The Dark Knight (Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy) | 
| Actors: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $34.98
Buy New: $20.99
You Save: $13.99 (40%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  142 reviews
Sales Rank: 4
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 152
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.7
UPC: 085391176589
EAN: 0085391176589
ASIN: B001GZ6QDS
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: December 9, 2008 (In 6 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralyzed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne. In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director-cowriter Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi
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| Customer Reviews: Read 137 more reviews...
 Earnest but very flawed movie December 3, 2008
Screenwriter David Goyer said the theme of BATMAN BEGINS is fear, and that of THE DARK KNIGHT is escalation. I agree on BB, but feel the main TDK theme is morality. TDK shows Batman standing for purposeful combating of violent crime with disciplined action that forbids killing. The Joker stands for obliterating morality and all ethical principles by chaos and wanton destruction. The Joker does everything he can to get Gotham's people to betray all moral principles, in his grim and brutal quest to prove no one holds principles -- therefore indicating an amoral and ludicrous world.
At least Christopher Nolan has taken Batman to FAR higher artistic ground than the live-action portrayals between Burton's and his. There's something in TDK for a lot of people except little kids, unless they've become very numbed and desensitized by abundant portrayals of viciousness and violence. If we want a lot of ugly grit, TDK has truckloads. If we want heroism, there's some here and there with Bruce Wayne/Batman, Lucius Fox, Jim Gordon, Rachel Dawes, even Harvey Dent, and even some less important individuals. If we want less brutality -- well, there are other movies or conceivable editions of this one that could help it a lot.
The most touching part of the movie for me is the high tragedy of Harvey Dent -- and also that he dies! NO!! I really cared about Harvey. I pulled for him while watching his ideals, his bravery, his commitment, and his character flaws degrade him into the Joker's world of madness, chaos and hopelessness. The Joker won with Harvey, but lost with Batman and also with enough good citizens of Gotham, including with even some of its criminals. But the morality drama plays on. Will the Joker corrupt enough good people? Will Batman weaken and betray his principles? Is life senseless, purposeless, chaotic, ridiculous, insignificant? Or can there be purpose, heroism, and progress even in the darkest hours? Can Harvey Dent be resurrected!
I'm not surprised Christopher Nolan confided he'd like to stop doing Batman movies. As I see it, grimness and brutality can go only so far in eclipsing drama, adventure, and heroism born of more imagination and intrigue -- before wearing even a maker's morale and energy down. Alfred Hitchcock could make us tensely sit on the edge of our seats for an hour or more, just waiting for one gunshot, with far less sprays of violence to cover up assorted plot weaknesses typical of so many action films. And this brings me to issues I take with TDK, and because of which I'd prefer a greatly cut version. In fact, there was so much of the Clown Prince of Crime in this film, it really should've been called THE JOKER. Batman seems only an incidental character.
- The film is far too long -- by about 45 minutes. A lot of repetitive stuff in simply different guises.
- The Scarecrow is completely unnecessary.
- The phony Batmen do nothing to help the story.
- Drama, tragedy, and heroism could be much better with less unrelenting and numbing brutality.
- Who would follow a Joker who has his henchmen routinely kill each other? Too incredible.
- The more high-tech a Batman suit looks, the less organic and the less gut scary.
Those things said:
- Great skyhook sequence.
- Good recovery of Rachel's character, interest and appeal compared to BEGINS.
- Heath Ledger is scary, insane, Oscar-deserving -- but not a wacky, cackling Joker.
- Thrilling Bat-Pod sequences.
- Amusing with a would-be blackmailer.
Again, there might be some things in TDK for various tastes -- although many folks like yours truly don't want so much wading through it, and the resultant huge boredom. I hope No. 3 will be less wantonly brutal, more imaginative, have a much more comic-book-inspired armored Batman outfit, and be MUCH tighter put together.
 Immmpressssssiveeeeeeeee December 3, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
This masterpiece is absolutely brilliant from start to finish just like Batman Begins. I give major thanks to Chris Nolan and the entire cast:)
The Greatest Superhero Movie Ever December 2, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
In Christopher Nolan's first interpretation of the Caped Crusader, "Batman Begins", he hints at the notion that Batman will always be a controversial or vigilante figure, never fully accepted by society-at-large. In this film, that theme is explored in-depth, as Batman comes face-to-face with his most difficult challenge: stopping a figure, The Joker, who is more like The Bat then Bruce Wayne (or, in turn, the audience) wants to admit.
The central theme of this film, then, has the marvelously insane Joker (played brilliantly by the late Heath Ledger) pitted against our "heroic" Batman. Of course, things are not that black and white. As the movie begins, with Batman leading the police force's effort to crack down on mob crime, this creates a back-lash of sorts that makes Batman responsible for every nefarious deed committed by the Joker. The conundrum is this: Although Batman created The Joker through vigilante methods, those same vigilante methods are the only way to stop the cackling madman.
Essentially, every scene in this film is either a sight to behold, or gripping emotional drama. Any scene featuring Ledger's Joker is brilliant, while Christian Bale takes his Wayne/Batman character up a notch in intensity from the first film. The penultimate confrontation between the two will have you on the edge of your seat. The action scenes are also a notch better than Nolan's first effort, as they are filmed with IMAX cameras that lend themselves to incredible, sprawling action.
Finally, the ensemble cast featuring Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman are spot-on in their respective roles.
If you are at all a fan of superhero movies, I can nearly guarantee that this film will top your list after viewing. Even if you typically don't care for this genre, the acting is so tremendous, the action is so riveting, and the drama is so thought-provoking that you will feel like you just watched an Oscar-worthy masterpiece. I only need two hands to list the movies that warrant multiple viewings by me, but when this film lands on DVD I will snap it up again in a heartbeat.
