I found out something at Netflix today, something I should have suspected anyway: The Netflix Top 100 list is fluid. So I’ve been going from an old copy of the list, a list in which I’d seen 45 of the top 100. Today’s list has more movies I haven’t seen. I think to be safe, I’ll consult the list weekly when I add to this series.

Seventh in my series is actually 18th on the Netflix list today: The Dark Knight.

My husband and I saw this movie on opening night at midnight. We were the oldest people in that packed theater. That must say something about the movie, huh? And? Heath Ledger? Creepy.

But I digress. I must say up front that I am not a fan of comic book movies, but I am partial to Batman. I liked the campy 60s TV show, and the Tim Burton movies.

How could I possibly like that flavor of Batman and The Dark Knight flavor as well? Well. . . I couldn’t. This movie was Dark. In fact, I struggle with calling it by its proper name. I am constantly checking myself from calling it The Dark Night.

Christian Bale is a man of few words in this role, his second time portraying Batman, no? And I wasn’t feeling Batman Begins, either.

But my husband thought it was good, and he liked The Dark Knight as well. He didn’t think it appropriate for children, and our children, who would rather have their teeth pulled out one at a time than watch a DC comic representation of anything (Smallville notwithstanding)–didn’t mind. Although now that the oldest two are getting bigger, they might condescend to watch The Dark Knight. They believe the hype.

And, if I must say, I can definitely see why the movie made so much money. Besides being dark, it is also big on explosions, cool gadgets, special effects, and this niggling mystery: what’s up with the Joker?

I wouldn’t be able to give you that answer, but Heath Ledger acted his butt off in his final performance. What’s next? Joaquin Phoenix as The Penguin?

Please click here for my rating system:

1. Story: I’d say it’s reasonably put together to be comic material. Believable is a stretch, but the bank robbing angle was an unexpected twist. 8

2. Acting: Heath Ledger did the best portrayal of his career in this movie. Christian Bale was a decent foil. 8

3. Costumes/Sets/FX: The Dark Knight had very strong atmosphere. 9

Total review for The Dark Knight: 8

Watch The Dark Knight tonight on Amazon Video on Demand.

This review is part 7, (# 18) in a 45 (ish) series. Click here for # 1, Crash, here for part 2, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, here for part 3, Ironman, here for part 4, The Pursuit of Happyness,
here for part 5, Gran Torino, and here for part 6, The Inside Man.