Well well well, here I am, talking to you about possibly the best superhero flick on the big screen this year. In fact, could it have been the best thus far? Perhaps, and even for many years to come. The impact was, can I use the word, EXPLOSIVE. You know what, the worst thing ever was that I almost didn’t catch this movie. But the marketing was viral, the Ledger hype just didn’t go away, and everyone else was saying twas is a good movie. I just had to watch it myself, and man… it never disappoints. Most people should have seen the standard poster for the movie already, so I didn’t want to use that. Something else, stood out, something so sinister I cannot stand to call it a living entity. Yes, that is right… The Joker, the finest touches to an already brilliant show. Let us mourn in memory of Heath Ledger, who completely stole the show…

Some spoilers ahead… so read at your own erm… risk.

Let me start with the cast. Christian Bale ain’t a bad man for Batman. In fact, I like how he varied his voice in the costumed form. It was like a totally new persona, a different role he played, a role he cannot escape from to keep the streets of Gotham safe. But you can sense it, the loneliness deep inside, the glimpses of despair tugging at your heart like strings on a marionette. He just wants to spend the rest of his happy days with the love of his life, and being a caped crusader does not give him that freedom. The internal conflict is just one of the brilliant elements in the show.

To top it off, Batman has an arsenal of nifty gadgets at his disposal, including the impressive Batmobile. Sometimes I think it is easy to forget that Bruce Wayne is just another normal human, like you and me, devoid of any supernatural powers that define most other superheroes. It is interesting to see just how much he can do with sharp wits, acute tactical awareness, honed martial combat skills, and restricted technology.

Now, another hugely appreciable character is that of Two-Face. But this one is kind of elevated due to the strong story elements around him. What, my friend, is fairness? Is a toss of the coin the final semblance of equality? Can a person create his own luck? Perhaps, perhaps… I believe sometimes it can be done, but does our feeble human minds truly know what paths we are treading, and when we step beyond a door that will never bulge again? The only way forward could be deeper and deeper into the tunnel, with your flickering flame of hope struggling to stay aglow. Harvey Dent is a prime example. A pinnacle of justice, potential dawn of a triumphant era of peace for all Gotham. BUT… it only took a little twist. Oh… the frailty of the human mind, how cruel when the white knight falls from grace, into the deepest pit of hell when his vision and judgments are clouded by vengeance and anguish.

I know you have been waiting for this… like finally (Pretend you do). Time for The Joker. Aside from some themes in the show, what made Joker stood out was his menacing acts of defiance. He abhors law and order, but seems to have a disregard for pure chaos. Sounds like an oxymoron? Haha… but you can see it, and I saw. He embraces planned chaos, and chaotic order. His acts, so disturbing, so sadistic, at times I wonder why the show didn’t warrant a higher classification rating to shut out younger audiences. Oh well, at least they can marvel at his acting in this role, just… brilliant. The expression, the way he uses the lips and his tongue, the little hand motions, and most importantly, the sinister laughter that just sticks in my head. He brings the character to a dimension rarely seen before in villains. He just makes them look like, well… jokers.

Adding on, The Joker goes beyond the spectrum of insanity. Call what you want of this psychotic freak, but he is out to prove a point, a perturbing point that unsettle nerves. Corruption is perhaps, a thinnest veil of line between twin ends of morality. And to this end, I hold my hands up. He wins. Depending on how you see it, people are all corrupted, just how much, and in what ways. Batman is in fact, an outlaw too. Perhaps not yet to the extent of a contempt for law, but here is a masked vigilante exacting his own sense of justice.

Two things The Joker said stuck in my mind. “Why so serious?” You know, it defines his character, the embodiment of freedom and glee. Yes… he is always wearing a smile on his face, or a sadistic grin if you ask me. And finally, the most thought-provoking issue in the show to me. A chilling message The Joker said in the face of Batman… “You… complete me.” Dunno how much thoughts do people put into this, but let me just put this together with the analogy of Two-Face and his two sides of the coin. You know, there is always a positive and negative side to things. The woe here is, the existence of Batman, with his lofty sense of morals and justice, is the catalyst for the entity called The Joker.

Do not hesitate if you have not watch this movie. Packed with tons of action, dark philosophical musings and strong casts, this is a blockbuster not to be missed. A most phenomenal outlook on life. If you prefer to ignore the darker themes, just chill and enjoy the movie too. Why so serious?