The Dark Knight Two years later: Heath Ledger's performance

[Boom]

We are coming up to two years since the release of The Dark Knight in theaters, and a little over a year since the DVD/Blu-Ray release. We've had plenty of time to view the film over and over, and scrutinize every little detail.

The question I pose is this. Two years later, now that the hype and excitement of the initial release is over, how do you feel about Heath Ledger's performance now? Do you still consider it Oscar-worthy (if you did in the first place)? Does it get better after each viewing? Or does it become more gimmicky after each viewing?

I encourage honest opinions, and let's try to keep this civil. I'm just honestly curious how people feel now that this much time has passed.

I'll share my opinion tomorrow once I'm refreshed and able to put my thoughts together coherently.

Discuss.

 

[Robin91939]

The performance was still the best of the 2008 year by a Supporting Actor.

It was nuanced, it was a complete transformation, it was intense, it was scary, it was mesmerizing.

-R

 

[ChocheTheHero]

Fresh as the first day. Ledger steal the show when he appears as The Joker.

 

[El Payaso]

Very good performance. Brilliant.

But my fave from the movie is still Eckhardt's.

 

[Travesty]

Amazing performance, but it still doesn't feel like The Joker to me.

 

[Mister H.]

Ledger's performance is one of the only things about The Dark Knight that I don't think was overhyped, which is unreal considering the press his portrayal of the iconic villain did receive. I like the film a little less every time I see it, but it has nothing to do with Ledger. I do have to say this though, as it's a tiny complaint I have about Ledger's characterization-- I didn't like the lip smacking. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. I understand Ledger's inspiration for it, I just didn't care for it personally. Lip smacking is a pet peeve of mine t:.

And I like the point El Payaso made about Eckhart. I don't think his turn as Harvey Dent ever got the recognition it deserved. He was the ultimate take-no-**** good guy as Dent, and a real kick to the gut as the horribly disfigured vigilante, Harvey Two-Face.

 

[Mister H.]

Amazing performance, but it still doesn't feel like The Joker to me.

Pin that on the Nolan brothers.

 

[The Joker]

Still as amazing as it was the first time I saw the movie. He deserves every ounce of praise that was showered on him and more.

Truly amazing performance as The Joker. And the Oscar was well deserved.

 

[jondoe]

 

[Vengeance of Bane]

It's one of my favorite performances ever. If you read the screenplay, and then see the movie, it's amazing to see what he came up with, from the walk to the voice ect.

 

[souloffire]

Heath Ledger's performance is the only thing I like about the movie.

 

[Drz]

Heath Ledger was a great Joker but his hype kinda dimished Aaron Eckhart's great performance if you ask me. I still loved both actors, but i do feel Aaron has less appriation from the fans, its more of complaining about his character getting killed tho lol, but thats another topic for another thread.

I do find it Oscar worthy, i do felt this was the great origin tale of Joker's rise to power taking notes from Batman #1, The Killing Joke & abit of Morrison Joker.

 

[Beanjuice]

I dont think we'll ever see a performance so dark,edgy, or for the most part, so believable, in a Batman film, or a comic film for that matter, again. For him to take a character we all know and love and spin it in a new direction, but a new direction that keeps faith to its source,while still standing alone is remarkable. Heath deserved the oscar, and he deserved every compliment, every poster,action figure, bobble head,fan art, whatever. He deserved every bit of praise and recognition he got for his role and he still does. IMO Heath= The Joker.

 

[mothy]

my opinion is still the same. heath ledger is the best joker ever. he deserved the oscar. however, because i have seen the film hundreds of times (probably), the effect has worn off slightly in a way, which is to be expected, as i am used to it. but that is a testament to how much i love the film and heath ledger's joker. can't get enough of it.

 

[El Payaso]

Heath Ledger was a great Joker but his hype kinda dimished Aaron Eckhart's great performance if you ask me. I still loved both actors, but i do feel Aaron has less appriation from the fans, its more of complaining about his character getting killed tho lol, but thats another topic for another thread.

Eckhardt did a wonderful job, not only portraying Dent but also the masterly transformation into Two-face.

 

[Brother Jack]

Eckhardt did a wonderful job, not only portraying Dent but also the masterly transformation into Two-face.

In a sense he had the harder job to do, since he had to create a good guy we could empathize with and then a convincing good guy gone bad. He made me truly care for the character, I felt his pain, his determination, his desperation, and his violence.

As for the Joker, I honestly think Heath (and Nolan) created one of the best interpretations of the Joker in any medium. It's a tragedy that he isn't around to show any more of the greatness in him on screen.

 

[frodawgg]

Amazing performance, but it still doesn't feel like The Joker to me.

I feel the same way. He did an EXTRAORDINARY job, and made that version of the character awesome. However, it's not the Joker to me.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

Ledger's performance is one of the only things about The Dark Knight that I don't think was overhyped, which is unreal considering the press his portrayal of the iconic villain did receive. I like the film a little less every time I see it, but it has nothing to do with Ledger. I do have to say this though, as it's a tiny complaint I have about Ledger's characterization-- I didn't like the lip smacking. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. I understand Ledger's inspiration for it, I just didn't care for it personally. Lip smacking is a pet peeve of mine t:.

And I like the point El Payaso made about Eckhart. I don't think his turn as Harvey Dent ever got the recognition it deserved. He was the ultimate take-no-**** good guy as Dent, and a real kick to the gut as the horribly disfigured vigilante, Harvey Two-Face.

I like it a little more every time I see it. Opinions are funny.

 

[Bad Superman]

We are coming up to two years since the release of The Dark Knight in theaters, and a little over a year since the DVD/Blu-Ray release. We've had plenty of time to view the film over and over, and scrutinize every little detail.

The question I pose is this. Two years later, now that the hype and excitement of the initial release is over, how do you feel about Heath Ledger's performance now? Do you still consider it Oscar-worthy (if you did in the first place)? Does it get better after each viewing? Or does it become more gimmicky after each viewing?

I encourage honest opinions, and let's try to keep this civil. I'm just honestly curious how people feel now that this much time has passed.

I'll share my opinion tomorrow once I'm refreshed and able to put my thoughts together coherently.

Discuss.

Still feel the same. His performance was Oscar-worthy. He really immersed himself in the Joker character.

 

[Bathead]

I think,regardless of whether or not you or I feel it was the "real" Joker, Ledger still put in an amazing performance, and deserved all the praise he got.

 

[The Joker]

He embodied everything that was essential to the Joker. He was funny, he was theatrical, he was obsessed with Batman, he was all about chaos etc.

Most important: His primary motivation was taken from the Killing Joke, where he wanted to prove the point that everyone else was no different from him when put under pressure.

Loved that.

Eckhardt did a wonderful job, not only portraying Dent but also the masterly transformation into Two-face.

So true. He is often unfairly overshadowed in the praises heaped on TDK. Eckhart was brilliant as Dent.

 

[Symbiotic]

I enjoy Heath's performance every bit as much today as I did on day one. I'll say this though, looking back, is there anyone else besides me who would've loved a scene in TDK where The Joker gives the "One bad day" talk to Batman? "You had a bad day once didn't you? You had a bad day and everything changed." I would've loved a scene between them with that dialogue.

 

[BestGirl]

^I would've liked a scene between the Joker and Bruce (not Batman), and the Joker and Harvey (not Two-Face). What can I say, I'm greedy.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Ledger's performance is one of the only things about The Dark Knight that I don't think was overhyped.

Agree with this statement.

 

[Ipodman]

I like his Joker more than 89 Joker...