Ledger Legitimizes Epic Villian

The Dark Knight debuted this month and not only smashed box office records, but also created an Oscar buzz around the late Heath Ledger and his portrayal of the infamous villain, The Joker.

Up to this point in cinema history, in my opinion, no movie has portrayed a comic book based character with such humanity and depth like that of Ledger's performance.

Batman seems to always conjure up very cartoon like images, with a distinct separation from real life. You knew Gotham City was fictions and you had no doubt about the film's reality.

Director Christopher Nolan and his supporting cast took the Batman series and elevated it to an entirely new level. Now, as you sit in the theater watching Gotham City as depicted in the real streets of Chicago, you can't help but wonder if what you're watching isn't far from reality.

Heath Ledger took a comic book icon in The Joker and literally reinvented the role and owned it like no one else ever could. I had to personally watch this film three times to fully absorb the beauty and essence of Ledger's outstanding performance. 

It is one thing to portray a psychotic murder with make-up and another thing to give such a character a personality just as complex as the shades of purple and green that he adorns. Ledger not only lights up the screen with intense dialogue and mannerisms that give his role its flesh and bones, but he also exhibits a passion for the character that stay with you long after the credits roll.

This version of The Joker is so intense because it is so real. Someone like this can exist, has existed or is existing right now... perhaps in your own neighborhood. His very demeanor and outlook on humanity is very reminiscent of so many of the infamous convicted mass murders we have seen throughout history.

If that isn't enough to make Ledger's performance haunting enough, don't forget his sadistic disregard not only for everyone's life, but also for his own. He holds a loaded gun to his head while Harvey Dent, a.k.a. Two Face begins to squeeze the trigger. What is to decide his fate? The flip of a coin of course, to Joker's maniacal delight.

Every scene in this movie with the very mention or actual portrayal of the Joker had me on the edge of my seat. I never expected to witness such dimension in a comic book character. From The Joker's eerie view of society to his thought provoking renditions of his warped sense of humor.

After all, why so serious?