Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” tops summer hit lists for every
crowd: Nerds twitter about the sweet cinematic fulfillment of Batman lore with
Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) joining the good Gotham fight with its new
vigilante Batman (Christian Bale) and rising star Lt. James Gordon (Gary
Oldman); cinema buffs salivate over the groundbreaking possibilities (Best
opening ever? Highest gross ever?); and every “Brokeback” softie melts with the
thought of seeing Heath Ledger on screen one last time.
But don’t expect the Aussie hunk extraordinaire.
buzz tells of a Ledger brilliantly on edge and frighteningly on point as the
Joker, Batman’s greatest and most sadistic enemy. The character that murdered a
comic-book Robin is now blamed for the real-life Ledger’s death — it adds
another chapter to one of the most enduring mythos of modern-day literature
(yeah, I just called comic books literature).
“Knight” starts where “Begins” left off.
newly crowned orphan-turned-hero has the crooks running from the streets before
a murderous freak named the Joker unites them to (cue Ledger’s creepy quote
from the trailer) “kill the Batman.” Meanwhile, playboy Bruce Wayne beefs up
his crime-fighting repertoire with batarangs, a new suit and a new Batpod,
while contemplating partnerships between his nighttime alter ego and
cops and bureaucrats: Dent, a district attorney with strong convictions for
justice, Gordon, Batman’s loyal police insider and flame Rachel Dawes (Maggie
Gyllenhaal)
Nourishing Batman’s inevitable act-two brood are returning
characters Wayne Enterprises CEO Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) and fatherly
butler Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine). July 18.
