The Dark Knight

Theatrical Release Date: 2008 07 18 (USA - IMAX) / 2008 07 18 (USA) / 2009 01 23 (USA - Rerelease)

UPC: 085391176572

Studio: Warner Home Video

MPAA Rating: PG13   Contains:[Violence]

Summary: Christopher Nolan steps back into the director's chair for this sequel to Batman Begins, which finds the titular superhero coming face to face with his greatest nemesis -- the dreaded Joker. Christian Bale returns to the role of Batman, Maggie Gyllenhaal takes over the role of Rachel Dawes (played by Katie Holmes in Batman Begins), and Brokeback Mountain star Heath Ledger dons the ghoulishly gleeful Joker makeup previously worn by Jack Nicholson and Cesar Romero. Just as it begins to appear as if Batman, Lt. James Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) are making headway in their tireless battle against the criminal element, a maniacal, wisecracking fiend plunges the streets of Gotham City into complete chaos. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Crime

Awards: Best Supporting Actor – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture – Utah Film Critics Best Cinematographer – Florida Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – Florida Film Critics Best Stunts – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Action Movie – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Picture – National Board of Review Best Supporting Actor – Washington D.C. Film Critics Association Best Director – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Picture – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Production Design – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Best Picture – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – San Diego Film Critics Association Best Cinematography – San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Picture – Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Special Effects – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Picture – New York Film Critics Online Best Supporting Actor – New York Film Critics Online Unforgettable Moment Award – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Supporting Actor – Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Composer – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Director – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Director – Detroit Film Critics Society Best Picture – Detroit Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actor – Southeastern Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Boston Society of Film Critics Best Composer – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Acting Ensemble – Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Austin Film Critics Best Director – Austin Film Critics Best Picture – Austin Film Critics Best Adapted Screenplay – Austin Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – Austin Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – Detroit Film Critics Society Best British Director – London Film Critics Association Best Picture – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Houston Film Critics Best Original Score – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Utah Film Critics Best Director – Utah Film Critics Best Supporting Actor – Toronto Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Las Vegas Film Critics Association Best Visual Effects – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Production Design – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Picture – Phoenix Film Critics Association Best Actor – London Film Critics Association Best Original Score – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Cinematography – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Director – Chicago Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Kansas City Film Critics Association Best Picture – American Film Institute The Vince Koehler Award – Kansas City Film Critics Association Best Adapted Screenplay – Writers Guild of America Best Adapted Screenplay – Writers Guild of America Best Cinematographer – American Society of Cinematographers Best Adapted Screenplay – Writers Guild of America Best Director – Directors Guild of America Best Supporting Actor – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Edited Feature - Drama – American Cinema Editors Guild Best Supporting Actor – Iowa Film Critics Association Best Art Direction in a Fantasy Film – Art Directors Guild Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Makeup and Hair – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Sound – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Sound – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Production Design – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Editing – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Music – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Visual Effects – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Sound – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Sound – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Costume Design – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Production Design – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Cinematography – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Music – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Supporting Actor – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Supporting Actor – Vancouver Film Critics Best Art Direction in a Fantasy Film – Costume Guild Awards Best Original Score – Online Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Online Film Critics Association Best Director – Online Film Critics Association Best Original Score – Online Film Critics Association Best Cinematographer – Online Film Critics Association Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound Mixing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Makeup – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Cinematography – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Visual Effects – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound Mixing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Sound Mixing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Art Direction – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – Screen Actors Guild Best Picture – Producers Guild of America Best Sound Editing – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Supporting Actor – Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Best Cinematography – Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor – Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Picture – Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Original Score – Austin Film Critics Best Original Score – Austin Film Critics

Features: Disc 1:
Gotham Uncovered: Creation of a Scene - director Christopher Nolan and creative collaborators unmask the incredible detail and planning behind the film, including stunt staging, filmin in IMAX, the new Bat-Suit and Bat-Pod and exclusive features via BD-Live
Disc 2:
Batman Tech - the incredible gadgets and tools
Batman Unmasked: The Psychology of the Dark Knight - delve into the psyche of Bruce Wayne and the world of Batman througn real-world psychology
Gotham Tonight - 6 episodes of Gotham's cable premier news program
The galleries - the joker cards, concept art, poster art, production stills, trailers & tv spots

The Dark Knight

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 12/09/2008

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Alternate Wide Screen

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 153 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 2

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: English,French,Spanish

Jeremy Wheeler

The caped crusader gets a stunning dose of hardcore dramatics in The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan's ambitious follow-up to Batman Begins. Hailed as the first real big-screen adult take on a popular comic mythos, the film goes to great lengths to show that costumed characters can indeed exist in genres outside of their comfort zone -- which in this case, spells gritty crime drama. Nolan's Gotham City might be beautiful, but it's decaying from the inside out -- as are most of the people in control of it. So at what point do the efforts of a costumed vigilante cease to have an impact on the city he vows to protect -- and when does his mere presence become a detriment to that society? It's these kinds of hefty issues that embody what could accurately be touted as a reinvention of the entire superhero film altogether. Thick with rich dramatics, daring performances, and a few knockout scenes of action gusto, The Dark Knight strives to not only one-up its predecessor, but also to lay down a measuring stick of quality for the rest of Hollywood to live up to.

