Review: The Dark Knight

Dark Victory

I'll be the first to admit that of all the superhero franchises out there, whether they come from the world of DC Comics or Marvel, none has fascinated me so much as Batman. I have always been attracted to the very dark style that has led to the development of deep psychological, disturbed and dangerous issues that were never present in Peter Parker's hectic teenage world or Superman's perfect alliance of superhuman powers. I also love Tim Burton and his first two installments remained for the longest time the best films the series had endured. Then, when Christopher Nolan was brought in to resurrect the series almost a decade after Batman & Robin, I loved his take on trying to make Batman grounded in a real world, as if a "Batman" could actually exist. I applauded that, but was still a bit hesitant to give it high praise, considering my allegiance to Burton and the previous films. With The Dark Knight, however, I have no problem in saying that this is much more than just the best Batman movie, or even the best superhero movie; this is the best genre picture that I have seen in a very long time.

Picking off exactly where Batman Begins left off, the Caped Crusader is still fighting the menacing threats of Gotham City. Christian Bale strikes an even greater balance of duality playing Bruce Wayne and his alter ego, who both face problems that are intriguing. Wayne is having trouble with his personal life still, as Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal, a clear improvement) becomes a rising star prosecutor alongside the new DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Dent is seen as Gotham's "White Knight" a figure whose face is friendly to the public and can help clean up the streets. Dent is also trying to nab certain mob guys, and enlists Batman to help track down one of them to Hong Kong (it's nice to see a Batman film get out of Gotham for a change). But Batman has more to worry about than some gangsters. His most famous arch -nemesis throughout the comic books, The Joker, is plaguing Gotham with attacks that offer to question the establishment with no real cause other than creating chaos. There's a lot on Batman's plate.

There are so many elements that make this film stand above many other pictures that came before it. One magnificent highlight is the acting. Bale is fantastic in a role that separates the problems of Wayne and Batman and then making the separate problems blur into each other. I had a slight problem with his "Batman voice" intruding on nearly every scene, but it's only a slight complaint. Gyllenhaal is always great in anything she does, and she brings so much more weight to the character than Katie Holmes did. Holmes wasn't bad in the first installment, but Gyllenhaal makes Rachel a character believe in, not to just fill up time until Batman rescues her. Other supporting players, including Eckhart (who does become Two-Face in this film), Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and even Eric Roberts in the gangster role that takes over for Tom Wilkinson, are all excellent pieces in the ensemble world of this film.

But of course, the true star is the late Heath Ledger. Like so many others, I believed that his performance was going to be good, but half of that would lend to the fact that his untimely death would result in higher praises than necessary. Nothing could be further from the truth. Ledger pours so much passion into this character that the thought of him not being here to enjoy this success never once crossed my mind (maybe once when the Joker is brought out in a body bag - that's not really a spoiler). Far from Jack Nicholson's interpretation, Ledger's Joker is a true psychopath; an insane menace who taunts our heroes for making points, not necessarily for personal, monetary gain. Ledger is the true star, and we can't wait to see him again on screen.

Another thing that makes this film excellent is Christopher Nolan. Now given proof of his genius of filmmaking, Nolan crafts this story like it's the real deal. He invests so much into the atmosphere in the story that sometimes the epic scale makes us seem like we're watching The Untouchables or Heat. He also does good of not only losing a Joker backstory, but allowing him to tell three different version, keeping the character clouded in mystery and focusing on what is happening now. The script, written by Nolan and his brother Jonathan (working off a story from David S. Goyer), reaches to new heights in the genre, and while containing many heavy plot elements, it only shows the sophistication of franchise now. Cinematographer Wally Pfister does fantastic work in lighting every bit of scenery, and I will always thank Nolan for choosing Chicago as his Gotham City (fellow Chicagoans, be on the lookout for an exciting chase scene through Lower Wacker and Randolph Station).

The talk is now starting to form if The Dark Knight will be up for a Best Screenplay, Director or even Picture nomination. I'd say of the three, screenplay is the closest it will come to. However, I completely believe in Leger's Oscar campaign for Best Supporting Actor. This is a performance that should be awarded not because of his passing, but because of simple great acting. Ledger's Joker is simply fantastic, and he has a great ensemble and the film's wondrous technical elements to aid him. It's unclear where a third Batman entry will go (I think Warner Bros. should chain Nolan to a desk and keep him forever), but as of now, we're looking at true victory, even if it is clouded in some darkness. **** / ****; GRADE: A

Review: Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Red Scare

Whether you want to preach it on the top of a mountain or mutter it quietly to yourself, one has to give credit to the fact that Guillermo del Toro is a cinematic genius. That intelligence, however, can sometimes be an acquired taste. For instance, not everyone responded so warmly to his treatment of the first Hellboy and even though Pan's Labyrinth received praise almost universally (including from yours truly), there was still a sense that a dark imagination was surfacing that was unlike anything that was seen before, and that can be a dangerous thought. Now, del Toro has made us face that danger head on and tenfold, and what results is a slightly less impactful, but still energetic work of art.

Del Toro prefaces the film with an overtly visual prologue narrated in the raspy tone of John Hurt and featuring some really creepy looking puppets. The bedtime story talks about a war between humans and a race of powdery-skinned elves(?) whose warring stops when the mythical creatures build an unstoppable brigade of robots, called the Golden Army, that are deemed too powerful and kept underwraps as a truce is installed. However, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) doesn't trust humans and wants to Golden Army to start up the war again. That's when the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense comes in and Hellboy (Ron Pearlman, returning) is sent to save the day.

