Lets put a smile on that face….

After much persuasion from friends who claimed that this one shud not go amiss, I happened to watch ‘The Dark Knight’, on the BIGGEST POSSIBLE SCREEN’(as suggested), in Bangalore. At the outset, am not much of a movie person. I watch a movie only if it gets a go signal from Rajeev Masand on CNN IBN or if friends strongly recommend. Movies for me must be sensible and somewhere close to reality else I care the least to watch it.Let’s take this debate later. Now coming to the point, you wud have definitely understood and gauged that I haven’t seen any of the superhero movies: be it batman, spiderman, iron man or wat eva man. The Dark Knight is a deliciously wonderful movie for anybody who grew up reading Batman comics. I didn’t grow up reading Batman comics. In fact, as I said, I don’t even understand Batman. My bro said I better watch the series first before I go to watch this as this is a sequel of its predecessors or was it thought to be!! Never the less, I wanted to take a chance! But after I watched it for the first time, I watched it again!![Wink] “I didn’t repent”. I would actually not wanna categorize this movie into the ‘superhero’ cult. Nolan cuts through a deeper direction. Whoa! The characters speak to the essentials of human condition!! The script creates a place where good and evil decide to get it on and dance, instead of fight against each other, as obviously expected! Nolan out brings the implacable truth that no human being can defy. I was reminded of Paulo Coelho, who in his book Brida says, “Everybody in this world will have a gift that will soon become apparent. In daily life, they would continue to have their customary weaknesses and resentments, perform their usual small acts of kindness and of cruelty. The agony and the ecstasy would continue, as it would for everyone who is part odf a world in a constant state of flux. However each human being carries within them something far more important than their own self, namely, their inherent gift. He only uses this as the instrument and reveals himself to the world to help humanity".

On face value, a guy in a bat-suit fighting an evil minded clown may not exactly be anyone’s idea of an ‘edge of your seat’ thriller, but thanks to a cracker of a script penned by the Nolan brothers that grabs the viewer by the jugular from the opening scene. The Dark Knight is certain to go down as one of the best movies I have seen so far. Superb dialogs. It is a ‘dark, disturbing piece of work’. A nightmarish journey into the proverbial world of darkness exploring evil, good, and the tenuous line that separates them. Its an intense cerebral story (the ending is superb) that not only contemplates the nature of evil but also touches, in a powerful yet understated fashion, upon themes of terrorism, torture and surveillance, the cornerstones of post 9/11 life in the United States .

Amazing cast. As far as I am concerned, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart and Christian Bale have rendered justice to their roles. The Batman in fact is shockingly human and acutely aware of the fact that he is ‘not the hero the city deserves’. Eckhart, the two faced man, which the Joker unleashes out of him, portrays beautifully the two sidedness, which is the true nature of any human being. The villain steals the show. With his cracking make-up, slithering tongue and the scar that put a wide smile on his face, it was an amazing farewell performance by Mr. Ledger. Rest in peace, Mr. Ledger. He deserves a posthumous for this. The late Heath Ledger is spine-chillingly brilliant in his portrayal of a psychotic, stone-cold murderer, The Joker. I read somewhere that Ledger reportedly lived in isolation for a month researching and getting into the skin of the character to the point where it started to take a toll on his sleep, that which shows clearly in his performance. He outlived it, if I may say! As I say this I remember the most famous line of the movie:

“You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain”

He doesn’t want money. But he just wants to watch the world burn! That was bloodcurdling. Check out for the devilish fun, dazzling spectacle and feverish action. I was wowed. “I don’t wanna kill you. You complete me”, says the Joker to the Batman(That’s one of my fav dialogs). Don’t buy the tease. He means every letter. Ledger dominates every frame he is in. Hats off!

As a dark night, this 'dark knight' too awakens you and makes you realize what kind of a world you are living in. It exposes you to the bitter truth, the pitch of darkness. Here are some of the best lines from the movie that caught my attention:

• I am an agent of chaos.
• I don’t wanna kill you. You complete me
• Why so serious??????? Lets put a smile on that face….
• You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain
• What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object???
• Some men are not trying to be logical. They can't be bought, bullied or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.
• Introduce a lil anarchy… upset the established order.. well then everyone loses their minds!
• I am a dog chasing the cars. I don’t have plans. I jus do things. I am not a schemer.
• I use a knife coz guns are too quick, Otherwise, you cannot savor all the emotions. You know who people are in their last moments. I know people who you were with better than you do.
• You do not do things that you are good at for free (The best one! [Tongue out])
• Madness is like gravity… It jus needs a lil push…

Well last but not the least, if what am saying here is beyond you and not making any sense to you then that surely says you haven’t seen the movie. I suggest you go watch it and then see for yourself whether you have any words for it. I certainly don’t! Watch this movie and do yourself a favour … and if you’ve got a spare ticket you know who to send it to![Wink]