by Elliot Fogarty

Created on: July 29, 2008

Let me first state one thing before I dive into the review of The Dark Knight: It is, for this reviewer at least, the most eagerly anticipated film of the 21st Century. Having grown up on all things Batman, from the brilliant noir-themed Animated Series through to 2005's Batman Begins via enough graphic novels to fill a small library, excitement has been sky high ever since the first trailer was released in December 2007. With this in mind, the question is would The Dark Knight live up to the hype no matter how good it was? The answer against all the odds, is yes.

The Dark Knight is a rarity in summer blockbusters: A movie with a heart to match the looks. If the basic plot is straightforward enough- outlandish villain wrecks havoc on the city whilst the hero risks life and limb to put an end to his antics- the film is so densely layered and character driven that to bracket it purely as a comic-book movie would detract from the fact that it is ultimately so much more.

And what of the villain of the piece? Much has been discussed about Heath Ledger's Joker ever since the actor's tragic overdose in January this year. This was Ledger's last completed film role before his untimely death, and it is one that has ensured he has left an extraordinary mark in modern cinema. To say that he will be remembered purely for this iconic take on one of the most recognizable villains in popular culture would be an insult to his string of other impressive performances he has gifted us with over the years. Suffice to say however, that as sure as Anthony Hopkins has been immortalized as another fearless on-screen villain Hannibal Lector, so Ledger has delivered a performance that should go down in movie folklore. From the small subtleties of his performance (the smacking of the lips, the combing back of the hair whilst intimidating Maggie Gyllenhaal's Rachel Dawes) through to the more obvious staples of the Joker- the terrifying physical appearance, the demoniacal laugh, the fact he is darkly amusing one moment and downright sociopathic the next- Ledger simply nails the part.

Director Christopher Nolan has stated Michael Mann's 'Heat' as a major influence on the film, and from the opening bank robbery scene which itself demonstrates the movie has upped the pace significantly since Batman Begins, its similarities appear throughout. Indeed, The Joker and Batman's face-off in the holding cell is the comic book equivalent of Pacino and De Niro's infamous cup of coffee in Mann's 1995 crime

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