The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : A class apart Film Review

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 20, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

A class apart Film Review

In memorium: Heath Ledger as ‘Joker’ in ‘ The Dark Knight.’

Film: The Dark Knight

Cast: Heath Ledger, Christian Bale

Direction: Christopher Nolan

Here is an acting master class. Heath Ledger is the life, blood, and the soul of this Christopher Nolan film. Pity, he is not around to soak in the compliments with a possible Oscar nomination thrown in for good measure. Ledger breathed his last earlier this year but his performance as the Joker, the menacing, unapologetically mean man who is like “a dog that runs after cars, not knowing what he would do if he ever caught one”, is top drawer stuff.

In a straight combat between Christian Bale’s Batman and Ledger’s Joker, there is only winner. Forget the story – that is as well known as any of the superhero movies’ climax – this is the time to doff off our hats to Ledger. As the malevolent Joker, he uses every muscle on his face to evoke fear.

His glowering eyes, his burnished looks are only part of the deal. The way he uses his cheeks, his jowl, the corner of his lips, the way his rolls his tongue, then breaks into a grandly sinister grin, all make for compelling cinema.

Nolan keeps the pace brisk, real brisk, the focus never wavers. And in a dark kind of way there are not many moments to break the awesome seriousness of the challenge.“The Dark Knight” might be about the return of the Batman, but it has only one winner.

All going to make sure that Ledger’s best will not go in vain.

ZIYA US SALAM

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh