in order to survive within the chaos of their world.

Now I have to put a disclaimer on my next comments: I am generally not the kind of person who buys into the hype revolving around an actor or artist after their deaths -- in fact I think Eddie Veder is much more talented than Kurt Cobain -- I know blasphemous, but just my opinion -- so that being said I was absolutely amazed by Heath Ledger. He completely transformed himself. It didn't sound like him, look like him, and the little mannerisms and facial ticks he threw in where just brilliant. He was terrifying and was probably the only live action joker who had the same feel as the one we see in the comics. If you've read the "Hush" series, the Joker looks like a guy who would slit your throat and not think twice about it and that's how Ledger looked in this.

The Joker in many ways is Batman's other half -- what Batman could be if he got too lost and that was played on wonderfully in this.

Ledger's performance really does deserve the hype it's getting, but it also makes me incredibly sad and angry. I'm really tired of seeing all of these talented people within in my age bracket just dropping like flys. I mean, these are the people representing my generation to the masses and it's either death at a young age or idiot party girls -- it's infuriating, especially when it's someone like Ledger, or Brad Renfro who were genuinely talented people.

But I thought this was a really good watch...it's long and some parts do drag a little, but over all it was very well done and blended several storylines together and a believable way. It had a very "Heart of Darkness" feel to it in that it is about one character coming to terms with who they are -- who they've made themselves into -- and an other's fall from grace. Very good stuff.