Image: Warner Bros. Pictures
You can’t make a list about this trilogy without mentioning the Joker and his performance, which is so iconic that it outshines the hero of the story. It is an interpretation that, when first seen in a picture, initially received negative feedback. But now, all that has essentially been erased from reality, as if no one had ever had a negative thing to say about it. Heath Ledger’s Joker reinterpreted this character for a new era in our culture, and this Joker, not much different than other versions at its core, was perfect for this Michael Mann crime film-inspired world of The Dark Knight. It was an interpretation that changed the way the Oscars work. This take on the Joker is one of the first times I recall a superhero movie where people argue that the Joker is right.
From his messy makeup to his dark jokes about his scars he uses to scare people, the Joker is something Bruce just doesn’t understand, even with constant advice from Alfred. The Joker’s terrorism in Gotham shakes everyone to their core, from citizens and the government to even the criminals, as he attacks the soul of Gotham to prove his nihilistic views of the world.
The Joker attacks what is in this film the heart of the city—Harvey Dent—and shatters Batman’s hope. Batman loses in this film; while the Joker is stopped, he ultimately achieves his goals in the end. It wasn’t Batman who proved the Joker wrong – it was a convict. Batman and Gordon had lied to everyone so that the city wouldn’t fall apart, and in the end, Batman had to become the villain to the public. It’s rare to see Batman lose, but with the Joker, it’s the only time it ever makes sense.