Page

The Dark Knight

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Watch trailer

02:24

The Dark Knight

Save

Summary

Oscar-winning action fantasy starring Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger. Now that Gotham City has its very own masked protector, the heads of the underworld find it increasingly difficult to operate. But then they receive an offer they can't refuse from a garishly attired criminal called the Joker. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne's former girlfriend Rachel Dawes has started a relationship with DA Harvey Dent who is pursuing his own crusade against crime in Gotham.

Ad

Powered By

IMDB

Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Jeremy Aspinall

If Batman Begins was the classy hors d'oeuvre in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster trilogy, then this awesome follow-up is a main course that delivers on all levels. Christian Bale is back as Gotham City's brooding nocturnal guardian, as are solid citizens Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. But just as Batman has Gotham's bad guys on the run, he's soon in the fight of his life with the ultimate opponent, the Joker (Heath Ledger). In the performance that earned him a posthumous Oscar, Ledger creates a villain who's smart, charismatic, vicious and very, very scary. But this is no simple face-off between two iconic opponents. Ledger's scarred schemer wants to bring everything crashing down - the city, the police, even the criminal underworld itself. Nolan revels in the pair's physical and psychological jousting, brilliantly capturing the yin-yang relationship between the troubled hero and his anarchic adversary. That's not to say there's any skimping on the action sequences because there are plenty of fights, chases and explosive set pieces, too. But this is a blockbuster with ambition - the stunningly staged bank heist at the start could have been lifted from a 1990s urban thriller by Michael Mann. The film lags a little when the tragic origin of Two-Face surfaces, but that cannot deflect from this tale being a landmark among comic-book adaptations, as well as one of the best action yarns of the noughties.

imdb-square

9.1/10

How to watch

Loading

Streaming

Credits

Cast

rolenameBruce Wayne / BatmanChristian BaleThe JokerHeath LedgerHarvey Dent / Two-FaceAaron EckhartAlfred PennyworthMichael CaineLieutenant James GordonGary OldmanLucius FoxMorgan FreemanRachel DawesMaggie GyllenhaalSalvatore "The Boss" MaroniEric RobertsEngelAnthony Michael HallBarbara GordonMelinda McGrawGambolMichael Jai WhiteDr Jonathan Crane / The ScarecrowCillian MurphyBank managerWilliam FichtnerCommissioner Gillian B LoebColin McFarlaneDetective RamirezMonique Gabriela CurnenLauChin Han Mayor Anthony GarciaNestor CarbonellChechenRitchie CosterDetective StephensKeith Szarabajka

Show more

Crew

rolenameDirectorChristopher Nolan

Details

Theatrical distributor

Warner Bros

Released on

2008-07-25

Languages

English | English

Guidance

Violence.

Available on

DVD and Blu-ray

Formats

Colour

News & features about The Dark Knight

See more about The Dark Knight

Ad

Ad

Ad