The Dark Knight (Widescreen Single-Disc Edition) | 
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| Actors: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Studio: Warner Home Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $28.98
Buy New: $14.99
You Save: $13.99 (48%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  144 reviews
Sales Rank: 5
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dvd-video, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 152
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.6
UPC: 085391176428
EAN: 0085391176428
ASIN: B001GZ6QC4
Theatrical Release Date: 2008
Release Date: December 9, 2008 (In 5 Days)
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Not yet released
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralyzed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne. In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director-cowriter Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi
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| Customer Reviews: Read 139 more reviews...
 One of the greatest movie of all time December 4, 2008
By far this is the greatest Batman movie of all time. This movie has everything from action/adventure to drama to romance. It is by far the greatest movie in history. enough said. Highly recommend this movie for all ages.
 No single disc blu-ray? December 4, 2008
No single disc blu-ray? I grew weary of "extras" a couple of years ago; I just want the movie, and I won't pay for content I don't want.
 Earnest but very flawed movie December 3, 2008
7 out of 11 found this review helpful
Screenwriter David Goyer said the theme of BATMAN BEGINS is fear, and that of THE DARK KNIGHT is escalation. I agree on BB, but feel the main TDK theme is morality. TDK shows Batman standing for purposeful combating of violent crime with disciplined action that forbids killing. The Joker stands for obliterating morality and all ethical principles by chaos and wanton destruction. The Joker does everything he can to get Gotham's people to betray all moral principles, in his grim and brutal quest to prove no one holds principles -- therefore indicating an amoral and ludicrous world.
At least Christopher Nolan has taken Batman to FAR higher artistic ground than the live-action portrayals between Burton's and his. There's something in TDK for a lot of people except little kids, unless they've become very numbed and desensitized by abundant portrayals of viciousness and violence. If we want a lot of ugly grit, TDK has truckloads. If we want heroism, there's some here and there with Bruce Wayne/Batman, Lucius Fox, Jim Gordon, Rachel Dawes, even Harvey Dent, and even some less important individuals. If we want less brutality -- well, there are other movies or conceivable editions of this one that could help it a lot.
The most touching part of the movie for me is the high tragedy of Harvey Dent -- and also that he dies! NO!! I really cared about Harvey. I pulled for him while watching his ideals, his bravery, his commitment, and his character flaws degrade him into the Joker's world of madness, chaos and hopelessness. The Joker won with Harvey, but lost with Batman and also with enough good citizens of Gotham, including with even some of its criminals. But the morality drama plays on. Will the Joker corrupt enough good people? Will Batman weaken and betray his principles? Is life senseless, purposeless, chaotic, ridiculous, insignificant? Or can there be purpose, heroism, and progress even in the darkest hours? Can Harvey Dent be resurrected!
I'm not surprised Christopher Nolan confided he'd like to stop doing Batman movies. As I see it, grimness and brutality can go only so far in eclipsing drama, adventure, and heroism born of more imagination and intrigue -- before wearing even a maker's morale and energy down. Alfred Hitchcock could make us tensely sit on the edge of our seats for an hour or more, just waiting for one gunshot, with far less sprays of violence to cover up assorted plot weaknesses typical of so many action films. And this brings me to issues I take with TDK, and because of which I'd prefer a greatly cut version. In fact, there was so much of the Clown Prince of Crime in this film, it really should've been called THE JOKER. Batman seems only an incidental character.
- The film is far too long -- by about 45 minutes. A lot of repetitive stuff in simply different guises.
- The Scarecrow is completely unnecessary.
- The phony Batmen do nothing to help the story.
- Drama, tragedy, and heroism could be much better with less unrelenting and numbing brutality.
- Who would follow a Joker who has his henchmen routinely kill each other? Too incredible.
- The more high-tech a Batman suit looks, the less organic and the less gut scary.
Those things said:
- Great skyhook sequence.
- Good recovery of Rachel's character, interest and appeal compared to BEGINS.
- Heath Ledger is scary, insane, Oscar-deserving -- but not a wacky, cackling Joker.
- Thrilling Bat-Pod sequences.
- Amusing with a would-be blackmailer.
Again, there might be some things in TDK for various tastes -- although many folks like yours truly don't want so much wading through it, and the resultant huge boredom. I hope No. 3 will be less wantonly brutal, more imaginative, have a much more comic-book-inspired armored Batman outfit, and be MUCH tighter put together.
Immmpressssssiveeeeeeeee December 3, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This masterpiece is absolutely brilliant from start to finish just like Batman Begins. I give major thanks to Chris Nolan and the entire cast:)
The Greatest Superhero Movie Ever December 2, 2008
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
In Christopher Nolan's first interpretation of the Caped Crusader, "Batman Begins", he hints at the notion that Batman will always be a controversial or vigilante figure, never fully accepted by society-at-large. In this film, that theme is explored in-depth, as Batman comes face-to-face with his most difficult challenge: stopping a figure, The Joker, who is more like The Bat then Bruce Wayne (or, in turn, the audience) wants to admit.
The central theme of this film, then, has the marvelously insane Joker (played brilliantly by the late Heath Ledger) pitted against our "heroic" Batman. Of course, things are not that black and white. As the movie begins, with Batman leading the police force's effort to crack down on mob crime, this creates a back-lash of sorts that makes Batman responsible for every nefarious deed committed by the Joker. The conundrum is this: Although Batman created The Joker through vigilante methods, those same vigilante methods are the only way to stop the cackling madman.
Essentially, every scene in this film is either a sight to behold, or gripping emotional drama. Any scene featuring Ledger's Joker is brilliant, while Christian Bale takes his Wayne/Batman character up a notch in intensity from the first film. The penultimate confrontation between the two will have you on the edge of your seat. The action scenes are also a notch better than Nolan's first effort, as they are filmed with IMAX cameras that lend themselves to incredible, sprawling action.
Finally, the ensemble cast featuring Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman are spot-on in their respective roles.
If you are at all a fan of superhero movies, I can nearly guarantee that this film will top your list after viewing. Even if you typically don't care for this genre, the acting is so tremendous, the action is so riveting, and the drama is so thought-provoking that you will feel like you just watched an Oscar-worthy masterpiece. I only need two hands to list the movies that warrant multiple viewings by me, but when this film lands on DVD I will snap it up again in a heartbeat.
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