Impossibly brilliant December 2, 2008
0 out of 3 found this review helpful
Nothing and no one can hold a candle to Heath Ledger's tour de force performance. Bravissimo!
Dark, Visual and Incredible (A Grade) December 2, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
After seeing The Dark Knight, I left the theater, literally shaking because what I had just witnessed was movie making at its very best. This is how movies should be made. There is enough action, twists and turns that your head just spins. The acting alone should make you sit up and take notice because the actors are no longer just players on a stage, but rather they are the embodiment of the characters they have become.
I now finally understand about the three separate movie posters that each show Batman, the Joker and Harvey Dent with half their faces being covered as they hold up something against one side of their face, while the other side has nothing to hide. These are three men with totally separate goals. One is goodness and everything righteous; the other tries to work for good but is caught between two different worlds; the third has no morals or reason for his madness, he just does what he does because he enjoys it. He is like a dog that chases after a car, knowing he will never catch it just because it is fun to do, or so The Joker tries to explain to Harvey his reasons for the chaos and anarchy he causes.
The Dark Knight begins where the last movie has left off. If you haven't seen Batman Begins, no worries, because the director, Chris Nolan, has done a wonderful job of catching the audience up to speed. The first 45 minutes or so are a casual build up, and I admit I was a bit antsy during this time because I was expecting mind numbing action and explosions right away. They come later, and when they do, your heart will be beating a mile a minute.
Gotham's criminals have pretty much been inactive mainly because of Batman. There are still some petty crime and the Mob are in control to extent, but things are pretty ho-hum in the villain department. But then a man with a maniacal laugh and a face painted haphazardly with clown makeup makes his entrance. Gotham will never be the same.
There is a new District Attorney in town and he is Harvey Dent who is a good guy, deep down to his core. Bruce Wayne is not sure about Harvey, in part, because Harvey has stolen away his old love, Rachel Dawes. Harvey is everything Bruce wishes he could be but can't. In order for Bruce to fight crime as Batman, he must do some things that are not very lawful. Bruce has major issues because of his conscience. How far can he go and should go to keep peace and order? Batman is going to have quite the wake up call because The Joker will shake up the order of things in ways you will not see coming.
Whereas Harvey is the face of law and order and is willing to go as far as he can to a point, Batman is given an out because he is a vigilante. Others will turn and look the other way if he has to kill or cause his own chaos to save Gotham. But because Batman has a conscience, unlike The Joker, he will not step over that line even if it means saving the most important people in his life that he cares about. The Joker knows Batman's weaknesses and will do his best to cause total and utter meltdown in Gotham, mainly to get Batman to admit that he has a very dark place inside, that he may have to reach down into, thus becoming The Dark Knight.
The Dark Knight is a very, very dark picture. There is so much death and destruction, and the funny thing is, The Joker is responsible for the set up, but he places the decisions in everyone else's hands, and not his own. He may be the cause, but he is not the effect. Batman and The Joker are very much like the pieces on a chessboard. Because they are each other's nemesis and essentially equal, they are always at a checkmate. Wherever The Joker goes, Batman will follow and visa versa. The odd man out is Harvey and again The Joker uses one of Harvey's weaknesses to get him to do what he wants. The Joker is that little demon on your shoulder that tells you want you want to hear even though it may be so very wrong.
The Dark Knight is not your childhood Batman. Many issues arise where a person's moral being comes into play. Bruce Wayne and Harvey Dent are very moral people, but when a man like The Joker comes along, who has no rhyme or reason for the destruction he causes, how can these two men not sink down to his level? That is the main question asked and with the end of The Dark Knight, and future installments of this Batman series, this moral dilemma will be the main focus and a foreshadowing of things to come.
Visually, The Dark Knight is perfect, but the most important reason to go see a movie such as this, even if you are not a fan of superheroes or comic book action, is the acting. Forget about Michael Keaton; Christian Bale has really succeeded in this role where Michael hasn't. I had hoped the direction of what Batman has to become would be a darker and more unstable individual, and Christian has tapped into Batman's psyche wonderfully. Aaron Eckhart almost took over this movie with his portrayal of Harvey Dent. He even outshined Christian in a few scenes.
Last but not least, and I purposely saved the best for last is Heath Ledger. What an incredible way to leave this Earth and on such a high note. I never really appreciated Heath's acting until Brokeback Mountain. I thought he was just another pretty boy actor. I was very much mistaken. If you put all of Heath's scenes together as the Joker, his total on screen running time is about thirty minutes. But those thirty minutes show a true master at work. So many actresses and actors don't have the skill or the inclination to stretch their abilities to the maximum in their work. There are a very select few who vanish as that individual we come to know outside of their professional capacity. They become their character to the point that they disappear in that role. Heath has done so with The Joker. Take the homicidal tendencies of Alex from A Clockwork Orange, with a smidgen of Dr. Hannibal Lector's intuitiveness from Silence of the Lambs, and the face of Gwynplaine from The Man Who Laughs, and you have Ledger's Joker.
I could go on with the praise about Heath Ledger's acting mainly because of the tragedy of his death, but quite honestly, The Dark Knight is a group effort with the three men of, Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart and Heath Ledger. I have only touched upon a small part of why The Dark Knight is such a wonderful viewing experience. Some may this movie success lies because of the skills of director and his players. Perhaps it is the hardcore fans, or it may possibly be the death of an actor who died so young.
I say this is a fine movie by people who know what they are doing. It is refreshing to know that there are still professionals in the movie industry that want to give the public quality entertainment, and The Dark Knight is such a movie.
Katiebabs
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