The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralysed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.

In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director/co-writer Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi

Great movie - whats with the voice?, 18 Nov 2008
Great film, awesome performance by the Joker and 2 face. However, there are 2 reasons why i only gave this film 4 stars.

1. Batmans voice is ridiculous. Its the worse put on gravely voice in film and really grinds on me, esp the last scene with the joker.

2. Why oh why is that goon Caine, Alfred the butler. Cockney butler for one of the worlds richest tycoons - unlikely. I prefered Michael Gough, a classy English accent.

More than worth the hype, 13 Nov 2008
The massive media focus on Heath Ledger's tragic death has in its way done this film a disservice - sure, it was publicity, and Ledger's performance really is that astoundingly brilliant, but it tends to overshadow the fact that this entire film is just as astoundingly brilliant.

From start to finish, this is an incredible, dark and tortured tale of a man who realises that in order to truly be a hero, he must allow himself to be painted the villain. Christian Bale improves on his first outing as Batman to bring out these dilemmas and the conflict between his public images (both as millionaire playboy and vigilante) and private desires - if they do another one I really hope he agrees to reprise the role. The story is involving, Bruce Wayne's struggle to understand and thus effectively combat a nemesis whose only motivation is chaos for its own sake is an engaging and intriguing struggle and the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The whole film is visually stunning and incredibly well acted on all counts. The fall of Harvey Dent/Two Face is especially well played out and there is not a single moment of this film that is not enthralling. It constantly asks difficult questions of us and our morality - the big finale with the two ships is a great one, though I shan't spoil it with details - and the whole thing is just pitch perfect throughout. Chris Nolan has done a stellar job here.

As for Heath Ledger... I was always a big fan of him, from his early teen fare right through to the end, but this is a performance beyond what even I as a fan thought him capable of. His Joker is sadistic, cruel and yet perversely funny, and he is a revelation. It just makes me sad to think what he could have been doing in ten or twenty years' time if this was the calibre of work he was managing as a younger actor.

So when it comes to The Dark Knight, I say don't trust the hype - for this movie far exceeds it. Hands down the best comic book adaptation I've seen, and I do have a penchant for them (especially for a girl)

An absolute legend of a film, 12 Nov 2008
Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!



"You wanted me,here I am", 11 Nov 2008
My favourite superhero has always been Batman by a long way.It's the dark edge to him,the turmoil that makes him a little different.I thought that the previous movie 'Batman Begins' was a fine effort at re-inventing the franchise away from the almost comic to the intensity that is required nowadays.I read so many glowing tributes about 'The Dark Knight' that I looked forward to seeing it with keen interest.When it was over I thought it was good but not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped.

The acting was pretty much first rate.Christian Bale is clearly suited to the role,Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are as reliable as ever and Aaron Eckhart was better than I expected him to be as Harvey Dent.Probably the most forgetabble character was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel.Obviously,the person that got the most plaudits was Heath Ledger as The Joker.Yes,he was good but in all honesty it was a showcase part and he was bound to stand out.Was he any better than Gary Oldman as Gordon?The honest answer is no he wasn't.Oldman's role was far less showey
but he excelled in every scene he was in and deserves equal praise.There are many well executed action scenes and there is no doubt it is a well made movie.

Why I can't give this five stars is because the movie is too long and the voice of Batman sounds just like the guy off the Carlsberg ads!It does sound a bit daft and should be toned down for the sequel.I think four stars is a fair mark and this is a DVD that I will definitely purchase.

Instantaneous classic, 08 Nov 2008
No much to add to other 'five-star' reviews. This is a classic and by miles the best comic book based film ever made. I would like Nolan to revisit the character once again but after having created such a brilliant plot, character development and poetic ending, maybe he shouldn't...

Just brilliant!

The Dark Knight arrives with tremendous hype (best superhero movie ever? posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger?), and incredibly, it lives up to all of it. But calling it the best superhero movie ever seems like faint praise, since part of what makes the movie great--in addition to pitch-perfect casting, outstanding writing, and a compelling vision--is that it bypasses the normal fantasy element of the superhero genre and makes it all terrifyingly real. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) is Gotham City's new district attorney, charged with cleaning up the crime rings that have paralysed the city. He enters an uneasy alliance with the young police lieutenant, Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and Batman (Christian Bale), the caped vigilante who seems to trust only Gordon--and whom only Gordon seems to trust. They make progress until a psychotic and deadly new player enters the game: the Joker (Heath Ledger), who offers the crime bosses a solution--kill the Batman. Further complicating matters is that Dent is now dating Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal, after Katie Holmes turned down the chance to reprise her role), the longtime love of Batman's alter ego, Bruce Wayne.

In his last completed role before his tragic death, Ledger is fantastic as the Joker, a volcanic, truly frightening force of evil. And he sets the tone of the movie: the world is a dark, dangerous place where there are no easy choices. Eckhart and Oldman also shine, but as good as Bale is, his character turns out rather bland in comparison (not uncommon for heroes facing more colorful villains). Director/co-writer Christopher Nolan (Memento) follows his critically acclaimed Batman Begins with an even better sequel that sets itself apart from notable superhero movies like Spider-Man 2 and Iron Man because of its sheer emotional impact and striking sense of realism--there are no suspension-of-disbelief superpowers here. At 152 minutes, it's a shade too long, and it's much too intense for kids. But for most movie fans--and not just superhero fans--The Dark Knight is a film for the ages. --David Horiuchi

Great movie - whats with the voice?, 18 Nov 2008
Great film, awesome performance by the Joker and 2 face. However, there are 2 reasons why i only gave this film 4 stars.

1. Batmans voice is ridiculous. Its the worse put on gravely voice in film and really grinds on me, esp the last scene with the joker.

2. Why oh why is that goon Caine, Alfred the butler. Cockney butler for one of the worlds richest tycoons - unlikely. I prefered Michael Gough, a classy English accent.

More than worth the hype, 13 Nov 2008
The massive media focus on Heath Ledger's tragic death has in its way done this film a disservice - sure, it was publicity, and Ledger's performance really is that astoundingly brilliant, but it tends to overshadow the fact that this entire film is just as astoundingly brilliant.

From start to finish, this is an incredible, dark and tortured tale of a man who realises that in order to truly be a hero, he must allow himself to be painted the villain. Christian Bale improves on his first outing as Batman to bring out these dilemmas and the conflict between his public images (both as millionaire playboy and vigilante) and private desires - if they do another one I really hope he agrees to reprise the role. The story is involving, Bruce Wayne's struggle to understand and thus effectively combat a nemesis whose only motivation is chaos for its own sake is an engaging and intriguing struggle and the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The whole film is visually stunning and incredibly well acted on all counts. The fall of Harvey Dent/Two Face is especially well played out and there is not a single moment of this film that is not enthralling. It constantly asks difficult questions of us and our morality - the big finale with the two ships is a great one, though I shan't spoil it with details - and the whole thing is just pitch perfect throughout. Chris Nolan has done a stellar job here.

As for Heath Ledger... I was always a big fan of him, from his early teen fare right through to the end, but this is a performance beyond what even I as a fan thought him capable of. His Joker is sadistic, cruel and yet perversely funny, and he is a revelation. It just makes me sad to think what he could have been doing in ten or twenty years' time if this was the calibre of work he was managing as a younger actor.

So when it comes to The Dark Knight, I say don't trust the hype - for this movie far exceeds it. Hands down the best comic book adaptation I've seen, and I do have a penchant for them (especially for a girl)

An absolute legend of a film, 12 Nov 2008
Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!



"You wanted me,here I am", 11 Nov 2008
My favourite superhero has always been Batman by a long way.It's the dark edge to him,the turmoil that makes him a little different.I thought that the previous movie 'Batman Begins' was a fine effort at re-inventing the franchise away from the almost comic to the intensity that is required nowadays.I read so many glowing tributes about 'The Dark Knight' that I looked forward to seeing it with keen interest.When it was over I thought it was good but not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped.

The acting was pretty much first rate.Christian Bale is clearly suited to the role,Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are as reliable as ever and Aaron Eckhart was better than I expected him to be as Harvey Dent.Probably the most forgetabble character was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel.Obviously,the person that got the most plaudits was Heath Ledger as The Joker.Yes,he was good but in all honesty it was a showcase part and he was bound to stand out.Was he any better than Gary Oldman as Gordon?The honest answer is no he wasn't.Oldman's role was far less showey
but he excelled in every scene he was in and deserves equal praise.There are many well executed action scenes and there is no doubt it is a well made movie.

Why I can't give this five stars is because the movie is too long and the voice of Batman sounds just like the guy off the Carlsberg ads!It does sound a bit daft and should be toned down for the sequel.I think four stars is a fair mark and this is a DVD that I will definitely purchase.

Instantaneous classic, 08 Nov 2008
No much to add to other 'five-star' reviews. This is a classic and by miles the best comic book based film ever made. I would like Nolan to revisit the character once again but after having created such a brilliant plot, character development and poetic ending, maybe he shouldn't...

Just brilliant!


