Why So Serious?

Okay, why are you here? Didn't you hear that the first trailer for The Dark Knight has come out? Go watch it now!

Back already? Alright, let me tell you why I liked it that much then. First of all, I'm not even going to try and hide the fact that I'm a huge fan of the Batman Begins movie. In fact, I'm a total nerd for it. But a lot of people were worried about the decision of Christopher Nolan, director of that film to cast Heath Ledger as the Joker, Batman's iconic adversary. That's the same Heath Ledger that was in Brokeback Mountain, yes. If there were any moronic jokes you'd like to make, now would be the time.

Anyway, I never doubted Ledger's talent as an actor, so I always believed he could pull it off. This trailer has proved me right . And the Joker was what was going to make or break this movie from the beginning. The reason? It's a character that's so difficult to portray for what he is, a sociopath and a murderer, with no reservations about... anything, really. Yet he's been presented as a simple clown with a penchant for killing all too many times, essentially more amusing (in a sick way, but still) than frightening. But the real Joker is exactly that, frightening.

He's frightening in a way that few (comic book or otherwise) villains can be. Not because he's physically imposing, he's pretty much an average Joe in that department, and in a physical fight Batman would wipe the floor with him. Nor is he really that intelligent. I mean, he is pretty damn smart, but Batman is still smarter than him, heck I doubt anyone is smarter than Batman.

No, what makes the Joker frightening, and such an excellent villain for the control-freak Batman, is the fact that he's a total nutjob of a killer. He'd kill anyone without one shred of remorse, he never feels fear about anything, he is completely amoral and chaotic and simply does not care. About anything. He's so removed from what our usual definition of a person is, that it's simply unnatural, yet still in a plausible way. And unnatural things are always scary, after all. He is almost the polar opposite of Batman, who has his own strong personal moral code, likes to have complete control over everything and go into any fight after a long and careful period of planning and preparing.

To make a gross generalization here, if Batman is supposed to be the personification of Fear (as so successfully presented in the Batman Begins movie) -then the Joker is the personification of Insanity.

And then there's the laugh... Oh gods, that laugh. Even though I'm a fan of Ledger, I was amazed that this usually low-key guy was able of pulling off that demented, hyena-like laugh that is guaranteed to send a shiver down your spine.

I know it's just a trailer, but given the quality of the first movie and Nolan's successful movie record so far, the quality of the Joker's portrayal was the major concern for most people. And if anything, the trailer has shown that it's a successful one. Just pay attention to the scenes where the Joker is licking his lips while Maggie Gylenhaal (so glad to see her replace Katie Holmes) or the scene where he sticks the upper part of his body outside of a police car. Especially that last scene, he seems so serene and carefree, almost like a child, while maintaining a rather sick expression on his face. All that while presumably trying to escape the police. Flawless.

I'm probably going to be in the army by the time the movie comes out, but what can you do? If worse comes to worst, I'll spend a few days in the army jail for bailing out of the camp. Hurr.