Gotham City is moving at a relaxed pace. To manage the affairs of law and order, the city has got its new District Attorney Harvey Dent, played by veteran of many top movies, Aaron Eckhart. Lieutenant James Gordon thinks the city has no job for him and Bruce is busy with Wayne Corporation, taking his role of Batman – the savior of people – casually. Lull before the storm? Joker, a role done to perfection by Heath Ledger that’s fit for top rated movies, strikes. A bank is robbed in Gotham city.
The start is electrifying-almost like a thunder. And not only it disturbs the peace of its citizens, it also jolts the Mob bosses of the city – Sal Maroni, Gambol and Chechen. Joker comes to them and offers them protection from Batman, well etched role for Christian Bale, fit for top 10 movies – the only force they are afraid of. Though shaken, the mobsters think it is too much of an insult to accept Joker’s offer. They can take care of their businesses and their mob. How wrong they are. Joker strikes again. This time he kills Gambol – one of the most powerful mob leaders – and takes charge of his mob. This is one side of the coin.
Batman swiftly strikes and forces Lau, the Chinese accountant of the mobsters, to testify against The Joker and Gordon, well played by Gary Oldman, capable star of many top rated movies, is able to catch the mob but Joker escapes. In retaliation the Joker warns the authorities that he will kill the innocent masses if Batman does not reveal his identity. The Administration does not agree resulting in the killing of the Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb. An attempt on the life of Mayor is foiled by Gordon and he gets shot. Harvey reveals himself as Batman to create a diversion while Gordon – who had faked his death – lures Joker and with help from Batman is able to arrest the Joker. That’s the other side of the coin.
Watch Batman – The Dark Knight (2008) Trailer:
When it looks like the sides of the coin have finished-Nolan very smartly brings up the third side of the coin.
Interesting? Gripping? Grabbing your interest? That’s what intelligent film making is all about!
Rachel, well essayed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, a veteran of many top 10 movies, is reported missing and then Harvey. Joker – in custody – reveals their locations. Both are on either ends of the city, in buildings that will explode simultaneously. Batman goes for Rachel, while Gordon with his force goes for Harvey. Both get late – Rachel is killed in the explosion and Harvey has half of his face blown away, but survives. An explosion in the police station helps Joker and Lau to escape. In the hospital, Harvey has a visitor in Joker who convinces him to go for those responsible for Rachel’s death. Flipping a coin, Harvey agrees as the coin has signaled him to trust the Joker. The Joker takes a bus load of hostages and blows the hospital. Harvey: Two-Face as he has come to be known, starts his vendetta by killing Maroni and others.
Joker puts the hostages with the passenger on board two ferries rigged with explosives. The catch is that in order to survive, passengers of one ferry have to blow up the other ferry. But the passengers refuse to blow each other. Joker’s ploy fails and he is taken into custody. It is revealed by him that Harvey was corrupted by him but he could not corrupt Batman.
Finally the coin has served its purpose – it can’t have four sides. Correct- but it can have a fourth dimension. Intelligent directors and story tellers like Nolan always have an ace up their sleeve and that makes the fit for top movies.
The fourth dimension is Two-Face. He has taken Gordon’s family as hostage on top of the building where Rachel died. He wants to decide the fate of Batman and Gordon’s son with three flips of the coin. Two flips for Batman and the third for the boy. After the first two flips he shoots Batman but before he can flip the third time, he is tackled by Batman, who was wearing armor and was not affected by the shots.
Watch Batman – The Dark Knight (2008) Movie Clip:
Harvey was corrupt should not become public otherwise the people will lose faith in the system. To keep that faith of the people in the system intact, Batman takes the blame of all the murders committed by Harvey and tarnishes his image in the eyes of the people of Gotham City.
A director can not take this kind of risk, especially with a Hero of Batman’s stature. But Nolan does it and makes Batman-The Dark Knight. One thing you can’t do with this film – find a flaw. Production by Warner Bros.; Direction by Christopher Nolan; Cinematography by Wally Pfister – everything is in the right proportion – like a Swiss chocolate cake. If you miss it at the theatres -you don’t deserve to see it.