More the Joker's story then Batmans., 28 Oct 2008
Could the movie live up to the hype? Most definitely. Buy this film if only to see Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch-enemy the Joker. His performance is worth the cost of the blu-ray alone. I always though that Jack Nicholson's performance would set the standard, but Heath Ledger's Joker knocks that into a hat.

This is a continuance of the Dark Knight created originally by Bob Kane and later re-invented by Frank Miller. Batman ain't Mr NIce Guy and nor should he be. In fact Batman comes across as harder and possibly mentally unstable but then again to wear latex and a cape you have to be a bit mad.

If I found one fault in the film, it would be that it is too long. I would have rather this had been extended and made in too parts like Kill Bill. That worked so well and I am sure this would have been just as good and a continuing legacy to Heath Ledgers best performance.

A film that lives up to the hype, 23 Oct 2008
Firstly, this film as the title suggests is one of the few to live up to the hype since the Lord of the Rings. The acting was amazing, the effects were superb, and somehow although this is a superhero, it is done so well that you could imagine Batman and his enemies are real unlike the original movies where they are very comic book. For instance, compare the Joker against the 1989 movie. Both excellent in their own right, but the phsycotic Ledger is much more real than the comic book villain of Nicholson. The same can be said of Gotham itself and Gordon. My only (small) criticism of this movie was the length and number of bad guys. I think that it could maybe have been split into 2 movies, 1 bad guy in each. Doesn't stop it from being a 5 star movie for me!

Best movie since The Godfather., 15 Oct 2008

This film is so great that even the critics are comparing it to the Godfather, Goodfellas, Raiders of the lost ark, Scarface and many of the other classic movie hits in the world.

Now for any film to reach up to that callaber has to have the best acting, the best storyline and volience and The Dark Knight definately has them you dont even need to be a comic book fan to love this film but this is the most confirmed best comic book film this decade expecially much more better and more relistic than the spiderman films, and the superman films,
this movie also redifines comic book movie to the relistic world.....
"welcome to a world without rules".

The villians: Joker
Two-face
scarecrow (cameo)

Destined to be a Bestseller!, 08 Oct 2008
I know this is not out yet on Blu-Ray but i have watched the first 5 mins
of Dark Knight on Blu-Ray as it is on the special features on my Batman Begins Blu-Ray disc and judging by that this will be probably a must own title.

Honestly the opening scene of Dark Knight on Blu Ray on a big high definition TV with the sound cranked up is a jaw dropping experience!


HEATH LEDGER'S PARTING GIFT, 05 Oct 2008
Brokeback Mountain [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Viewed the film on the 'big - screen. Waiting for the DVD release. The Title of the film should have been,"Heath Ledger as the Joker". As always
Christian Bale, is the worst Batman in Moviedom. I shall give you a small example: In both 'The Batman Begins' and 'Dark Knight',why on earth does the Batman speak fluently, as Bruce Wayne, but the moment he dons his costume, starts talking, like he had severe Laryngitis? I haven't seen a single 'Batman' starting from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney talk like this,in their portrayals as 'Batman'. Heath! Heath! Heath! He IS the only reason that made me visit the cinema. Already rumors are adrift that Heath was adviced not to take on the role, by someone, none other than, Jack Nicholson himself. It seems Mr.Nicholson warned him that the role was too dark.Heath, we will all miss you.

Television really doesn't come much better than this. Criminally ignored by far, far too many people, The Wire has proven itself to be that rarest of things: an intelligent, clever, character-driven show, that's lasted more than one season.

This boxset brings together all the episodes from the maiden series of The Wire, spread across thirteen episodes. Yet those episodes, unlike many in the police genre where the show spends a good deal of its time, are dedicated to just one case. Furthermore, it follows both sides of the case. Thus, there's the Baltimore police department, with its statistics to manage, its internal politics to manage and its chain of command to respect, set against a highly organised drug gang, who too have more than their fair share of problems.

The Wire is a slow burn show, taking time to delicate put its pieces in place. Rarely do you get a dramatic end to an episode, and it's not afraid to humanise and blur the lines between good and bad. But, bluntly, there's nothing--not even The Sopranos--that US TV has broadcast in the last ten years that can hold a torch to it. This first series is genuinely outstanding television, and really deserves your attention. And the good news? Excellent as it is, this first series isn't even the best that The Wire has to offer…--Simon Brew

Great movie - whats with the voice?, 18 Nov 2008
Great film, awesome performance by the Joker and 2 face. However, there are 2 reasons why i only gave this film 4 stars.

1. Batmans voice is ridiculous. Its the worse put on gravely voice in film and really grinds on me, esp the last scene with the joker.

2. Why oh why is that goon Caine, Alfred the butler. Cockney butler for one of the worlds richest tycoons - unlikely. I prefered Michael Gough, a classy English accent.

More than worth the hype, 13 Nov 2008
The massive media focus on Heath Ledger's tragic death has in its way done this film a disservice - sure, it was publicity, and Ledger's performance really is that astoundingly brilliant, but it tends to overshadow the fact that this entire film is just as astoundingly brilliant.

From start to finish, this is an incredible, dark and tortured tale of a man who realises that in order to truly be a hero, he must allow himself to be painted the villain. Christian Bale improves on his first outing as Batman to bring out these dilemmas and the conflict between his public images (both as millionaire playboy and vigilante) and private desires - if they do another one I really hope he agrees to reprise the role. The story is involving, Bruce Wayne's struggle to understand and thus effectively combat a nemesis whose only motivation is chaos for its own sake is an engaging and intriguing struggle and the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The whole film is visually stunning and incredibly well acted on all counts. The fall of Harvey Dent/Two Face is especially well played out and there is not a single moment of this film that is not enthralling. It constantly asks difficult questions of us and our morality - the big finale with the two ships is a great one, though I shan't spoil it with details - and the whole thing is just pitch perfect throughout. Chris Nolan has done a stellar job here.

As for Heath Ledger... I was always a big fan of him, from his early teen fare right through to the end, but this is a performance beyond what even I as a fan thought him capable of. His Joker is sadistic, cruel and yet perversely funny, and he is a revelation. It just makes me sad to think what he could have been doing in ten or twenty years' time if this was the calibre of work he was managing as a younger actor.

So when it comes to The Dark Knight, I say don't trust the hype - for this movie far exceeds it. Hands down the best comic book adaptation I've seen, and I do have a penchant for them (especially for a girl)

An absolute legend of a film, 12 Nov 2008
Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!



"You wanted me,here I am", 11 Nov 2008
My favourite superhero has always been Batman by a long way.It's the dark edge to him,the turmoil that makes him a little different.I thought that the previous movie 'Batman Begins' was a fine effort at re-inventing the franchise away from the almost comic to the intensity that is required nowadays.I read so many glowing tributes about 'The Dark Knight' that I looked forward to seeing it with keen interest.When it was over I thought it was good but not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped.

The acting was pretty much first rate.Christian Bale is clearly suited to the role,Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are as reliable as ever and Aaron Eckhart was better than I expected him to be as Harvey Dent.Probably the most forgetabble character was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel.Obviously,the person that got the most plaudits was Heath Ledger as The Joker.Yes,he was good but in all honesty it was a showcase part and he was bound to stand out.Was he any better than Gary Oldman as Gordon?The honest answer is no he wasn't.Oldman's role was far less showey
but he excelled in every scene he was in and deserves equal praise.There are many well executed action scenes and there is no doubt it is a well made movie.

Why I can't give this five stars is because the movie is too long and the voice of Batman sounds just like the guy off the Carlsberg ads!It does sound a bit daft and should be toned down for the sequel.I think four stars is a fair mark and this is a DVD that I will definitely purchase.

Instantaneous classic, 08 Nov 2008
No much to add to other 'five-star' reviews. This is a classic and by miles the best comic book based film ever made. I would like Nolan to revisit the character once again but after having created such a brilliant plot, character development and poetic ending, maybe he shouldn't...

Just brilliant!


More the Joker's story then Batmans., 28 Oct 2008
Could the movie live up to the hype? Most definitely. Buy this film if only to see Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch-enemy the Joker. His performance is worth the cost of the blu-ray alone. I always though that Jack Nicholson's performance would set the standard, but Heath Ledger's Joker knocks that into a hat.

This is a continuance of the Dark Knight created originally by Bob Kane and later re-invented by Frank Miller. Batman ain't Mr NIce Guy and nor should he be. In fact Batman comes across as harder and possibly mentally unstable but then again to wear latex and a cape you have to be a bit mad.

If I found one fault in the film, it would be that it is too long. I would have rather this had been extended and made in too parts like Kill Bill. That worked so well and I am sure this would have been just as good and a continuing legacy to Heath Ledgers best performance.

A film that lives up to the hype, 23 Oct 2008
Firstly, this film as the title suggests is one of the few to live up to the hype since the Lord of the Rings. The acting was amazing, the effects were superb, and somehow although this is a superhero, it is done so well that you could imagine Batman and his enemies are real unlike the original movies where they are very comic book. For instance, compare the Joker against the 1989 movie. Both excellent in their own right, but the phsycotic Ledger is much more real than the comic book villain of Nicholson. The same can be said of Gotham itself and Gordon. My only (small) criticism of this movie was the length and number of bad guys. I think that it could maybe have been split into 2 movies, 1 bad guy in each. Doesn't stop it from being a 5 star movie for me!

