In this installment Ethan Hawke plays The Batman(how he’s referred to in this movie) and Michael Caine plays his ever present butler.  There is no Robin.  And, as everyone except those that skip anything to do with movies, the Joker is played by the late Heath Ledger.

I found the movie an action and explosion filled  version of a combination of “A Clockwork Orange” and “The Devil and Daniel Webster.”  The Clockwork Orange connection is that in both movies, law and order are broken down.  There are several instances in Dark Knight where citizens will not call the police or go to a court or police station since it is not safe.  Of course, since in the movie Gotham has become Chicago, the fear may niot be far from wrong.

Even The Batman is being sought as a criminal(he certainly does not always stay within the strict confines of the law, but this is Chicago, er, Gotham, so who does?)

In to this crime infested mess enters The Joker, whose agenda is to simply to destroy everything, and District Attorney Harvey Dent, played by Aaron Ekhardt, a white knight, or Daniel Webster if you get my drift.  You’ll just have to see the movie to see if you agree with me on this.

The movie consists mainly with a special police task force(presumably honest), Dent, and The Batman pursuing The Joker as he blows up buildings, cars, busses, people, in what is almost a psycho-drama.  In the last third of the movie, which some have said is weak, Ledger’s performance is so compelling that I think he deserves the Oscar he most surely he posthumously will get.  Lots of chase scenes, The Batman flying down from the tops of buildings, so the movie should be great fun for those that like that sort of thing.  Of course, all Batman movies are about the struggle between good and evil, but there are some attempts in this movie to introduce thought producing ideas, involving this eternal struggle as well as raising issues about what motivates some of these characters.  I won’t divulge exactly what I mean here: I think if you see the movie, you should think for yourself.

I found the movie a bit boring(once I’ve seen one horrendous explosion, I don’t really feel enthralled by a dozen more) and the psycho drama aspect a bit thin, but I certainly enjoyed myself.

The movie will certainly appeal to Batman fans, fans of chase scenes, and those that like action with a little thought provoking material thrown in.  Outside the Batman genre, I think this movie compares somewhat with “The French Connection.”

Acting: A
Screenplay: B
Action: B
Special Effects/CGI: B+