Heath Ledger is gone. There’s no Aussie accent, swooning good looks, charm – it’s all swallowed by the Joker, the “Brokeback Mountain” actor’s last complete role before his too-soon death in January at 28. He licks his lip like someone in dire need of Chapstick; his scars, outlined with red make-up, are barely visible through his clown-looking face. And that high-pitched giggle? It’s pure evil.
“Some men just want to watch the world burn,” Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) tells Bruce Wayne, played by the beefy Christian Bale.
Legions outside of Jack Nicholson’s campy go at the evil quipster, Ledger’s ominous, thrill-killing turn in director/writer Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” plays up the role like a kid playing dress-up: Ledger. Is. The. Joker. And he won’t let Gotham City residents forget. Or us, for that matter.
Long after a pulse-surging final half pumps up the adrenaline level to infinity with a fist-clenching tunnel chase, a hospital pyrotechnic show and surprises galore, Ledger’s Joker is what will haunt, and not for the reason many assume. Every ounce of the actor’s skin is shed as he saturates his role, and, odds are, many post-humous Oscar votes.
For the complete review, check out Between The Lines (www.pridesource.com) on Thursday. And let me know: Did "The Dark Knight" live up to the hoopla?
1 comment:
I still am envious that you already got to see The Dark Knight! It's sounding like the best movie of the year so far. I can't wait to see it!!!!!!!
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