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How good is Heath Ledger in the Dark Knight

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
edited July 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
I have heard NOTHING but great reviews from people about the movie. They all loved the movie, but overall, it seems what they were most amazed by was Heath ledger. Someone said he was "mindblowing" another "he was amazing".

Does he put on one of the best performances in film history?
I havent seen the film yet
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  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,941
    he totally lives up to the hype
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  • AllNiteThingAllNiteThing Posts: 1,115
    Take all the hype, rave reviews and superlatives you've heard about his performance. It's even better than that.

    Mesmerizing.
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  • shaggy15shaggy15 Posts: 190
    he is great. He is creepy and funny all at the same time. You can't even tell it is him. there is a scean on you tube. Joker in the hospital






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  • WindyCityFlyerWindyCityFlyer Posts: 244
    It was only after the movie was over that I thought about how sad it is that Heath is gone.


    While watching the movie, it's not Heath on the screen...it's the Joker. Like literally the FUCKING JOKER.
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  • BrezBrez Posts: 570
    I was skeptic walking in... but he was AWESOME. It would seem like he is getting rave reviews just because he died, but it was really THAT GOOD.
    And before his first step... He's off again...
  • gobrowns19gobrowns19 Posts: 1,447
    Just got back from seeing it. Yes, in my opinion, deserves all the credit, even if he was still alive.
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  • fuckfuck Posts: 4,069
    pretty incredible.
  • PiercePierce Posts: 71
    gobrowns19 wrote:
    Just got back from seeing it. Yes, in my opinion, deserves all the credit, even if he was still alive.

    ditto....and the way he does his tongue...licking his scars on his mouth.....very great acting...
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  • RolandTD20KdrummerRolandTD20Kdrummer Posts: 13,066
    What makes him so good is that he keeps disappearing into the character...literally... as in you don't recognize him anymore.
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  • stylo17stylo17 Posts: 1,001
    I think I had a different experience than most people. for me, when I was watching Heath play The Joker it was this whole surreal moment. my mind couldn't stop thinking about how amazing he was, but also he won't be doing anything more like that again. and although it really was NOT Heath Ledger on the screen but instead The Joker, something inside me was very depressed, very nostalgic almost. his ability to completely transform himself into a character like The Joker was brilliant, yet all I felt was sadness knowing that his talent couldn't be further developed.

    I remember there was a part in the movie, when he was in jail, that my mind STOPPED, and I saw HEATH sitting there clapping. and knowing that he was now dead and that I was watching the character role that killed him, was very haunting.
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  • manipulatedlivingmanipulatedliving Posts: 508
    All I can say is that his performance in Dark Knight was absolutely amazing. I've never really been a fan of bat man since i was a kid, but I really fell in love with this movie because of him. I still think that they should give him the Oscar for his performance even though he's gone now. His death really was a tragedy.
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  • nocode23nocode23 Posts: 411
    I've been a fan of Batman comics since I was a kid and all I have to say is that Heath Ledger IS the Joker. Sorry Jack, you were fun and all, but Ledger just made your Joker obsolete.
  • gobrowns19gobrowns19 Posts: 1,447
    Pierce wrote:
    ditto....and the way he does his tongue...licking his scars on his mouth.....very great acting...

    That tongue thing was amazing, I agree. I know it also only happened in one scene, but when he was fixing his hair up nice for Rachael, that was just so real. I can't stop thinking about his performance. Maybe it's the hype and everyone talking about him, but he was scary and real.
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  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    radiohead33 wrote:
    Does he put on one of the best performances in film history?

    No. not at all. no where near it. Would never come into the conversation of best in performance in history.


    His performace was very good though and he really nailed it.

    Edit- also i would add Christian Bale plays Batman/Bruce Wayne perfectly. He plays his charctor probably just as good as Ledger plays the Joker but Bale is not getting any of the love from critics about his job.
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  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    radiohead33 wrote:
    Does he put on one of the best performances in film history?
    I havent seen the film yet
    Let's not get carried away. Heath was far from being one of the greatest. A very able actor, yes, but I doubt he ever reached his potential and there have been tons of incredible film performances that could not be achieved in the kind of environment that films like The Dark Knight are made in.