Best movie since The Godfather., 15 Oct 2008

This film is so great that even the critics are comparing it to the Godfather, Goodfellas, Raiders of the lost ark, Scarface and many of the other classic movie hits in the world.

Now for any film to reach up to that callaber has to have the best acting, the best storyline and volience and The Dark Knight definately has them you dont even need to be a comic book fan to love this film but this is the most confirmed best comic book film this decade expecially much more better and more relistic than the spiderman films, and the superman films,
this movie also redifines comic book movie to the relistic world.....
"welcome to a world without rules".

The villians: Joker
Two-face
scarecrow (cameo)

Destined to be a Bestseller!, 08 Oct 2008
I know this is not out yet on Blu-Ray but i have watched the first 5 mins
of Dark Knight on Blu-Ray as it is on the special features on my Batman Begins Blu-Ray disc and judging by that this will be probably a must own title.

Honestly the opening scene of Dark Knight on Blu Ray on a big high definition TV with the sound cranked up is a jaw dropping experience!


HEATH LEDGER'S PARTING GIFT, 05 Oct 2008
Brokeback Mountain [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Viewed the film on the 'big - screen. Waiting for the DVD release. The Title of the film should have been,"Heath Ledger as the Joker". As always
Christian Bale, is the worst Batman in Moviedom. I shall give you a small example: In both 'The Batman Begins' and 'Dark Knight',why on earth does the Batman speak fluently, as Bruce Wayne, but the moment he dons his costume, starts talking, like he had severe Laryngitis? I haven't seen a single 'Batman' starting from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney talk like this,in their portrayals as 'Batman'. Heath! Heath! Heath! He IS the only reason that made me visit the cinema. Already rumors are adrift that Heath was adviced not to take on the role, by someone, none other than, Jack Nicholson himself. It seems Mr.Nicholson warned him that the role was too dark.Heath, we will all miss you.

Please tap into one of the most brilliant TV drama's of all time, 16 Nov 2008
After Soprano's came to an end last year over here in blighty last year I was wondering would another series come along to give it a run for it's money.

I'm not sure what people think of David Chase's Mafia Epic but I can imagine cries of overrated being called out, I personally found utterly engrossing TV and simply sublime, I was somewhat sad to see it end but grateful Chase chose it to go out on high and yes I was perfectly happy with the opened ended abrupt ending to the final episode. Chase never was going to do conventional.

While I admit Showtime's Dexter started to fill that void, the 1st season was a great intro to the world of Miami's most interesting serial killer the 2nd season took the concept and ran with it, the 3rd season seems rather sedate but seems to hotting up, I knew it was falling short of Tony Soprano's Journey.

At last I've found my void well and truly filled and HBO's (god these guy are so far ahead in the game) The Wire may well eclipse Chase's genius series. David Simon a Journalist who had written the treatment for what became the TV series Homicide Life on the Street, alongide ex Cop Ed Burns also like Simon a award winning writer of Drug related crime lliterature conceived this exemplelary series.

An excellent basis for what is simply one of the most engrossing thing I've ever seen, knocks spots off most theatrical releases and it's broad canvas and rich characters make for a series which becomes more addictive each episode, I watched the 1st series in just over a week and the 2nd is a done deal as well, can't wait for season 3 which I should start today.

Season 1 introduces us to a rich vein of characters on both sides, the cops at times are nearly as dirty as the dealers. a detailed exmaination of the Baltimore underbelly where the dealing heroin is just an everyday thing. A Detail of cops is put together to build a case against a relatively unknown drug dealer called Avon Barksdale who has managed to elude the spot light but due to some of his people beating a conviction and the murder of an eye witness, the Baltimore Police department is determined to brings some convictions using wire taps, surveilance and paperwork .

Dominic West (yes he is a Brit) heads the cast as the not always likeable but compelling Homicide Detective James "Jimmy" Mcnulty seconded from Homicide to the detail after intiating the investiagtion due to his connections to now Legal Judge Daniel Phelan played by Peter Gerety, who Jimmy lets slip details of a recent case that failed involving Avon Barksdale's crew members who leans on Frankie Faison's Commisioner Ervin Burrell to act, Jimmy always a thorn in his superior Major William Rawls side, gets deeper involved in the situation and puts Burrell in a compromsing situation which results in the detail being formed due to the Judge's inability to stop shouting his mouth off after Jimmy rather naively takes him into his confidence. Mcnulty joins Lieutenant Cedric Daniels crew, a stern no nonsence performance from Lance Reddick.

The group which in includes Detectives, lesbian Kima Greggs, Lester Freamon, Ellis Carver, Thomas "Herc" Hauk as well as Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, only there due to his father in law being Deputy Comm Valchek, someone who will figure prominently in Season 2. Daniels is also afforded by Burrell some dead beat near retirement officiers who give the impression Burrel has no intention of letting this investiagtion run for too long, enough time to humour the Judge in his quest for convictions and is looking for either quick results which doesn't dig to deep or closing it down due to failure to bulid a case

Mcnulty continues his Homicide cases alongside partner the deep voiced Detective William "Bunk" Moreland (Wendell Pierce) who Jimmy continues to investigate current cases which have connections to his investigations with the Detail a murder with ties to Barksdale.

Although when Lester (an excellent Clarke Peters) starts to uncover money connections that lead to highly connected officials, the investigation has the breaks halted on it and the team are told to concentrate on the hoods and the drugs.

As well as this we get the perspective of the drug dealers, as well as Wood Harris's intimidating Barksdale, Avon's right hand the superb Idris Elba as Stringer Bell (another Brit) including Avon's own nephew D'Angelo a superb Larry Gillard Jnr, who has recently beat the conviction which helps to fuel the beginnings of Daniel's Details investigation.

D'Angelo is in charge of his patch and has under is command a group of would be gangster teenager pushing heroin on the neighbourhood which the Detail zero on in for the majority of their operation. Gillard is brilliant in conveying the uncertainty of his dealings in his Uncle's empire and is the moral concience of this season

Amongst this are colourful characters like Junkie Bubbles (Andre Royo) who is also a snitch for detail cop Kima Greggs. Michael K Williams charismatic homosexual under dog Omar who is a blight in Barksdale schemes and after Avon's orders result in the death of his lover becomes determined to be the fly in Avons ointment by upsetting his operations.

The Wire is simply astonishingly good, the acting is consistently brilliant and the storytelling and plotting is masterful, I thought maybe the critics were maybe going over the top with their plaudits for this HBO drama but it is that good and is without doubt the greatest TV series since HBO's own Soprano's.

The Bomb, 11 Nov 2008
This Wire is a great show, I'm no TV buff but think that this is the kind of stuff television was made for- it is complex and difficult but worth every single minute of your attention. It's greatest acheivement for me is that this is an ensemble piece with something like twenty main characters, all of which gradually unfurl throughout the series.
If you want to be challenged, watch this.
If you're going to be offended by the language, don't.


The Wire, 26 Oct 2008

Cracking series.

Had heard alot about it and it lived upto it's billing.

Enjoy

GREAT TV, 24 Oct 2008
I can't believe that it's taken me this long to hear about and watch The Wire. As other reviewers have said, it is a gritty, realistic cop drama with a high body count.
The characters are great (particularly Omar, Bunk and McNulty) and the story lines well thought-out with lots of twists and turns. I was gripped.

One slight criticism; the sound quality wasn't great and I was straining to hear what some of the characters were saying. (In the end I put on the subtitles which did detract a little from the drama but at least I could follow what was being said.)

The only problem with buying a box set is that you end up saying, "Let's watch just one more episode." You have been warned!

Clever, intelligent, realistic, slightly boring, 23 Oct 2008
The Wire is the latest in a long line of programmes that newspaper reviewers tell us are the best thing on TV. Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, now The Wire. And like all these other shows it is good. It is a show with three dimensional characters in believable real world situations. It deals with issues that other programmes don't touch. It is intelligent and complex and everything you would want from challenging TV. Like all these other greatest TV shows it is also a little boring.

There are other shows which have little of the qualities listed above. They are full of stereotypes and clichés. There is a despicable villain and an unusually good looking team of detectives with unfeasibly accurate powers of detection. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger. Let us face it. They are rubbish. But every week you cannot wait to see what happens next.

So, to sum up. If you want social realism and a challenge then get The Wire, it's perfect for you. If you want some less worthy and just require entertainment then get Dexter instead.

