The Dark Knight confirms its five-star status within the first 10 minutes, courtesy of an incredible piece of set-up.
Christopher Nolan’s 2008 film, the second in his Dark Knight trilogy charting the adventures of Christian Bale’s Batman in Gotham City, is widely considered one of the best comic book movies of all time.
It’s obviously a five-star film, with the late, great Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker one of the most memorable portrayals of a villain ever put to screen.
His introduction, the opening sequence of the film, is so meticulously crafted that it tells you straight away you’re watching a five-star film.
A film within a film
The Dark Knight essentially begins with a short film – a superb bank heist.
A gaggle of criminals in clown masks, hired by the Joker, descend upon a mob bank.
There’s a clear set-up of what they’re planning.
Then, we swiftly move into the second act of this mini-movie when the heist begins; the masked goons start picking each other off one by one at the behest of their boss, and a mob banker begins returning fire.
The dénouement comes in the Joker’s official reveal, for Ledger’s character is one of the masked goons.
With the immortal line, “I believe whatever doesn’t kill you simply makes you stranger,” the Joker removes his mask to reveal his scarred, made-up face and devilish grin.
There’s no fat, no needless exposition, just an efficient prologue that tells you everything you need to know about this antagonist.
The rest of the film is pretty darn decent as well, but Nolan’s opening sequence lays down an incredible marker.
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