As always with my reviews, I first need to say that I will probably dive into some spoiler territory with this review, so please don’t bother to read this entire post if you don’t want to encounter any spoiler material, even if I include it accidentally without forewarning. If you don’t want to read this post, you should know that:
* I ultimately rate this movie an A on the education scale
* a 9.6 on the 10-point Richter scale
* There is a lion’s share of violence (weapon-based violence) in this movie. If you’re one of those parents who wants to shield your kids from this kind of stuff, leave them at home.
and with that, if you don’t want to encounter any spoilers you may safely stop reading this article.
If you’re expecting something that includes a funny scene just because it has the Joker, you’re misguided on this movie. If you’re expecting a continuation of Nicholson’s Joker character, you’re also a fair bit off center with where this movie goes. It is a very, VERY knife-edge serious movie right from the opening scene, and it does not let up in the least until the credits roll.
Now, on to the review. First and foremost, I loved this movie. I thought it was beautifully executed in nearly every way. Even the color timings and the vividness of the scenery, despite being mostly filmed in Chicago, was great. I think Chicago was the perfect setting for this movie – it’s gritty, urban, and has that aura that naturally makes it great for this kind of movie. I should say, it is the best Gotham City that we have seen on the screen (in my opinion).
***SPOILER ALERT*** I may bring up some things that happen in the movie. If you want to avoid that possibility, you probably don’t need to click. No refunds.
Against the Grain 