The Coen brothers make their finest thriller since Fargo with a restrained adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel. Not that there aren't moments of intense violence, but No Country for Old Men is their quietest, most existential film yet. In this modern-day Western, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) is a Vietnam veteran who needs a break. One morning while hunting antelope, he spies several trucks surrounded by dead bodies (both human and canine). In examining the site, he finds a case filled with $2 million. Moss takes it with him, tells his wife (Kelly Macdonald) he's going away for awhile, and hits the road until he can determine his next move. On the way from El Paso to Mexico, he discovers he's being followed by ex-special ops agent Chigurh (an eerily calm Javier Bardem). Chigurh's weapon of choice is a cattle gun, and he uses it on everyone who gets in his way--or loses a coin toss (as far as he's concerned, bad luck is grounds for death). Just as Sheriff Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a World War II veteran, is on Moss's trail, Chigurh's former colleague, Wells (Woody Harrelson), is on his. For most of the movie, Moss remains one step ahead of his nemesis. Both men are clever and resourceful--except Moss has a conscious, Chigurh does not (he is, as McCarthy puts it, "a prophet of destruction"). At times, the film plays like an old horror movie, with Chigurh as its lumbering Frankenstein monster. Like the taciturn terminator, No Country for Old Men doesn't move quickly, but the tension never dissipates. This minimalist masterwork represents Joel and Ethan Coen and their entire cast, particularly Brolin and Jones, at the peak of their powers. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Great movie - whats with the voice?, 18 Nov 2008
Great film, awesome performance by the Joker and 2 face. However, there are 2 reasons why i only gave this film 4 stars.

1. Batmans voice is ridiculous. Its the worse put on gravely voice in film and really grinds on me, esp the last scene with the joker.

2. Why oh why is that goon Caine, Alfred the butler. Cockney butler for one of the worlds richest tycoons - unlikely. I prefered Michael Gough, a classy English accent.

More than worth the hype, 13 Nov 2008
The massive media focus on Heath Ledger's tragic death has in its way done this film a disservice - sure, it was publicity, and Ledger's performance really is that astoundingly brilliant, but it tends to overshadow the fact that this entire film is just as astoundingly brilliant.

From start to finish, this is an incredible, dark and tortured tale of a man who realises that in order to truly be a hero, he must allow himself to be painted the villain. Christian Bale improves on his first outing as Batman to bring out these dilemmas and the conflict between his public images (both as millionaire playboy and vigilante) and private desires - if they do another one I really hope he agrees to reprise the role. The story is involving, Bruce Wayne's struggle to understand and thus effectively combat a nemesis whose only motivation is chaos for its own sake is an engaging and intriguing struggle and the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The whole film is visually stunning and incredibly well acted on all counts. The fall of Harvey Dent/Two Face is especially well played out and there is not a single moment of this film that is not enthralling. It constantly asks difficult questions of us and our morality - the big finale with the two ships is a great one, though I shan't spoil it with details - and the whole thing is just pitch perfect throughout. Chris Nolan has done a stellar job here.

As for Heath Ledger... I was always a big fan of him, from his early teen fare right through to the end, but this is a performance beyond what even I as a fan thought him capable of. His Joker is sadistic, cruel and yet perversely funny, and he is a revelation. It just makes me sad to think what he could have been doing in ten or twenty years' time if this was the calibre of work he was managing as a younger actor.

So when it comes to The Dark Knight, I say don't trust the hype - for this movie far exceeds it. Hands down the best comic book adaptation I've seen, and I do have a penchant for them (especially for a girl)

An absolute legend of a film, 12 Nov 2008
Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!



"You wanted me,here I am", 11 Nov 2008
My favourite superhero has always been Batman by a long way.It's the dark edge to him,the turmoil that makes him a little different.I thought that the previous movie 'Batman Begins' was a fine effort at re-inventing the franchise away from the almost comic to the intensity that is required nowadays.I read so many glowing tributes about 'The Dark Knight' that I looked forward to seeing it with keen interest.When it was over I thought it was good but not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped.

The acting was pretty much first rate.Christian Bale is clearly suited to the role,Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are as reliable as ever and Aaron Eckhart was better than I expected him to be as Harvey Dent.Probably the most forgetabble character was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel.Obviously,the person that got the most plaudits was Heath Ledger as The Joker.Yes,he was good but in all honesty it was a showcase part and he was bound to stand out.Was he any better than Gary Oldman as Gordon?The honest answer is no he wasn't.Oldman's role was far less showey
but he excelled in every scene he was in and deserves equal praise.There are many well executed action scenes and there is no doubt it is a well made movie.

Why I can't give this five stars is because the movie is too long and the voice of Batman sounds just like the guy off the Carlsberg ads!It does sound a bit daft and should be toned down for the sequel.I think four stars is a fair mark and this is a DVD that I will definitely purchase.

Instantaneous classic, 08 Nov 2008
No much to add to other 'five-star' reviews. This is a classic and by miles the best comic book based film ever made. I would like Nolan to revisit the character once again but after having created such a brilliant plot, character development and poetic ending, maybe he shouldn't...

Just brilliant!


More the Joker's story then Batmans., 28 Oct 2008
Could the movie live up to the hype? Most definitely. Buy this film if only to see Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch-enemy the Joker. His performance is worth the cost of the blu-ray alone. I always though that Jack Nicholson's performance would set the standard, but Heath Ledger's Joker knocks that into a hat.

This is a continuance of the Dark Knight created originally by Bob Kane and later re-invented by Frank Miller. Batman ain't Mr NIce Guy and nor should he be. In fact Batman comes across as harder and possibly mentally unstable but then again to wear latex and a cape you have to be a bit mad.

If I found one fault in the film, it would be that it is too long. I would have rather this had been extended and made in too parts like Kill Bill. That worked so well and I am sure this would have been just as good and a continuing legacy to Heath Ledgers best performance.

A film that lives up to the hype, 23 Oct 2008
Firstly, this film as the title suggests is one of the few to live up to the hype since the Lord of the Rings. The acting was amazing, the effects were superb, and somehow although this is a superhero, it is done so well that you could imagine Batman and his enemies are real unlike the original movies where they are very comic book. For instance, compare the Joker against the 1989 movie. Both excellent in their own right, but the phsycotic Ledger is much more real than the comic book villain of Nicholson. The same can be said of Gotham itself and Gordon. My only (small) criticism of this movie was the length and number of bad guys. I think that it could maybe have been split into 2 movies, 1 bad guy in each. Doesn't stop it from being a 5 star movie for me!

Best movie since The Godfather., 15 Oct 2008

This film is so great that even the critics are comparing it to the Godfather, Goodfellas, Raiders of the lost ark, Scarface and many of the other classic movie hits in the world.

Now for any film to reach up to that callaber has to have the best acting, the best storyline and volience and The Dark Knight definately has them you dont even need to be a comic book fan to love this film but this is the most confirmed best comic book film this decade expecially much more better and more relistic than the spiderman films, and the superman films,
this movie also redifines comic book movie to the relistic world.....
"welcome to a world without rules".

The villians: Joker
Two-face
scarecrow (cameo)

Destined to be a Bestseller!, 08 Oct 2008
I know this is not out yet on Blu-Ray but i have watched the first 5 mins
of Dark Knight on Blu-Ray as it is on the special features on my Batman Begins Blu-Ray disc and judging by that this will be probably a must own title.

Honestly the opening scene of Dark Knight on Blu Ray on a big high definition TV with the sound cranked up is a jaw dropping experience!


HEATH LEDGER'S PARTING GIFT, 05 Oct 2008
Brokeback Mountain [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Viewed the film on the 'big - screen. Waiting for the DVD release. The Title of the film should have been,"Heath Ledger as the Joker". As always
Christian Bale, is the worst Batman in Moviedom. I shall give you a small example: In both 'The Batman Begins' and 'Dark Knight',why on earth does the Batman speak fluently, as Bruce Wayne, but the moment he dons his costume, starts talking, like he had severe Laryngitis? I haven't seen a single 'Batman' starting from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney talk like this,in their portrayals as 'Batman'. Heath! Heath! Heath! He IS the only reason that made me visit the cinema. Already rumors are adrift that Heath was adviced not to take on the role, by someone, none other than, Jack Nicholson himself. It seems Mr.Nicholson warned him that the role was too dark.Heath, we will all miss you.

Please tap into one of the most brilliant TV drama's of all time, 16 Nov 2008
After Soprano's came to an end last year over here in blighty last year I was wondering would another series come along to give it a run for it's money.

I'm not sure what people think of David Chase's Mafia Epic but I can imagine cries of overrated being called out, I personally found utterly engrossing TV and simply sublime, I was somewhat sad to see it end but grateful Chase chose it to go out on high and yes I was perfectly happy with the opened ended abrupt ending to the final episode. Chase never was going to do conventional.

While I admit Showtime's Dexter started to fill that void, the 1st season was a great intro to the world of Miami's most interesting serial killer the 2nd season took the concept and ran with it, the 3rd season seems rather sedate but seems to hotting up, I knew it was falling short of Tony Soprano's Journey.

At last I've found my void well and truly filled and HBO's (god these guy are so far ahead in the game) The Wire may well eclipse Chase's genius series. David Simon a Journalist who had written the treatment for what became the TV series Homicide Life on the Street, alongide ex Cop Ed Burns also like Simon a award winning writer of Drug related crime lliterature conceived this exemplelary series.

