I won't go into too much detail, but I am sad to report that the latest Batman film, THE DARK KNIGHT, was a huge letdown for me personally. Here is why:
1. The style of this film is inconsistent with that of BATMAN BEGINS and looks too modern, which doesn't keep the consistent look of Gotham City, which was always a city that appeared like it was set in the 1920's, yet had the technology of the future or at least modern day. Instead the film clearly looks like it takes place in Chicago and the use of Hong Kong in the film takes us out of the fictional world of Batman and into a modern day mess.
2. There are many things that are trying to be accomplished in this film, the creation of Two-Face/Harvey Dent and the introduction of The Joker, plus Rachel and her feelings towards Dent and Bruce Wayne, then the screen time to develop Commissioner Gordon and even with 2.5 hours the film just seems exhausted to get it all done. By the end it's almost like a Batman Soap Opera with more dialogue in this film than BATMAN BEGINS times two. It just comes across sloppy and the overall character development is weak.
The best part of the film though has to be Ledger's incredible performance that is both sad, tragic, and yet amazing. Sad because here we finally see Ledger at his best and tragic because we all know this is his final contribution to cinema. If anything his performance alone merits a second viewing of the film despite it's problems.
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