THE DARK KNIGHT

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesThe Cape Crusader returns following his dangerous dust with the Sandman to face a more ominous foe in THE DARK KNIGHT. Batman’s terrorizing combatant this time is the Joker, a menacing bank thief who has more tricks up his sleeve, including mob manipulation, random killings and a plot to turn Gotham on its head. Christian Bale returns as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and if you haven’t heard, the late Heath Ledger dons white face as the Joker.

THE DARK KNIGHT is not your father’s Batman, and shouldn’t be your young son’s either. The film is a dark, unnerving and intense comic-book action film that wrestles with morally complex issues, and eerily mirrors the current state of our union. If BATMAN BEGINS was an intricate character study of a dark, but heroic man, THE DARK KNIGHT is an expertly weaved morality tale where the answers are just as complex as the questions posed. Director Christopher Nolan, an expert on dissecting personal conundrums, in addition to BATMAN BEGINS see INSOMNIA, THE PRESTIGE and MEMENTO, again ratchets up the drama with a surprisingly effective love triangle and supporting characters that assist in upping the emotional intensity. The tone and plot are particularly grim, but Nolan and his brother, co-scribe Jonathan Nolan, lace the film with several exhilarating action sequences that would curb any summer moviegoer’s appetite. Bale delivers another solid, yet distant performance, and Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine bring a sense of importance and levity to their moments, but THE DARK KNIGHT is really all about the Joker, and Heath Ledger lives up to all of the hype. Ledger’s Joker is disturbing, manic, and psychotic, delivering the ying to Batman’s yang. Each moment Ledger appears, a chilling and unsettling atmosphere washes over the brooding, and somewhat epic, superhero saga. THE DARK KNIGHT serves as a reminder that movies don’t need to be shackled by the confines of their genre, but can turn the tables on convention and deliver an exciting, emotionally rich fable that speaks to modern times, while also tackling timeless moral dilemmas.

Grade: A

HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

Photos courtesy of Universal PicturesRon Pearlman once again dons two horns and one gigantic claw as the wisecracking, ego-inflated superhero Hellboy in HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY. Hellboy’s nonchalant, sarcastic ways may be appealing to television reporters, but its beginning to wear on the general public and his girlfriend Liz, another superhero at the United States Bureau for Paranormal Research. In spite of their relationship issues, Liz and Hellboy must put their differences aside to protect mankind from Prince Nuada and his band of warriors. Nuada has disregarded a truce between mankind and the world’s supernatural inhabitants. Now he’s back to reclaim dominance, and plans to do so with a dominant, but dormant golden army of warriors.

The original HELLBOY was a rather dull introduction to the series, focusing solely on the lead character, with little else to offer. HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY again offers Pearlman a chance to shine in the lead role, which he does, but it also delivers some pretty exciting combat moments, and plenty of personal drama to make the act of saving the world well worth it. In the midst of two oddly effective love stories, HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY conjures up four well-orchestrated and thrilling action scenes that crazed comic book fans should eat up. Although these moments don’t necessarily further the plot, they do serve as wonderful isolated battles where writer-director Guillermo del Toro has a field day with crazy creatures and plenty of destruction. Pearlman is again dead-on as Hellboy, but del Toro also has more fun this time around with the supporting cast. Abe Sapien, the odd-looking but warm-hearted sidekick of Hellboy, gets in on the romance, and Jeffery Tabor lends some comedic support with his constant clashing with Hellboy over government protocol. HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY may not shatter preconceived notions of the genre like THE DARK KNIGHT, but it does live up to every expectation that a comic book fan should demand.

Grade: B

HANCOCK

Photos courtesty of Sony Pictures

Will Smith defies the standards of his superhero predecessors in HANCOCK. Smith is the title character, a heavy-drinking, often-cursing and nearly homeless superhero who finds little acclaim for his efforts. Oh Hancock saves lives and captures criminals, but in the process leaves the city and its residents with a lot of mess to clean-up. After saving Roy Embrey from a potential train crash, Embrey, a public relations professional, decides to return the favor. Embrey plans on revamping Hancock’s image, and believes making amends for his collateral damage is the first step in the process.

Hancock is not your average superhero, and HANCOCK is not your average superhero movie. Two things stand out about the film, one which I can divulge, and the other which I’ll leave up to the film itself. The first, and undoubtedly the reason to view HANCOCK is another star-turning performance by Smith. Smith is one of the most likable, maybe the most likable leading man, and Hancock both affirms and challenges his status as such. Hancock, as previously mentioned, is a boozing, inconsiderate, rude and slightly disgusting superhero. The fact that Smith maintains all of these attributes, and still finds a dose of charm in the flawed superman, is not only a tribute to his star power, but also to his unshakable good nature. The other portion of HANCOCK that stands out is its twist, which serves as both a detriment and as an intriguing factor in the film. The twist, in retrospect, isn’t quite as surprising as initially anticipated after adding up the variables, but needless to say, takes HANCOCK to another level. This next level is one where the writers have created more than can handle, especially within the confines of a 92-minute picture. Just like its protagonist, HANCOCK is flawed, but inevitability worth it.

Grade: B-

KITT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL

Pictures courtesy of Picturehouse

A young girl finds the Great Depression hits a little too close to home in the children’s period piece, KITT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL. Kitt Kittredge, played by LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE’s Abigail Breslin, is an aspiring journalist in the late 1920’s, even at the young age of ten. She attempts to latch on with the local paper, the Cincinnati Register, but to little avail. In the midst of her aspiring career as a journalist, Kit is also initiating new members into her secret club, fending off harassing schoolmates and most importantly, attempting to deal with the ill-effects of the Depression.

Just like its lead character, the aspirations of KITT KITTREDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL are honorable, welcomed and often times far-reaching. There’s much to like about KITT KITTREDGE from Breslin’s starry-eyed performance to the well-intentioned script, but the mystery that encompasses the latter third of the film is an awkward and amateurish departure from the drama, tension and camaraderie that builds during the film’s first two acts. Kitt goes from budding reporter to private investigator, and the screenplay goes from tackling an important period in our country’s history and the individuals it affected to a clownish and tame mystery involving a robbery. The robbery is designed for two reasons: one, to entertain those children potentially put-off by the dramatic nature and tone of the film, and two, to further emphasize the film’s message of not judging others by their socio-economic lot in life. Breslin, and a talented supporting cast, nearly pull it off. Kitt is a cute, bright and understanding girl, and Breslin delivers a performance that is as confident as Olive was out-of-place in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. Stanley Tucci, Chris O’Donnell, Julia Ormond and Wallace Shawn all bring a sense of realism or originality to their roles. KITT KITTREDGE is an amiable attempt at reliving a harrowing time in our country’s history through the eyes of a child, but it ends up caving to a secondary story.

Grade: C+