An excellent basis for what is simply one of the most engrossing thing I've ever seen, knocks spots off most theatrical releases and it's broad canvas and rich characters make for a series which becomes more addictive each episode, I watched the 1st series in just over a week and the 2nd is a done deal as well, can't wait for season 3 which I should start today.

Season 1 introduces us to a rich vein of characters on both sides, the cops at times are nearly as dirty as the dealers. a detailed exmaination of the Baltimore underbelly where the dealing heroin is just an everyday thing. A Detail of cops is put together to build a case against a relatively unknown drug dealer called Avon Barksdale who has managed to elude the spot light but due to some of his people beating a conviction and the murder of an eye witness, the Baltimore Police department is determined to brings some convictions using wire taps, surveilance and paperwork .

Dominic West (yes he is a Brit) heads the cast as the not always likeable but compelling Homicide Detective James "Jimmy" Mcnulty seconded from Homicide to the detail after intiating the investiagtion due to his connections to now Legal Judge Daniel Phelan played by Peter Gerety, who Jimmy lets slip details of a recent case that failed involving Avon Barksdale's crew members who leans on Frankie Faison's Commisioner Ervin Burrell to act, Jimmy always a thorn in his superior Major William Rawls side, gets deeper involved in the situation and puts Burrell in a compromsing situation which results in the detail being formed due to the Judge's inability to stop shouting his mouth off after Jimmy rather naively takes him into his confidence. Mcnulty joins Lieutenant Cedric Daniels crew, a stern no nonsence performance from Lance Reddick.

The group which in includes Detectives, lesbian Kima Greggs, Lester Freamon, Ellis Carver, Thomas "Herc" Hauk as well as Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, only there due to his father in law being Deputy Comm Valchek, someone who will figure prominently in Season 2. Daniels is also afforded by Burrell some dead beat near retirement officiers who give the impression Burrel has no intention of letting this investiagtion run for too long, enough time to humour the Judge in his quest for convictions and is looking for either quick results which doesn't dig to deep or closing it down due to failure to bulid a case

Mcnulty continues his Homicide cases alongside partner the deep voiced Detective William "Bunk" Moreland (Wendell Pierce) who Jimmy continues to investigate current cases which have connections to his investigations with the Detail a murder with ties to Barksdale.

Although when Lester (an excellent Clarke Peters) starts to uncover money connections that lead to highly connected officials, the investigation has the breaks halted on it and the team are told to concentrate on the hoods and the drugs.

As well as this we get the perspective of the drug dealers, as well as Wood Harris's intimidating Barksdale, Avon's right hand the superb Idris Elba as Stringer Bell (another Brit) including Avon's own nephew D'Angelo a superb Larry Gillard Jnr, who has recently beat the conviction which helps to fuel the beginnings of Daniel's Details investigation.

D'Angelo is in charge of his patch and has under is command a group of would be gangster teenager pushing heroin on the neighbourhood which the Detail zero on in for the majority of their operation. Gillard is brilliant in conveying the uncertainty of his dealings in his Uncle's empire and is the moral concience of this season

Amongst this are colourful characters like Junkie Bubbles (Andre Royo) who is also a snitch for detail cop Kima Greggs. Michael K Williams charismatic homosexual under dog Omar who is a blight in Barksdale schemes and after Avon's orders result in the death of his lover becomes determined to be the fly in Avons ointment by upsetting his operations.

The Wire is simply astonishingly good, the acting is consistently brilliant and the storytelling and plotting is masterful, I thought maybe the critics were maybe going over the top with their plaudits for this HBO drama but it is that good and is without doubt the greatest TV series since HBO's own Soprano's.

The Bomb, 11 Nov 2008
This Wire is a great show, I'm no TV buff but think that this is the kind of stuff television was made for- it is complex and difficult but worth every single minute of your attention. It's greatest acheivement for me is that this is an ensemble piece with something like twenty main characters, all of which gradually unfurl throughout the series.
If you want to be challenged, watch this.
If you're going to be offended by the language, don't.


The Wire, 26 Oct 2008

Cracking series.

Had heard alot about it and it lived upto it's billing.

Enjoy

GREAT TV, 24 Oct 2008
I can't believe that it's taken me this long to hear about and watch The Wire. As other reviewers have said, it is a gritty, realistic cop drama with a high body count.
The characters are great (particularly Omar, Bunk and McNulty) and the story lines well thought-out with lots of twists and turns. I was gripped.

One slight criticism; the sound quality wasn't great and I was straining to hear what some of the characters were saying. (In the end I put on the subtitles which did detract a little from the drama but at least I could follow what was being said.)

The only problem with buying a box set is that you end up saying, "Let's watch just one more episode." You have been warned!

Clever, intelligent, realistic, slightly boring, 23 Oct 2008
The Wire is the latest in a long line of programmes that newspaper reviewers tell us are the best thing on TV. Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, now The Wire. And like all these other shows it is good. It is a show with three dimensional characters in believable real world situations. It deals with issues that other programmes don't touch. It is intelligent and complex and everything you would want from challenging TV. Like all these other greatest TV shows it is also a little boring.

There are other shows which have little of the qualities listed above. They are full of stereotypes and clichés. There is a despicable villain and an unusually good looking team of detectives with unfeasibly accurate powers of detection. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger. Let us face it. They are rubbish. But every week you cannot wait to see what happens next.

So, to sum up. If you want social realism and a challenge then get The Wire, it's perfect for you. If you want some less worthy and just require entertainment then get Dexter instead.

Who, what, where, when, why?, 17 Nov 2008
I watched this film 'cold', without looking at trailers and reading reviews or 'the book'. So her is my lasting impression.

The characters were excellent and the story moved through action sequences and general dialogue without a pre-set pattern so, in short, the viewer could be shocked at any moment. This was used to great effect in many scenes, to the benefit of the storyline, until the 'end' of the film.

However, after watching almost everything there was to see, then getting ready for some sort of finale to answer a whole list of questions and discover the, 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why' of the whole film, we are suddenly greeted with the 'end credits'.

My wife and I (Not Mr Meldrew) could not believe it as, until that point, the film had been excellent. In the end, even if the 'book' which some other reviewers mention, ends in that fashion, perhaps there should have been the option to have an alternate ending on the DVD at least.

Purists may well disagreee, and I am really sorry to say this but, as a cinematic experience, many people will feel let down.



HAUNTING, ATMOSPHERIC AND BRUTAL...., 11 Nov 2008
A thoroughly engrossing picture, with a perfect running time of just under 2 hours! A strong plot, memorable characters, and naturalistic acting are complimented by stunning photography, haunting Mid West locations and a suitably minimalist score.
Yes, it is very violent but it never descends into an OTT gore fest, and the action levels are at probably the same as a Training Day or a Reservoir Dogs; short, sharp and sudden.
It's a very quiet movie at times, bursting into life at often unexpected moments. The film does end on a slightly ambiguous note BUT not in a way that leaves key events or character arcs unanswered.
If you like atmosphere, you'll find it in spades, and action fans should still find enough to satisfy - watch out for one of the very best hitmen of all time, an unstoppable Force Of Nature, with some very unusual weapons including a suppressed shotgun, and, bizarreley, a captive bolt pistol powered by compressed air, used to gruesome effect!

Starts well but veers into uncertain territory towards the end, 06 Nov 2008
This film had a lot of hype surrounding it, so I decided go ahead and watch the DVD edition, knowing little about the film except that it is made by the (in)famous Coen brothers.

I thought the film started off very well, seemed to have a good plot structure in which the main character, Moss, finds the $2 million proceeds of a drug deal that has gone wrong out in the desert. He is eventually followed by a psychopath, Chigurh, who follows him to Mexico (by using the tracker attached to the money), killing plenty of innocent bystanders on the way. Moss outwits Chigurh on seveal occasions but about 3/4 of the way through the film I got the impression that the Coen brothers had either got bored or had no idea how to end it. What results is that the main character Moss, is suddenly killed off with little explanation, nothing more is heard of Chigurh and the film ends with a rather confusing and cryptic ulogy made by the Sheriff who has been tracking the money, Moss and Chigurh.

It's a shame as the start of the film was very promising and the characters were well formed and interesting. I still don't get the ending and would describe it as a complete anti-climax, with no clear vision of what happened.

I actually started to nod off towards the end and I think that any film that does that must have something lacking, since it could not keep my attention.

Not recommended.

For me, not the classic it's made out to be , 23 Oct 2008
There seems to be 2 schools of thought on this movie, and to be honest I am in the over-rated camp. I was really enjoying the movie, the acting and direction until the end, where for me it just finished. Some films do that, and you go away thinking 'I wonder..... did this happen, did that happen?', but for me this movie just ended and left me confused. I am glad however after reading other reviews on here that I am not the only one...... I really felt I must have missed something, but it seems that many others feel the same. So in short, this movie is not for everyone, and I am afraid, not for me.

Could have been a lot better..., 11 Oct 2008
Took a while to heat up - my interest grew and the excitement rolled - then a big dissapointment for an ending (perhaps that was the point) but these types of endings may make for good reading - but not very interesting for a film.

Picking up after the dramatic events of its maiden season, the second series of The Wire achieves something really rather special: it even manages to outclass the first.

