The Dark Knight- Review

" You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become a villain " 

 The Dark Knight (2008)- directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Michael Caine, and Gary Oldman. 

The Dark Knight is widely regarded as one of the greatest superhero films ever made. It is the second film in the Christopher Nolan Batman trilogy, and the seventh live-action adaptation of the caped crusader. Personally, it is my all-time favorite Batman movie. When I first saw it in 2008, I thought it was the best movie I had ever seen, fourteen years later, I'd say the statement still holds true. 

While the film is most notably known for Heath Ledger's iconic portrayal of the Joker, The Dark Knight is a great film in multiple aspects. Takeaway iconic comic book characters such as Batman, Joker, and Two-Face, it is still an extremely well-paced, crime thriller. Even with the film having a runtime of nearly three hours, Nolan makes sure there is never a dull moment. 

Furthermore, I think The Dark Knight is one of the best character-driven superhero films. When it comes to the superhero genre, it can be easy to distract comic book fans with a large spectacle, cool gadgets, and large action pieces. However, The Dark Knight does not take this route. By truly focusing on the personal dilemmas that Bruce Wayne faces, we learn to truly sympathize with the character.  Add that in with a strong characterization of the two villains in the story and we get a strong display of the clash of good versus evil in Gotham City.