Lasoo Product Reviews - July 2008
If you would like to see a particular product reviewed, please email Caroline Warnes with your suggestion.
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
-
Often when a movie is discussed and hyped ad nauseum before its release it fails to live up to expectations.
While it's true that the new Batman movie, "The Dark Knight", has been hyped more than any film in recent times (thanks largely to the death of Australian actor Heath Ledger, who plays The Joker, shortly after filming completed), it more than meets the hype.
In particular, Ledger's performance lives up to expectations. He is truly brilliant in this role - far surpassing Jack Nicholson's take on The Joker in the first Batman film almost 20 years ago. He plays the character as a chilling, deranged sociopath with no motivation for his crimes other than the fact that he likes creating chaos. With that in mind, it should be fairly obvious that this is not a children's movie. The violence and themes are heavy-handed and the overall atmosphere in Gotham City is bleak and relentless.
Will Ledger win the posthumous Oscar for Best Supporting Actor everyone has been talking about? Too early to call at this point, though you'd have to say he will at least earn a nomination. Interestingly enough, one online betting agency currently has him at odds of $2.50 to win the award.
If Ledger is the star of this film, then the cinematography is his leading lady. I saw the film at IMAX and once again - you MUST see it on an IMAX big screen if you can. "The Dark Knight" is the first major motion picture to be partially shot using IMAX cameras, with over 20 minutes of footage in this format. This is reserved for the big action sequences and the stunning cityscapes. It's truly impressive when the film opens in IMAX mode looking down on the city - you literally feel like you're suspended in the air, looking down.
The other cast members also put in fine performances. Christian Bale is suitably mysterious as Batman, Aaron Eckhart plays it heroic as Harvey Dent and Maggie Gyllenhaal... well, she isn't Katie Holmes, which is a bonus. But the film really belongs to Heath Ledger, not just because of the tragic circumstances surrounding his death, but because he makes it his own.
"The Dark Knight" opens today. If you haven't seen it yet, the trailer can be viewed below...
Click here to find offers on Batman merchandise from retailers near you.
July 16, 2008
