The Dark Knight (Blu-Ray)

The Dark Knight (Blu-Ray)



A few days back I reviewed my first Blu-Ray film (Commando) and I told you how it radically improved on a truly great original. Well, that was small bananas compared to what Blu-Ray does for The Dark Knight.

Carrying on from Batman Begins, the caped crusader (Christian Bale) has all but cleaned up Gotham, striking fear into the city's criminal underbelly. With help from Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the new ambitious DA Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), together they have the mob running scared.
But the balance is about to change, drastically. There's a new Super-villain in town calling himself The Joker (Heath Ledger), who isn't interested in any of the usual criminal vices like money. His plan is to create complete and utter chaos and destroy everything he touches. Just because he likes it.

Batman must fight an adversary who is always one step ahead of the game and knows how to push his buttons. He must save Gotham once more, but protect his soul at the same time.

This is one of the most personal and emotional and altogether thought provoking comic book conversions Hollywood has ever produced. When you're not trying to work out the Joker's plans, you're sympathising with a hero who simply wants to quit.

Batman sees that opportunity in the form of Harvey Dent; A man who can fight crime in the daylight without having to wear a mask. Using the laws and the system, he brings the mob to its knees in a way Batman never could.
But, because Dent is so exposed, he become the Joker's prime target. And the results are devastating for both heroes.

Many of the film's scenes were shot on an I-max camera, which provides the best available resolution in Hollywood right now. When you enter Gotham in the first scene through the skyscrapers towards the bank the Joker robs, the picture is so clear and razor sharp you could put foam on your face and shave with it. With Commando on Blu-Ray I was really impressed, but with Dark Knight I could have wept, the picture was that beautiful.

My recommendation is if you buy a Blu-Ray player, buy films that were made using I-max camera. Of course, you're first purchase should be this.

Verdict 10/ 10
All great artists should paint masterpieces like this.