For those fresh to the show, surely the best, most intelligent piece of scripted drama to emerge from America in the last decade, the actual premise is fairly simple. Across the thirteen episodes of its season, it charts one case, and the numerous influences upon it. So it devotes roughly equal time to those committing the crimes as it does to those chasing them.

This time, the Baltimore Police Department have twin worries. There's the continuing, festering narrative of events from the season before, along with a new problem when a container of dead bodies turns up at the nearby docks. After initial battles over whose statistics the bodies will be attributed to, a fresh case begins for the embattled officers of the Major Crimes Unit.

Yet season two is about much more than the case itself. Bubbling under the surface are characters with real problems, that take their toll on the day-to-day, while at the docks themselves there are union struggles underway, which also have a part to play. Thanks to, frankly, superb scripting, these various narrative threads are woven together quite brilliantly, and the result is perhaps the finest series of The Wire to date. And that's no small feat.

If you're one of the many who have let The Wire fly under their radar thus far, then you're urged to rectify that. Clearly season one is the logical starting point, but begin your adventure in the knowledge that this second series is simple exceptional. For the rest of the US television industry, this is the standard to aim for. --Simon Brew

Great movie - whats with the voice?, 18 Nov 2008
Great film, awesome performance by the Joker and 2 face. However, there are 2 reasons why i only gave this film 4 stars.

1. Batmans voice is ridiculous. Its the worse put on gravely voice in film and really grinds on me, esp the last scene with the joker.

2. Why oh why is that goon Caine, Alfred the butler. Cockney butler for one of the worlds richest tycoons - unlikely. I prefered Michael Gough, a classy English accent.

More than worth the hype, 13 Nov 2008
The massive media focus on Heath Ledger's tragic death has in its way done this film a disservice - sure, it was publicity, and Ledger's performance really is that astoundingly brilliant, but it tends to overshadow the fact that this entire film is just as astoundingly brilliant.

From start to finish, this is an incredible, dark and tortured tale of a man who realises that in order to truly be a hero, he must allow himself to be painted the villain. Christian Bale improves on his first outing as Batman to bring out these dilemmas and the conflict between his public images (both as millionaire playboy and vigilante) and private desires - if they do another one I really hope he agrees to reprise the role. The story is involving, Bruce Wayne's struggle to understand and thus effectively combat a nemesis whose only motivation is chaos for its own sake is an engaging and intriguing struggle and the action sequences are nothing short of spectacular. The whole film is visually stunning and incredibly well acted on all counts. The fall of Harvey Dent/Two Face is especially well played out and there is not a single moment of this film that is not enthralling. It constantly asks difficult questions of us and our morality - the big finale with the two ships is a great one, though I shan't spoil it with details - and the whole thing is just pitch perfect throughout. Chris Nolan has done a stellar job here.

As for Heath Ledger... I was always a big fan of him, from his early teen fare right through to the end, but this is a performance beyond what even I as a fan thought him capable of. His Joker is sadistic, cruel and yet perversely funny, and he is a revelation. It just makes me sad to think what he could have been doing in ten or twenty years' time if this was the calibre of work he was managing as a younger actor.

So when it comes to The Dark Knight, I say don't trust the hype - for this movie far exceeds it. Hands down the best comic book adaptation I've seen, and I do have a penchant for them (especially for a girl)

An absolute legend of a film, 12 Nov 2008
Right, where to start?! As you can probably tell from the title of this review, I was extremely impressed with this film. As a fan of superheroes in general from a very young age to this day, I was horrified by the absolutely atrocious protrayal of batman by the likes of George Clooney and Val Kilmer. For the most part, I consider these two to be good actors but the script was just sooooo terrible that they could do nothing to make the films any good!
When I heard that Batman Begins was going to return to the comic's dark and gritty roots, it was like a breath of fresh air. Needless to say, I thought Batman Begins was a fantastic film but I must admit that when I heard about the Dark Knight, I doubted it would live up to the standard set by its predecessor. Thankfully, I was wrong as the second installment more than equals Batman Begins.
Bale is brilliant as always as the hero Batman but the true star of the show has to be the late Heath Ledger. Many may think it was all hype but of those of you who haven't seen the film and think it's being exagerated, buy this and see for yourself. I won't ruin too much of the plot but I will say that it is far far darker than anything you may have seen in the genre before. The joy of the batman films is that they can be made serious without them seeming like a mockery, as has been done before with super-hero films. The lack of insane superpowers obviously makes this a much easier feat to achieve as you find yourself believing that it could really happen!
Right, so there's some positive stuff, now for the negative. I have only two gripes with this excellent film:
1) Morgan Freeman and Michael Cain were sadly neglected, which is almost criminal when dealing with actors of their calibre
2) Two-Face only appears in earnest for about 20 mins, which while being understandable considering the presence of the joker and the storyline in general, is a shame because the character was done so very well.

Let's face it, two bad points in a film this long? That's pretty good going!! One more thing as a word of warning: this film as been given a rating of 12. Now, I want to meet the people who did that and get their heads examined. DO NOT let anyone below the age of 15 see this, the sight of Two Face alone will give a 12 year old nightmares for months and he/she will definitely develop a fear of clowns!!



"You wanted me,here I am", 11 Nov 2008
My favourite superhero has always been Batman by a long way.It's the dark edge to him,the turmoil that makes him a little different.I thought that the previous movie 'Batman Begins' was a fine effort at re-inventing the franchise away from the almost comic to the intensity that is required nowadays.I read so many glowing tributes about 'The Dark Knight' that I looked forward to seeing it with keen interest.When it was over I thought it was good but not quite as fantastic as I'd hoped.

The acting was pretty much first rate.Christian Bale is clearly suited to the role,Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman are as reliable as ever and Aaron Eckhart was better than I expected him to be as Harvey Dent.Probably the most forgetabble character was Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel.Obviously,the person that got the most plaudits was Heath Ledger as The Joker.Yes,he was good but in all honesty it was a showcase part and he was bound to stand out.Was he any better than Gary Oldman as Gordon?The honest answer is no he wasn't.Oldman's role was far less showey
but he excelled in every scene he was in and deserves equal praise.There are many well executed action scenes and there is no doubt it is a well made movie.

Why I can't give this five stars is because the movie is too long and the voice of Batman sounds just like the guy off the Carlsberg ads!It does sound a bit daft and should be toned down for the sequel.I think four stars is a fair mark and this is a DVD that I will definitely purchase.

Instantaneous classic, 08 Nov 2008
No much to add to other 'five-star' reviews. This is a classic and by miles the best comic book based film ever made. I would like Nolan to revisit the character once again but after having created such a brilliant plot, character development and poetic ending, maybe he shouldn't...

Just brilliant!


More the Joker's story then Batmans., 28 Oct 2008
Could the movie live up to the hype? Most definitely. Buy this film if only to see Heath Ledger's portrayal of Batman's arch-enemy the Joker. His performance is worth the cost of the blu-ray alone. I always though that Jack Nicholson's performance would set the standard, but Heath Ledger's Joker knocks that into a hat.

This is a continuance of the Dark Knight created originally by Bob Kane and later re-invented by Frank Miller. Batman ain't Mr NIce Guy and nor should he be. In fact Batman comes across as harder and possibly mentally unstable but then again to wear latex and a cape you have to be a bit mad.

If I found one fault in the film, it would be that it is too long. I would have rather this had been extended and made in too parts like Kill Bill. That worked so well and I am sure this would have been just as good and a continuing legacy to Heath Ledgers best performance.

A film that lives up to the hype, 23 Oct 2008
Firstly, this film as the title suggests is one of the few to live up to the hype since the Lord of the Rings. The acting was amazing, the effects were superb, and somehow although this is a superhero, it is done so well that you could imagine Batman and his enemies are real unlike the original movies where they are very comic book. For instance, compare the Joker against the 1989 movie. Both excellent in their own right, but the phsycotic Ledger is much more real than the comic book villain of Nicholson. The same can be said of Gotham itself and Gordon. My only (small) criticism of this movie was the length and number of bad guys. I think that it could maybe have been split into 2 movies, 1 bad guy in each. Doesn't stop it from being a 5 star movie for me!

Best movie since The Godfather., 15 Oct 2008

This film is so great that even the critics are comparing it to the Godfather, Goodfellas, Raiders of the lost ark, Scarface and many of the other classic movie hits in the world.

Now for any film to reach up to that callaber has to have the best acting, the best storyline and volience and The Dark Knight definately has them you dont even need to be a comic book fan to love this film but this is the most confirmed best comic book film this decade expecially much more better and more relistic than the spiderman films, and the superman films,
this movie also redifines comic book movie to the relistic world.....
"welcome to a world without rules".

The villians: Joker
Two-face
scarecrow (cameo)

Destined to be a Bestseller!, 08 Oct 2008
I know this is not out yet on Blu-Ray but i have watched the first 5 mins
of Dark Knight on Blu-Ray as it is on the special features on my Batman Begins Blu-Ray disc and judging by that this will be probably a must own title.