Viewers' strong reactions to the picture likely have a lot to do with the casting. Heath Ledger's sad passing gives his fearless performance -- and in effect, the movie -- a sense of importance that is hard to counter. For his part, the talented performer gives a full-on show each time he is onscreen. His approach to this anarchist embodiment of The Joker is something truly special to behold and easily one of the boldest portrayals in comic-to-screen history. Take him away and there's still plenty of A-game being brought to the screen, thanks to the talents of Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Aaron Eckhart, whose solid performance as Harvey Dent makes up the tragic backbone of the film. For his part, Christian Bale does a fine job embodying the lonesome hero of his city, even if he persists in giving Batman's voice the same guttural growl that hurt his performance the first time around. Thankfully, the costume has been given an overhaul to address some of the "rubber suit" issues that have plagued the franchise since its Tim Burton days.

Yet just as Burton reshaped the character to fit his own gothic tastes, so does Christopher Nolan paint a picture all his own. By luring audiences in with a consistently light first half and then turning things bleaker as the movie progresses, the filmmaker has created a truly engrossing tale of modern decay. By the end, much has changed and no one is left unscathed. It's not an easy story to either tell or sit through. There are casualties -- and this most certainly is not a crowd-pleaser in the typical sense of the word. By eschewing what many others in his field are doing with similar comic properties and seeking out his inspiration elsewhere, Nolan shows that mature thematic material can have new life when adapted for even the most beloved heroes of the printed page. Critically, he does overshoot things a bit by bringing in slightly heavy-handed messages into the final chunk of the film -- and it seems that a few characters really get the short end of the stick (Scarecrow, anyone?). Perhaps the rumored three-hour cut would iron out a few of the film's issues, including rushed character arcs and especially one seemingly needless late set piece. The action, while improved in this installment, also is a bit hampered by some confusing techno-gadgetry (in one of the only moments where the action is dictated by fantastic spectacle).

Still, with its virtuoso vision and near avant-garde score from James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer fueling the picture's ever-growing dread, The Dark Knight stands on its own in a world full of easy entertainment. Perhaps someday someone will be able to happily marry the best that both Nolan and Burton have brought to the screen -- until then, this remains an impressive feat of studio-backed artistry. Like its own crime-fighter, the movie is a symbol that aspires to greater things; where it will lead is anyone's guess. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: James Newton Howard  Composer (Music Score) 
Charles Roven  Producer 
Lee Smith  Composer (Music Score) 
Michael E. Uslan  Executive Producer 
Hans Zimmer  Composer (Music Score) 
Benjamin Melniker  Executive Producer 
Christopher Nolan  Director 
Christopher Nolan  Producer 
Christopher Nolan  Screenwriter 
Emma Thomas  Producer 
Kevin de la Noy  Executive Producer 
Jonathan Nolan  Screenwriter 
Thomas Tull  Executive Producer 
Christian Bale  Actor 
Heath Ledger  Actor 
Aaron Eckhart  Actor 
Michael Caine  Actor 
Maggie Gyllenhaal  Actor 
Gary Oldman  Actor 
Morgan Freeman  Actor 
Monique Curnen  Actor 
Ron Dean  Actor 
Cillian Murphy  Actor 
Chin Han  Actor 
Nestor Carbonell  Actor 
Eric Roberts  Actor 
Ritchie Coster  Actor 
Anthony Michael Hall  Actor 
Colin McFarlane  Actor 
Joshua Harto  Actor 
Melinda McGraw  Actor 
Nathan Gamble  Actor 
Michael Vieau  Actor 
Michael Stoyanov  Actor 
Bill Smille  Actor 
Michael Jai White  Actor 
Matthew O'Neill  Actor 
William Fichtner  Actor 
Olumiji Olawumi  Actor 
Greg Beam  Actor 
Erik Hellman  Actor 
Beatrice Rosen  Actor 
Vincenzo Nicoli  Actor 
Edison Chen  Actor 
Nydia Rodriguez Terracina  Actor 
Andy Luther  Actor 
James Farruggio  Actor 
Thomas McElroy  Actor 
Will Zahrn  Actor 
James Fierro  Actor 
Sam Derence  Actor 
Jennifer Knox  Actor 
Patrick Clear  Actor 
Sarah Jayne Dunn  Actor 
Chucky Venn  Actor 
Winston Ellis  Actor 
David Dastmalchian  Actor 
Sophia Hinshelwood  Actor 
Keith Kupferer  Actor 
Joseph Luis Caballero  Actor 
Richard Dillane  Actor 
Daryl Satcher  Actor 
Crhis Perschler  Actor 
Aidan Feore  Actor 
Philip Bulcock  Actor 
Paul Birchard  Actor 
Walter Lewis  Actor 
Vincent Riotta  Actor 
Nancy Crane  Actor 
K. Todd Freeman  Actor 
Matt Shallenberger  Actor 
Michael Andrew Gorman  Actor 
Lanny Lutz  Actor 
Peter DeFaria  Actor 
Matt Rippy  Actor 
Andrew Bicknell  Actor 
Ariyon Bakare  Actor 
Doug Ballard  Actor 
Helene Wilson  Actor 
Tommy Campbell  Actor 
Craig Heaney  Actor 
Lorna Gayle  Actor 
Joshua Rollins  Actor 
Dale RIvera  Actor 
Matthew Leitch  Actor 
Tommy "Tiny" Lister, Jr.  Actor 
Thomas Gaitsch  Actor 
William Armstrong  Actor 
Adam Kalesperis  Actor 
Tristan Tait  Actor 
Bronson Webb  Actor 
Gertrude Kyles  Actor 
Jonathan Ryland  Actor 
James Scales  Actor 
Nigel Carrington  Actor 
Ian Pirie  Actor 
Lateef Lovejoy  Actor 
Grahame Edwards  Actor 
Roger Monk  Actor 
Ronan Summers  Actor 
Wai Wong  Actor 
Michael Corey Foster  Actor 
Hannah Gunn  Actor 
Brandon Lambdin  Actor 

Country: USA