Action scenes shine in gloomy Batman film

The Dark Knight (Cert 12, 146 mins, Action/Romance)

Millionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) continues his crusade against crime in Gotham City in his guise as Batman.

Crime figures in the metropolis soar when deranged criminal mastermind The Joker (Heath Ledger) steals millions of dollars from mob families and then declares open war on Batman.

As the people of Gotham turn against Batman, Bruce relies on his loyal butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and Wayne Enterprises’ technical genius Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) to keep his winged alter ego from plummeting into the abyss.

Director Christopher Nolan builds on the solid framework of Batman Begins to deliver even more eye-popping action sequences.

The death of Ledger casts a long shadow over the already gloomy picture, adding a tragic dimension to The Joker.

With The Joker and Harvey Dent taking centre stage, Bruce Wayne is squeezed out of the frame, giving Bale scant time to explore the character’s tortured emotions.

Rating: ****