Through an amateurs eyes - a review of "The Dark Knight"

As you may know from previous reviews, I am not particularly a "super-hero flick" fan. Although I did really enjoy Iron Man, mainly because of Robert Downey, Jr., of course. I also recently saw Hancock, with Will Smith, but didn't get a chance to review it...been just a little busy, and by the time I got around to it, I figured it'd been out so long, no one would care...(I did like it though....Now that I think about it, maybe I actually AM a "super-hero flick" fan...)

Anyway, I was a little apprehensive about seeing The Dark Knight, basically for one reason....Heath Ledger. I love Heath Ledger. I was heartbroken and angry when he passed away. Heartbroken because we'd lost such a wonderfully talented actor, and angry that he'd been so reckless with the prescription drugs that took his life. I loved, LOVED him in Brokeback Mountain, A Knight's Tale, The Patriot, to name just a few. His portrayal of Ennis Del Mar, in Brokeback, was incredible, and in my book, ranked right up there with the best of "forbidden love" stories - The Bridges of Madison County, The End of the Affair, The English Patient, to name just a few. So you get the picture....I love him...always will....

I did not, however, love this movie, but I certainly did enjoy it. Christian Bale was great as "The Batman" - except for when his voice got deep and gravel-ish when he donned the suit - it was hokey. (By chance might the suit have been a little tight? No, that would have made his voice higher, right?) Anyway, Michael Caine as Alfred was wonderful, as expected...as were most of the other supporting characters. I did discover that I am not a Maggie Gyllenhaal fan though, I do like her brother, Jake. There is just something about her in this movie that struck me a little strange...almost like she was trying too hard. Oh well...another thing was the background music. Composer Hans Zimmer did an awesome job on the music, but to me at least, it seemed strangely familiar. Not from the previous Batman movie, but more like the music in the background of one of Pirates of the Caribbean movies, or The Da Vinci Code...it was just a little too familiar.

As I mentioned, I didn't love the movie, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker. He was superb. In my eyes, he was the one that made the movie, he was fantastic, he really was. Each line delivered was precise, and spot on. His voice was creepy, and calm, in an eerily perfect way. His makeup and hair made him look sad, lovable, mean and heartless all at once, and it made me love him even more. He was awesome. He deserves every award he will get for this movie...it's just such a huge shame that he won't be there to accept them.

Overall, I'd give this movie an "A-" ~ Heath Ledger gets an "A++"