Why So Serious?

We saw "The Dark Knight" today. Go see it. No; no excuses. Go see this movie. I mean it. I'm still absorbing just how amazing this film was, and I'm going to have to see it a few more times to get the full effect. I wasn't sure they could top "Batman Begins," but not only did they top it, they set the bar so high for any future Batman (or any comic book/graphic novel cum movie) that there may not be anything they can do, short of simply handing people cash and free beer at the ticket counter. 

Even if you didn't see the first one, even if you are not a action movie or Batman fan, this movie is outstanding. And it's so good because of one single fact:

Heath Ledger OWNS the role of the Joker.

I'm a big fan of Jack Nicholson. And his portrayal of the Joker in the 1989 film "Batman" (directed by Tim Burton, who is, incidentally, a god) is nothing short of stellar. Just about any movie Jack Nicholson is in I like, and just about every film made by Tim Burton I like. So when I say that Heath Ledger's take on the Joker is so amazing that I think he has surpassed the performance that placed Nicholson's Joker at #45 on the AFI "Top 100 Movie Villans" list, I want you to understand my full meaning.

In "Batman", the Joker is much more of a stone-cold killer with a wicked sense of humor and mischief, but he doesn't come across as overly sadistic or psychotic. In fact, he's quite sophisticated and smooth-talking, not to mention a snappy (if rather eccentric) dresser. Plus, he has a name and a back story. Jack Napier was betrayed while robbing a chemical company and falls into a vat of chemicals, which bleaches out his skin and turns his hair and fingernails green. His signature smile is the result of a back-alley plastic surgeon's attempts to repair the damage, resulting in a a permanent ghoulish grin. This drives him insane, and he decides to seek revenge and claim the city for himself. And while he is a remorseless and hardened killer, he does have excellent style.




NOTE: While there are no real spoilers in this post, if you want to see the movie with no preconceived notions of what the film is like and how events play out, read no further.

In "The Dark Knight", the Joker is much darker, more unstable, and much scarier than in "Batman". He has no back story, no name, and no real agenda other than seeding chaos and destruction. The look is even more raw and edgy than the previous versions. The stringy hair, the sunken eyes, the roughly applied makeup, and the dirty and grungy yet still distinctive suit are quite striking and give him a far more sinister appearance than in "Batman." Unlike the Joker in the previous movie, he is not out for revenge, or money, or even power. He simply has no rules or morals, other than creating elaborate plans designed to instill fear and create wanton destruction, often forcing those trying to stop him (or even those he intends to harm) to make difficult choices about who to save. He is, quite rightly, a "better class of criminal." He's a wild card, yet utterly in control of every situation.

It saddens me that Heath will not be able to reprise his role as the Joker for the next film.  He was clearly a gifted actor and had he lived, he would have gone down as one of acting's greats.  The equal to Gregory Peck, Marlin Brando, Gary Oldman, or even Jack Nicholson himself.  But his final role was his finest.  A last blaze of glory that will go down as one of the greatest roles in history. If he doesn't get an Oscar for this performance, Hollywood can bite my shiny metal ass.  Seriously.