The Dark Knight (2008)
97%RT Audience Score: 94%
Awards & Nominations: Won 2 Oscars
159 wins & 163 nominations total
Dark, complex, and unforgettable, The Dark Knight succeeds not just as an entertaining comic book film, but as a richly thrilling crime saga
Holy smokes, Batman! The Dark Knight is one heck of a movie! It’s not just your average superhero flick, it’s a full-blown crime epic that’ll leave you on the edge of your seat. This movie is so dark and complex, you’ll need a flashlight and a PhD just to keep up with it. But trust me, it’s worth it. The characters are unforgettable, the action is intense, and the plot twists will make your head spin. If you’re looking for a fun night out at the movies, The Dark Knight is the perfect choice. Just don’t forget to bring your bat-signal!
Production Company(ies)
Warner Bros., Legendary Entertainment, Syncopy
Distributor
Warner Bros.
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Chicago, Illinois, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and some menace
Year of Release
2008
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS DTS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 32m
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Language(s):English, Mandarin
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 18, 2008 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 9, 2008
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, directed by Christopher Nolan, written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, action, adventure, fantasy, PG-13, box office, budget, reviewed by Glenn Kenny, Ryan Gilbey, James Christopher, Jonathan Romney, Geoffrey Macnab, Tiru Thiruvilangam, Brian Eggert, Cory Woodroof, Fico Cangiano, Richard Crouse, Mike Massie, Jason Best, Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Heath Ledger as The Joker, Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent, Emma Thomas produced, Charles Roven produced, SDDS sound mix, DTS sound mix, Dolby Digital sound mix, Scope (2.35:1) aspect ratio, Batman collection
Worldwide gross: $1,006,102,277
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,385,867,442
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 58
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 151,130,583
US/Canada gross: $534,987,076
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $736,924,255
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 36
US/Canada opening weekend: $158,411,483
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $218,205,765
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 12
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $185,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $254,830,431
Production budget ranking: 32
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $137,226,187
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $993,810,824
ROI to date (est.): 253%
ROI ranking: 527
Heath Ledger – The Joker
Aaron Eckhart – Harvey Dent
Michael Caine – Alfred
Maggie Gyllenhaal – Rachel Dawes
Gary Oldman – Gordon
Director(s)
Christopher Nolan
Writer(s)
Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan
Producer(s)
Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Won 2 Oscars
159 wins & 163 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Editing Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
All Critics (346) | Top Critics (78) | Fresh (325) | Rotten (21)
This may seem like faint praise, but about the highest compliment I can give Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight right now is to say that there were many long stretches during which I didn’t even realize it was a superhero movie
December 13, 2017
Glenn Kenny
MUBI
TOP CRITIC
Too much psychology and not enough pop. It’s possible to be too serious, you know.
June 2, 2017
Ryan Gilbey
New Statesman
TOP CRITIC
You will feel utterly numb after the screening of The Dark Knight. The film is bleak and brilliant.
May 31, 2017
James Christopher
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
This is an impressive film in many ways, and Nolan directs with real confidence, yet the overall result feels cumbersome.
August 20, 2014
Jonathan Romney
Independent on Sunday
TOP CRITIC
Among the great strengths of The Dark Knight is the way it combines hardboiled naturalism with the kind of stunts and setpieces you expect in summer blockbusters.
August 20, 2014
Geoffrey Macnab
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
To talk of Heath Ledger’s performance is difficult, merely because, as gigantic as it is, it is only one important feature of an intricately wrought canvas.
August 20, 2014
Tiru Thiruvilangam
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
An incomparable crime thriller and superhero film, and an instant classic in both genres
March 21, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
Brian Eggert
Deep Focus Review
Looking back on my time as a high school kid, I feel that everyone has that movie that they see in theatres and latch onto as an all-time favourite. Mine was The Dark Knight.
February 11, 2022
Cory Woodroof
Curnblog
A masterpiece within or outside the superhero & comic book genre it explores. Heath Ledger delivers one of the most iconic performances in film history. [Full review in Spanish]
July 16, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
Fico Cangiano
CineXpress Podcast
A rare beast. It’s a summer blockbuster with equal parts brain and brawn.
January 31, 2021 | Rating: 4.5/5
Richard Crouse
Richard Crouse
The famous masked vigilante has never looked or felt more intense.
November 28, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
With his smeared whiteface make-up and leering razor-slashed smile, Ledger’s Joker is creepy enough to look at, but what he represents is even more chilling.
November 15, 2020
Jason Best
Movie Talk…
Plot
Set within a year after the events of Batman Begins (2005), Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new District Attorney Harvey Dent successfully begin to round up the criminals that plague Gotham City, until a mysterious and sadistic criminal mastermind known only as “The Joker” appears in Gotham, creating a new wave of chaos. Batman’s struggle against The Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to “confront everything he believes” and improve his technology to stop him. A love triangle develops between Bruce Wayne, Dent, and Rachel Dawes.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels praises Heath Ledger’s “career-defining turn” as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
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