Honestly the opening scene of Dark Knight on Blu Ray on a big high definition TV with the sound cranked up is a jaw dropping experience!


HEATH LEDGER'S PARTING GIFT, 05 Oct 2008
Brokeback Mountain [2006] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
Viewed the film on the 'big - screen. Waiting for the DVD release. The Title of the film should have been,"Heath Ledger as the Joker". As always
Christian Bale, is the worst Batman in Moviedom. I shall give you a small example: In both 'The Batman Begins' and 'Dark Knight',why on earth does the Batman speak fluently, as Bruce Wayne, but the moment he dons his costume, starts talking, like he had severe Laryngitis? I haven't seen a single 'Batman' starting from Michael Keaton to Val Kilmer to George Clooney talk like this,in their portrayals as 'Batman'. Heath! Heath! Heath! He IS the only reason that made me visit the cinema. Already rumors are adrift that Heath was adviced not to take on the role, by someone, none other than, Jack Nicholson himself. It seems Mr.Nicholson warned him that the role was too dark.Heath, we will all miss you.

Please tap into one of the most brilliant TV drama's of all time, 16 Nov 2008
After Soprano's came to an end last year over here in blighty last year I was wondering would another series come along to give it a run for it's money.

I'm not sure what people think of David Chase's Mafia Epic but I can imagine cries of overrated being called out, I personally found utterly engrossing TV and simply sublime, I was somewhat sad to see it end but grateful Chase chose it to go out on high and yes I was perfectly happy with the opened ended abrupt ending to the final episode. Chase never was going to do conventional.

While I admit Showtime's Dexter started to fill that void, the 1st season was a great intro to the world of Miami's most interesting serial killer the 2nd season took the concept and ran with it, the 3rd season seems rather sedate but seems to hotting up, I knew it was falling short of Tony Soprano's Journey.

At last I've found my void well and truly filled and HBO's (god these guy are so far ahead in the game) The Wire may well eclipse Chase's genius series. David Simon a Journalist who had written the treatment for what became the TV series Homicide Life on the Street, alongide ex Cop Ed Burns also like Simon a award winning writer of Drug related crime lliterature conceived this exemplelary series.

An excellent basis for what is simply one of the most engrossing thing I've ever seen, knocks spots off most theatrical releases and it's broad canvas and rich characters make for a series which becomes more addictive each episode, I watched the 1st series in just over a week and the 2nd is a done deal as well, can't wait for season 3 which I should start today.

Season 1 introduces us to a rich vein of characters on both sides, the cops at times are nearly as dirty as the dealers. a detailed exmaination of the Baltimore underbelly where the dealing heroin is just an everyday thing. A Detail of cops is put together to build a case against a relatively unknown drug dealer called Avon Barksdale who has managed to elude the spot light but due to some of his people beating a conviction and the murder of an eye witness, the Baltimore Police department is determined to brings some convictions using wire taps, surveilance and paperwork .

Dominic West (yes he is a Brit) heads the cast as the not always likeable but compelling Homicide Detective James "Jimmy" Mcnulty seconded from Homicide to the detail after intiating the investiagtion due to his connections to now Legal Judge Daniel Phelan played by Peter Gerety, who Jimmy lets slip details of a recent case that failed involving Avon Barksdale's crew members who leans on Frankie Faison's Commisioner Ervin Burrell to act, Jimmy always a thorn in his superior Major William Rawls side, gets deeper involved in the situation and puts Burrell in a compromsing situation which results in the detail being formed due to the Judge's inability to stop shouting his mouth off after Jimmy rather naively takes him into his confidence. Mcnulty joins Lieutenant Cedric Daniels crew, a stern no nonsence performance from Lance Reddick.

The group which in includes Detectives, lesbian Kima Greggs, Lester Freamon, Ellis Carver, Thomas "Herc" Hauk as well as Roland "Prez" Pryzbylewski, only there due to his father in law being Deputy Comm Valchek, someone who will figure prominently in Season 2. Daniels is also afforded by Burrell some dead beat near retirement officiers who give the impression Burrel has no intention of letting this investiagtion run for too long, enough time to humour the Judge in his quest for convictions and is looking for either quick results which doesn't dig to deep or closing it down due to failure to bulid a case

Mcnulty continues his Homicide cases alongside partner the deep voiced Detective William "Bunk" Moreland (Wendell Pierce) who Jimmy continues to investigate current cases which have connections to his investigations with the Detail a murder with ties to Barksdale.

Although when Lester (an excellent Clarke Peters) starts to uncover money connections that lead to highly connected officials, the investigation has the breaks halted on it and the team are told to concentrate on the hoods and the drugs.

As well as this we get the perspective of the drug dealers, as well as Wood Harris's intimidating Barksdale, Avon's right hand the superb Idris Elba as Stringer Bell (another Brit) including Avon's own nephew D'Angelo a superb Larry Gillard Jnr, who has recently beat the conviction which helps to fuel the beginnings of Daniel's Details investigation.

D'Angelo is in charge of his patch and has under is command a group of would be gangster teenager pushing heroin on the neighbourhood which the Detail zero on in for the majority of their operation. Gillard is brilliant in conveying the uncertainty of his dealings in his Uncle's empire and is the moral concience of this season

Amongst this are colourful characters like Junkie Bubbles (Andre Royo) who is also a snitch for detail cop Kima Greggs. Michael K Williams charismatic homosexual under dog Omar who is a blight in Barksdale schemes and after Avon's orders result in the death of his lover becomes determined to be the fly in Avons ointment by upsetting his operations.

The Wire is simply astonishingly good, the acting is consistently brilliant and the storytelling and plotting is masterful, I thought maybe the critics were maybe going over the top with their plaudits for this HBO drama but it is that good and is without doubt the greatest TV series since HBO's own Soprano's.

The Bomb, 11 Nov 2008
This Wire is a great show, I'm no TV buff but think that this is the kind of stuff television was made for- it is complex and difficult but worth every single minute of your attention. It's greatest acheivement for me is that this is an ensemble piece with something like twenty main characters, all of which gradually unfurl throughout the series.
If you want to be challenged, watch this.
If you're going to be offended by the language, don't.


The Wire, 26 Oct 2008

Cracking series.

Had heard alot about it and it lived upto it's billing.

Enjoy

GREAT TV, 24 Oct 2008
I can't believe that it's taken me this long to hear about and watch The Wire. As other reviewers have said, it is a gritty, realistic cop drama with a high body count.
The characters are great (particularly Omar, Bunk and McNulty) and the story lines well thought-out with lots of twists and turns. I was gripped.

One slight criticism; the sound quality wasn't great and I was straining to hear what some of the characters were saying. (In the end I put on the subtitles which did detract a little from the drama but at least I could follow what was being said.)

The only problem with buying a box set is that you end up saying, "Let's watch just one more episode." You have been warned!

Clever, intelligent, realistic, slightly boring, 23 Oct 2008
The Wire is the latest in a long line of programmes that newspaper reviewers tell us are the best thing on TV. Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, Battlestar Galactica, now The Wire. And like all these other shows it is good. It is a show with three dimensional characters in believable real world situations. It deals with issues that other programmes don't touch. It is intelligent and complex and everything you would want from challenging TV. Like all these other greatest TV shows it is also a little boring.

There are other shows which have little of the qualities listed above. They are full of stereotypes and clichés. There is a despicable villain and an unusually good looking team of detectives with unfeasibly accurate powers of detection. Every episode ends on a cliffhanger. Let us face it. They are rubbish. But every week you cannot wait to see what happens next.

So, to sum up. If you want social realism and a challenge then get The Wire, it's perfect for you. If you want some less worthy and just require entertainment then get Dexter instead.

Who, what, where, when, why?, 17 Nov 2008
I watched this film 'cold', without looking at trailers and reading reviews or 'the book'. So her is my lasting impression.

The characters were excellent and the story moved through action sequences and general dialogue without a pre-set pattern so, in short, the viewer could be shocked at any moment. This was used to great effect in many scenes, to the benefit of the storyline, until the 'end' of the film.

However, after watching almost everything there was to see, then getting ready for some sort of finale to answer a whole list of questions and discover the, 'who', 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why' of the whole film, we are suddenly greeted with the 'end credits'.

My wife and I (Not Mr Meldrew) could not believe it as, until that point, the film had been excellent. In the end, even if the 'book' which some other reviewers mention, ends in that fashion, perhaps there should have been the option to have an alternate ending on the DVD at least.

Purists may well disagreee, and I am really sorry to say this but, as a cinematic experience, many people will feel let down.



HAUNTING, ATMOSPHERIC AND BRUTAL...., 11 Nov 2008
A thoroughly engrossing picture, with a perfect running time of just under 2 hours! A strong plot, memorable characters, and naturalistic acting are complimented by stunning photography, haunting Mid West locations and a suitably minimalist score.
Yes, it is very violent but it never descends into an OTT gore fest, and the action levels are at probably the same as a Training Day or a Reservoir Dogs; short, sharp and sudden.
It's a very quiet movie at times, bursting into life at often unexpected moments. The film does end on a slightly ambiguous note BUT not in a way that leaves key events or character arcs unanswered.
If you like atmosphere, you'll find it in spades, and action fans should still find enough to satisfy - watch out for one of the very best hitmen of all time, an unstoppable Force Of Nature, with some very unusual weapons including a suppressed shotgun, and, bizarreley, a captive bolt pistol powered by compressed air, used to gruesome effect!

