The Dark Knight
- Review Date: July 15, 2008
- Rated: PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Release Year: 2008
Common Sense Media says
Excellent sequel much darker, more violent than the first.
- Review Date: July 15, 2008
- Rated: PG-13
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Release Year: 2008
The Dark Knight gallery
What parents need to know
Positive role models
Violence
Sex
Language
Consumerism
Drinking, drugs, & smoking
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that although this sequel to Batman Begins is an excellent movie, it's also much darker and more violent than the first one. Remember: Not all Batmen are created equal. Even though this movie is about a comic-book character, neither it nor its flawed hero and villain are aimed at younger kids or appropriate for them. The film is loaded with intense action, from bombs and bullets to martial-arts fighting and hand-to-hand combat. In addition to the hard-hitting action, expect some drinking and a bit of sexuality. And The Joker's nightmarish appearance has the potential to frighten viewers of all ages. Much of the movie's buzz surrounds actor Heath Ledger's excellent work in that villainous role -- his final completed part before his January 2008 death from an accidental drug overdose.
User reviews
Parents say
Kids say
What's the story?
Following 2005's Batman Begins, THE DARK KNIGHT continues the adventures of billionaire Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), who poses as a playboy in public -- and in private takes to the streets as costumed vigilante Batman, working to clean up the beleaguered city of Gotham. This time around, Batman has allies, including up-and-coming district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), whose own crusade to stop Gotham's gangs and organized crime families is almost as effective as Batman's -- and, more importantly, carried out within the letter of the law. Weary and battered, Wayne is eager to help Dent so that he can retire Batman's shadowy efforts, but the arrival of a new player, the giddy and grim anarchist known as The Joker (Heath Ledger) tosses a very wild card into the game.
Is it any good?
QUALITY
Big, bold, and bruising, The Dark Knight is a prime example of how a high-budget, high-profile comic-book sequel can still be an actual movie -- well-made, exciting, invested, and engaging. Yes, it's going to sell tickets and toys, but credit has to go to director/co-writer Christopher Nolan for making a strong, rich film that gives audiences plenty to talk about and mull over even after the initial adrenaline rush wears off. Like the other filmmakers who've tackled Batman in the modern age, Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, Nolan has an obvious enthusiasm for the character; unlike Burton and Schumacher, Nolan also has an obvious respect for the character's history, grounding the costumes and action with real character development and focused storytelling.
The actors are all excellent, as well; Ledger's work as The Joker is earning Oscar buzz, and that's not just post-mortem sympathy talking. His swaggering, unhinged take on the character makes for an unsettling, compelling interpretation. As Dent (who, as comic-book fans know, eventually becomes the scarred villain Two-Face), Eckhart also delivers a strong performance that goes much deeper than the special-effects makeup he winds up wearing. Bale's performance is also terrific, whether he's portraying Batman's driven crime-fighting exploits or the quieter moments of Bruce Wayne's struggles behind the mask. Supporting players Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Maggie Gyllenhaal also deliver in their smaller roles. The Dark Knight is two and a half hours long, but it never meanders or wastes time; instead, it's packed to the brim with action, ideas, well-drawn character moments, and surprisingly effective drama.
Families can talk about...
Families can talk about the movie's violence. How does the film differentiate between "good" and "bad" uses of violence?
What distinguishes Batman from The Joker? Both are angry and dark; why is one a hero and one a villain? Is the rule of law more important than the rule of force?
What does it take to maintain order in the face of those who try to create chaos? Does keeping the public safe from harm justifying curtailing their right to privacy?
Talk about the media coverage around Ledger's role in the film. How does a tragedy like his death affect a film's marketing and publicity?
Movie details
| Theatrical release date: | July 18, 2008 |
| DVD release date: | December 8, 2008 |
| Cast: | Aaron Eckhart, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger |
| Director: | Christopher Nolan |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Topics: | Superheroes |
| Run time: | 152 minutes |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | intense sequences of violence and some menace |
Great handpicked alternatives
For kids who love superheroes
Browse more movies
External sites
Top advice and articles
What parents and kids say
Share your thoughts with other parents and kids Write a user review
A safe community is important to us. Please observe our guidelines
QUALITY
How do you explain a psychopath to a kid?
The questions I've received from my mature 12 year old since the movie:
Why do psychopaths want to kill, and wreck havoc, for its own sake?
Are there really people like the joker in the world?
Do we really have to get as bad as they are to stop them from hurting us?
Can they be stopped?
My daughter has had nightmares every night for a week.
My recommendation is that parents exercise a higher level of caution than usual when considering this movie.
QUALITY
Intense experience
The Dark Knight went beyond the typical comic book film. It was an Intense experience that took me as the viewer through an wide range of emotions and engaged my brain. While I loved the movie, I came out of the showing needing time to process everything that was thrown at me over the last 2 1/2 hours. This film is definitely not for children. The viewer needs to be able to handle the emotion and reality that is put in front of them. While the violence happens quickly some actions are still shocking. All-in-all, still an excellent film.
QUALITY
The Creepiest PG-13 Film of the Year Award
Me and Daddy went to see Batman Begins at the theater. Great, but not the best. Then we saw The Dark Knight. Scary, but really well-made. Daddy says he could watch this every night. Trust me, I believe him. He's much more into eeriness than I am. I looked it up, and that is a word, but that's beside the point. The point is that no one should see this movie until they're a teen. And even then, it might freak them out a bit. Everyone else was good, but the Joker made the show. That also means he was in it a lot. Not only does he look scary, he is scary. People are shot, stabbed, poisoned, burned, blown up, and hanged from a skyscraper. (the gallows kind of "hanged") All on camera. If that doesn't help you decide on the movie, I don't know what will. Besides the language. The start and middle of the movie aren't that bad, but once you get towards the end, it starts getting bad. They take the Lord and his Son's name in vain numerous times. As you can tell by my username, I don't like that. But bottom line. This is kind of a horror film. Do not watch with small children, or any children, for that matter. Well, I guess teens might be okay.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
