Upon Further Review has Mike look at films of the past and reappraise them. Included in these reviews will be either Mike’s original review or his original grade upon release.

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy was fairly inconsistent – Batman Begins was painfully dull and The Dark Knight Rises was overstuffed with villains and dubious motivations. The Dark Knight on the other hand seemed less like a comic book movie and more like a crime drama – basically this entry has less in common with Batman Begins and more in common with a film like Heat. Christian Bale continues to be mediocre in his portrayal of Batman/Bruce Wayne, but this isn’t his show at all: the late Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker is unrivaled in the comic book movie universe. His anarchistic streak makes the film so much more watchable than its counterparts, but that’s also thanks to a screenplay that is more concerned with the politics of Gotham rather than some dangerous weapon threatening the city. Upon further review, The Dark Knight succeeds because Nolan and Company tried to remove the Batman gadgetry and bravado that plagued the other two installments, which let its biggest star shine the brightest and carry the film.

Original Rating: 40%