Starts well but veers into uncertain territory towards the end, 06 Nov 2008
This film had a lot of hype surrounding it, so I decided go ahead and watch the DVD edition, knowing little about the film except that it is made by the (in)famous Coen brothers.

I thought the film started off very well, seemed to have a good plot structure in which the main character, Moss, finds the $2 million proceeds of a drug deal that has gone wrong out in the desert. He is eventually followed by a psychopath, Chigurh, who follows him to Mexico (by using the tracker attached to the money), killing plenty of innocent bystanders on the way. Moss outwits Chigurh on seveal occasions but about 3/4 of the way through the film I got the impression that the Coen brothers had either got bored or had no idea how to end it. What results is that the main character Moss, is suddenly killed off with little explanation, nothing more is heard of Chigurh and the film ends with a rather confusing and cryptic ulogy made by the Sheriff who has been tracking the money, Moss and Chigurh.

It's a shame as the start of the film was very promising and the characters were well formed and interesting. I still don't get the ending and would describe it as a complete anti-climax, with no clear vision of what happened.

I actually started to nod off towards the end and I think that any film that does that must have something lacking, since it could not keep my attention.

Not recommended.

For me, not the classic it's made out to be , 23 Oct 2008
There seems to be 2 schools of thought on this movie, and to be honest I am in the over-rated camp. I was really enjoying the movie, the acting and direction until the end, where for me it just finished. Some films do that, and you go away thinking 'I wonder..... did this happen, did that happen?', but for me this movie just ended and left me confused. I am glad however after reading other reviews on here that I am not the only one...... I really felt I must have missed something, but it seems that many others feel the same. So in short, this movie is not for everyone, and I am afraid, not for me.

Could have been a lot better..., 11 Oct 2008
Took a while to heat up - my interest grew and the excitement rolled - then a big dissapointment for an ending (perhaps that was the point) but these types of endings may make for good reading - but not very interesting for a film.

2nd Season which does that rare thing of topping the 1st , 16 Nov 2008
With the 1st season setting the scene and introducing the characters the 2nd season does that rare thing of being even better, Though the story does still contains the continuing Barksdale story with Stringer Bell holding the reins as Avon alongside his nephew are incarcerated due the conclusions of the investigation in season 1. It is the new strand that drives the 2nd series even more. It introduces the tragic tale of the Sobotka's, a family of Batimore Dockers who's head Frank sometimes goes to not exactly legitimate methods to keep the money coming in but is a generous but compromised man. So when he rubs childhood adversary Deputy Commissioner Valchek up the wrong way with a incident that concerns amongst such things as Church stained glass window, Valchek blackmails a returning Frankie Faison from Season 1 as Commisssioner Burrell for political reasons to getting him to launch an investigation into Frank's activities. When after Burrell tries to buy him off some dead beats determined to do nothing, Valchek requests Daniels langishing in the Police Evidence dungeon to put together another Details to lead the investigation including Valchek's son-in-law a returning "Prez" from season 1.

What starts out as a childhood spat gone out of control becomes much bigger when Mcnulty (now Harbour Patrol for his sins) dredges up a Jane Doe in the docks and then connects it to a cargo hold full of 13 dead immigrant girls which Jimmy makes rather maliciously fall in to the jurisdiction of his old boss Major Rawls and ends up being put in the laps of a rather unimpressed Lester & Bunk who base their investigation from Daniels Detail but when their investiagtions become connected end up becoming part of Daniels Detail and after a number of episodes, Daniels agrees to take the case off Rawl's hands in exchange for his co-operation including the one thing Rawls is loathed to grant due to his axe to gring with a certain Detective that used to be part of his squad.

This season also looks into Mcnulty's home life and is flawed personality concerning his family life and coming to terms with his demotion and his borderline alcoholism and is just about pulled from the brink when Rawls allows Daniels to get his own way in exchange for taking the 13 jane does off his roster after being convinced by Bunk & Lester that they are connected to Valchek's Sorbotka case. Also Port Cop Officier Beatrice Russell (Amy Ryan) who is initially left with the immigrant girls case till Mcnulty's intervention is a new addition and makes for an interesting a solid but more wet behind the ears member of the team who lacks experience but has connections with the Dockers including Frank himself which assists in the case and becomes a fine a valuable memeber of the Detail. Kima returns after a stint behind a desk due to receovering from her shooting from season 1 much to her now pregnant girlfriends dismay. Herc & now Sergeant Carver also return to complete the Team

Season 2 improves on the standard of 1st season by making the storytelling even more compelling, where it's Avon's nephew D'Angelo that was the concience and one of the main drives of the story in season 1, it is Chris Bauer's Frank which is the concern of series 2. Frank is loyal to his workers but is involved in what he thinks his petty smuggling and theft but becomes deeper involved with a dangerous group ran by a man simply named "The Greek".

Frank's nephew and son become embroiled in "The Greek's" operation and result in events and actions which will be life changing and tragic for them all. Pablo Schrieber as Frank's nephew Nicky gets deeper in with "The Greek's" right hand Spiros (Paul Ben Victor) who after going behind his Uncle with some scams gets offered the chance of payment in Heroin.

Nicky then see's the oppurtunity that Ziggy, Frank's son had tried to intice him into but was reluctant due to Ziggy's firebrand personality and unexperience in dealing. Nicky being a more shrewd, clever and adept at turning his hand to new oppurtunities excepts the heroin and starts dealing in his neighberhood through the local connections, cutting out Ziggy of the scheme which sows the seeds of startling actions later in the season.

Daniels and the team concentrate on tracking the drugs, Herc & Carver doing the surveilance and gathering vital info as well as the scams with the stealing of Cargo holds which connect them to Lester & Bunk's Jane Does case. After setting up wire taps and cloning the computer system the dockers use to discover the deceptions they start to zero on in on the Sorbotka's schemes, with Nicky becoming more embroiled and Frank not being aware how deep his Nephew is involved and how unpredictable is son Ziggy is becoming.

The story of the port aces' the Barkdale angle of the 1st season by presenting Bauer's tragic but decent Frank and the fate of his families involvement with "The Greek" who seems to have friends in high places who start to throw huge spanners in the Details operation. When the FBI come involved due to Valchek's thirst to bring down Frank the information starts to leak and "The Greek" becomes aware of the operation.

The strands of the Barksdale empire become embroiled in the port story as Stringer has to strike a deal with the competition "Propostion Joe's " (Robert F Chew) crew due to lack of product which see's Stringer's grip on Avon's territory slipping made more awkward by Joe's people in a particular "Cheese", (Hip Hop star Wu Tang Clan's "Method Man") as Joe has dealing with Spiros as they are providing him with a steady supply of heroin bought through on the docks.

Regulars from series 1 make an apperance, Bubbles continues to thieve to fund his habit and Omar continues to taunt Stringer as well as assisting Mcnulty in putting away a Barksdale soldier arrested due to incidents covered in season 1. Like Soprano's the characters aren't always likeable but compelling and make each episode fly by, the detail in the storytelling is astonishing and is truly masterful.

An With 3 more seasons to go I'm practically salivating for some more of this stunning piece of TV.

Yes! The Wire really is that Good!

The quality continues, 30 Oct 2008
It didn't take me long after finishing the first series to start watching the second. With the main characters all established the storyline switches to a new case based around the docks whilst the underlying baltimore drugs scene continues in the background, often blurring into the main case. Its very clever the way the story from series one continues into series two giving continuity and realism and helps resolve the questions and issues left unanswered.
Certainly if you enjoyed the first series the second series is an obvious 'must watch' and for those people they can be assured its more of the same high quality viewing.
For new viewers you should be starting with series one (obviously) as it sets the scene for what i assume will be the complete five series collection perfectly - Put your toe in the water with the first series, if you like it snap up the next four when you see them at the right price!
I gave the first series a 4* rating and this series 5*. In fact both series are equal and i was maybe a little unfair to the first one.
Enjoy TV drama at its very best


Excellent., 14 Oct 2008
When The Wire started it was easy to see it as just another cop show, until its overwhelmingly high quality lifted it onto another level. After all, the narrative of Season 1 was simply that of cops versus drug dealers, with some murky political dealings on the side but these were left relatively unexplored. Season 2, however, shows creator David Simon's real plan: he is trying to craft the definitive portrayal of the turn-of-the-century American city. Like a Grand Theft Auto game, progressing onto Season 2 'unlocks' another chunk of the city, this time the docks and a new cast of characters, including Eastern European criminals, the unions and their families, and introduces an important new thread to the tapestry of the show.

At the end of Season 1, Lt. Daniels' unit successfully cracked the Barksdale case, but political infighting between different police departments saw arrests made prematurely. Whilst Avon and D'Angelo were sent down, the evidence agains