Netflix Pix: The Dark Knight

This begins a new, weekly series of posts called Netflix Pix. Seeking to weed out the cinematically terrible from the Terifik, our goal in this is to help you identify the truly unmissable new releases on Netflix. Our picks may include films that are not actually new, but are simply new to Netflix.  If you have time for only one movie on the weekend, we hope to help make your decision a little easier. 

This first Netflix Pix may seem like a no-brainer of sorts.  The Dark Knight was loved by critics in general, and adored by fans the world over (except in third world countries where, you know, rice is more important than an outing to your local non-existent movie theater).  So while this pick might seem a bit, well, cheap if I may, the reasons for it are not.
 
Inevitably, there will always be contention about who actually IS Batman.  Is it Michael Keaton?  Christian Bale?  Adam West?  Certainly not Val Kilmer or George Clooney.  Everyone will have their opinions, as do I, but there's simply no denying what Christopher Nolan has done with the series.  With his films, based on The Dark Knight series of Batman comics, Nolan has (and is one of the few comic book directors to do so) taken Batman seriously.  While no one could dispute the wonderful characterizations, comedy and style of the first two Batman films (starring Keaton), neither of them, and especially not their sequels, really took Batman seriously.

Where Batman Begins was an intelligently directed, darkly conceived origin tale, The Dark Knight moves beyond it in terms of scope, audacity and sheer power.  Christian Bale, back as the bat, sinks deeper into his portrayal of both Bruce Wayne and Batman, and the second time around, since we already know him in the role, we can just sit back and enjoy his gritty performance.  Aaron Eckhart does an admirable job in his descent from white knight Harvey Dent to morally depraved half-human Two-Face.  Much has been made about Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker, and I'm certainly not going to go against the grain.  Ledger's performance is nothing short of genius.  It elevates the film beyond what could have been merely the second coming of Batman Begins.  Ledger's Joker is a calculating, searing whirlwind of nefariousness (yes, nefariousness).  Posthumous Oscar, no question.  Almost everyone else, from the always fabulous Morgan Freeman to the understated Michael Caine, is wonderful as well.  The film does falter in its portrayal of Rachel Dawes, which is sad because Maggie Gyllenhaal is certainly capable with a better script.  And this may be my own personal gripe, but with the attempted realism of the rest of the film, I found Harvey's Two-Face face a little too over-the-top.

Minor gripes aside though, from the stunning IMAX action sequences to the psychological framework, from the killer script to the killer clown, from the... well, you get the idea.  It's a gem.  My Terifik Netflix pick of the week!

[ Find out why Netflix is so great after the jump... ]