I'm actually omitting many details from the plot that would make it a tad more complicated than it already is. There is an overwhelming feeling that del Toro picks and chooses some story elements and scenes only to provide an arena for his twisted imagination. Sometimes it pays off, such as in an extended marketplace filled with creature effects that remind you of the balance of makeup and physical effects from the Stan Winston days. Other times, it feels like it is a real stretch of time, like when Hellboy battle a giant plant monster that then takes about ten minutes to disappear. Still, I admire del Toro's dark vision, particularly his new take on the "tooth fairy" (which means that you should probably not take the kids to see this one) and I know that others who have appreciated his previous films will enjoy the imagery here as well.

Another part that makes Hellboy work is the cast, and in particular it is Pearlman. Everytime he shows up on the screen, you can't help but love his tough-guy-who-tries-to-be-good routine as he stomps though and tries to make some sense of his love life with the flame vixen Liz Sherman (Selma Blair). Jeffery Tambor returns, and he's always a delight, and also listen for Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane voicing the smoke-faced (literally) government agent Johann Krauss, whose German accent becomes the butt of many a joke, including one highlight that showcases the mispronunciation of "focus."

All of Hellboy 2 leads up to a big, climatic final scene. A part of it is even more satisfying than the first film, which I thought was resolved too quickly. That problem isn't present here as the sequence probably goes a little bit too long. Still, that doesn't mean anything is really taken away. Despite some setbacks in storytelling, when you add up the visual spectacle of del Toro's imagination, the lovable performance from Pearlman, and the familiar territorial score from Danny Elfman, the red guy is certainly up to the challenge of entertaining us once again. *** / ****; GRADE: B

5 Most Underrated Tom Cruise Performances

In honor of Tom Cruise's 46th birthday (along with my own 18th), I decided to take this opportunity to write about this famous star and focus on the highlights of his career. At least, they should be highlights. Cruise might be remembered for films like Risky Buisness, Top Gun, Born on the Fourth of July, and Jerry Maguire, he also has delievered some worthy performances that went under the radar. Here is a shortlist of Tom Cruise performances that should have registered heavily than they ultimately did.

Vincent in Collateral

In probably the most underrated performance of his career, Cruise shines as a sliver clad assassin who takes an all-nighter ride with cabbie Max, played by Jamie Foxx. Foxx wound up with the Oscar nomination, but Cruise’s work is so refined and subtle here that I wish their places could have been traded. From the beginning to the end, Cruise makes Vincent a character to hate because of his deeds, to admire because of his resourcefulness, to fear because of his predatory skills, and ultimately pity because of his solitary ending. This was truly a highlight in his career that went unjustly unnoticed.

Frank T.J. Mackey in Magnolia

Some people might question the presence of this film on the list considering Cruise earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his work. However, I think Paul Thomas Anderson’s meandering (and at times, laborious) multi-character study is so grand, that Cruise sometimes can get lost within the sea of numerous talented actors. Still, there is a reason that Cruise is a standout. His energetic self-help guru is full of that bouncy energy that has actually tainted some parts of Cruise’s career. However, he then comes to play off it, and lets it backfire on his character during the pivotal confrontation between his father, played by the late Jason Robards. He self-destructs in front of us, and it is a move that Cruise rarely does.

David Aames in Vanilla Sky

Cameron Crowe’s absorbing remake of the Spanish film Abre los Ojos is already a difficult thing to take in. However, despite the lukewarm reception, Cruise is actually the piece that makes it work. As the story spirals into all sorts of different paths, Cruise remains grounded in the center, casually swaying with each plot twist but never losing his footing and always making the unbelievable seem believable in his circumstances. He also presents a wide range of emotions that flutter in and out, adding to the theme of the reliability of reality. Crowe might have gotten Cruise nominated in Jerry Maguire, but he gave him much stronger material in this underrated film.

Sen. Jasper Irving in Lions for Lambs

Robert Redford’s gigantic flop about a social commentary on politics and war didn’t register much with people. However, those who missed it also missed Cruise in a defining role. From the start, his own casting is ironic (a Hollywood elite playing a Republican politician) and that tone sets us up for something Cruise has done little of: plain talking. Cruise makes the words of Irving believable; he sells the idea of presenting conservative values to a liberally biased world and fights like hell against it. He gives us a window of what might happen with all conservatives who fight this same battle, and even though the film ends with a perceived loss on his side, Cruise still shows that politicians will keep fighting, no matter what side of the fence their on.

Charlie Babbitt in Rain Man

It is true that everyone remembers this movie, but Cruise immediately takes a backseat to Dustin Hoffman, who won the Best Actor Oscar in 1988. And in all honesty, that’s the way it should be. Still, that doesn’t mean Cruise delivers a worthy performance in Hoffman’s shadow. Cruise is the audience’s view, since little was known about autism at the time. He represents all of our fears and frustration when encountering someone with this condition and then, after getting to know them, starts to see the actual person. His ending isn’t even a real happy one, but Cruise takes on a journey that we could not have done alone and allows us to grow with him.