The Dark Knight (2008)

Film: The Dark Knight

Director: Christopher Nolan

Country: UK / USA

Released: June 2008

Runtime: 114 minutes

Genre: Superhero

Studio: Syncopy, Legendary Pictures, DC Entertainment

Influenced: Sam Mendes, Ryan Coogler, James Gunn, Zack Snyder, Todd Phillips

No history of cinema would be complete without a survey of the superhero genre, and it was with The Dark Knight that British director Christopher Nolan managed to perfect the form. In the 1940s and 50s, comic book superheroes like Captain America and Batman first leaped onto the big screen, often in campy and low-budget affairs, but then shifted to the smaller screen with the advent of TV. By the 1970s and 80s, superhero movies had largely fallen out of favour – with the exception of Christopher Reeve's Superman franchise (1978-87) – and it was Tim Burton's vision of a darker, more gothic Batman in 1989 that revitalised the genre. Technological advancements brought characters like Spider-Man to life with stunning visuals in Sam Raimi's trilogy (2002-07), and when Marvel Studios kickstarted the MCU with Iron Man (2008), the current era of dominance for superhero movies in Hollywood truly began. One of the popular ways to reboot these franchises is an origin story, something Nolan did first with Batman Begins (2005), but it was the sequel The Dark Night that took the superhero genre to an unparalleled level.

The film's IMAX sequences were some of the first shot on the format for a major Hollywood production, offering stunning visuals and immersion that cinema audiences had never experienced before. Nolan wanted to follow Batman Begins with a film that explored themes of chaos and anarchy, and so introduced the character of the Joker, a nihilistic criminal mastermind who causes mayhem in Gotham City with an orchestrated campaign of violence and manipulation. Heath Ledger's Joker is one of the great cinematic villains, whose unpredictable nature pushes Christian Bale's Batman to his limits. The film explores the thin line between hero and villain as Batman grapples with ethical choices, and Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), the district attorney, undergoes a tragic transformation. Nolan also had a stellar supporting cast to call on, including Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Morgan Freeman. There's also an early role for Cillian Murphy as Dr Jonathan Crane / The Scarecrow. Murphy was actually asked to audition for the Batman role by Nolan, but has since admitted that it was better that Bale got it.

Nolan's use of practical effects for stunts and action sequences (and Harvey Dent's facial disfiguration) created a grounded and realistic feel for The Dark Knight, at contrast with the often fantastical elements of many superhero films. For example, the film's iconic hospital explosion scene was shot in a real, functioning Chicago hospital, with minimal use of CGI. Hans Zimmer's intense and distinctive musical score further contributes to the film's impact, as does the incredible sound design, right from the opening bank heist sequence. Nolan kept the opening bank heist scene a secret from the cast until actual filming to capture their genuine reactions. Some of the film's distinctive qualities were also the result of the input of the actors themselves, with Bale's Batman growl inspired by the noise a badger makes when cornered, and The Joker's iconic smeared makeup inspired by Ledger's experimentation with clown face paint during preparation for the movie.

The Dark Knight won two Oscars (Best Sound Editing and Best Supporting Actor, a posthumous award for Heath Ledger) and was nominated for eight others, including Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects. The backlash to the film not getting a Best Picture Oscar nomination was such that, for the 82nd Academy Awards awards in 2010, the academy increased the limit for Best Picture nominees from five to ten, a change known as "The Dark Knight Rule". The movie generated over US$1bn worldwide at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing superhero film (at the time) and the second highest-grossing film of 2008. Nolan, who had already worked with Bale and Caine on the magnificent 2006 film, The Prestige, would continue to establish other productive collaborative working relationships following the Dark Knight trilogy, notably with Hans Zimmer on Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014) and Dunkirk (2017). As well as becoming well-known for his complex narratives, Nolan would also become an advocate for shooting on higher-quality film stock, instead of digital video, a key component of his cinematic legacy.