    Still, it looks great. Definitely want to see it.
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  • pjsteelerfanpjsteelerfan Maryland Posts: 9,903
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    Let's not get carried away. Heath was far from being one of the greatest. A very able actor, yes, but I doubt he ever reached his potential and there have been tons of incredible film performances that could not be achieved in the kind of environment that films like The Dark Knight are made in.

    Still, it looks great. Definitely want to see it.

    Just because he was not one of the best in other films should not take away from what he did in this one. I am sure there are other actors and directors out there that have won awards based on one project. You should see his performance first before knocking it. I think it was just as good as Bardems was last year in No Country for Old Men. He set the standard for the character now.
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  • InHiding19InHiding19 Posts: 2,385
    dude he fucken made that movie, well it would have been awesome anyways

    10 x better
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  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    intodeep wrote:
    Edit- also i would add Christian Bale plays Batman/Bruce Wayne perfectly. He plays his charctor probably just as good as Ledger plays the Joker but Bale is not getting any of the love from critics about his job.

    Yeah but that probably just has to do with the fact that the Joker is a more interesting character. It's no different to Jack Nicholson stealing Michael Keaton's thunder in the original Batman. And to be fair, I've read a good few reviews of the film which all praise Christian Bale.
  • intodeepintodeep Posts: 7,240
    facepollution wrote:
    Yeah but that probably just has to do with the fact that the Joker is a more interesting character. It's no different to Jack Nicholson stealing Michael Keaton's thunder in the original Batman. And to be fair, I've read a good few reviews of the film which all praise Christian Bale.
    Very true. I guess what i meant was i don't hear people saying Bale should be nominated for an award for his performace when i think it was equally stunning. It just seems to go a little over the top for Heath's role.

    And by all means please don't think i'm bashing the film or heath's job as the joker both were great. I think some are going a little too far with their praise for Heath's role. For instance saying it was the best acting performance ever.........
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  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    intodeep wrote:
    Very true. I guess what i meant was i don't hear people saying Bale should be nominated for an award for his performace when i think it was equally stunning. It just seems to go a little over the top for Heath's role.

    And by all means please don't think i'm bashing the film or heath's job as the joker both were great. I think some are going a little too far with their praise for Heath's role. For instance saying it was the best acting performance ever.........

    Well I can't comment on that since I've yet to see the film, I was so pissed off when I found out we get it a week later than everyone else here in the UK :(

    I think Christian Bale is a wicked actor though, and absolutely the best Batman.
  • PorchsitterPorchsitter Loganville, GA Posts: 1,078
    I would say he portrays one of the most convincing psychopaths on screen since Hopkin's Hannibal Lechter.
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  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,690
    facepollution wrote:
    I think Christian Bale is a wicked actor though, and absolutely the best Batman.

    I agree. Too bad he was just arrested for alleged assault on his mother and sister.
  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    Rygar wrote:
    I agree. Too bad he was just arrested for alleged assault on his mother and sister.

    and I thought you were kidding.......

    From the press I've seen him do for Dark Knight he seems a very intense kind of person, I can imagine all the hype around the film has got to be pretty stiffling, not that that's any sort of excuse.
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    pjsteelerfan wrote:
    Just because he was not one of the best in other films should not take away from what he did in this one. I am sure there are other actors and directors out there that have won awards based on one project. You should see his performance first before knocking it. I think it was just as good as Bardems was last year in No Country for Old Men. He set the standard for the character now.
    I didn't knock it at all, I'd just be very surprised if Heath's Joker is on par with De Niro's Travis Bickle, Falconetti's Joan of Arc, Brando's Don Corleone, Kinski's Aguirre or any of Toshiro Mifune's samurai roles. I can safely say I have no doubt in my mind that, no matter how good this performance is, it's not the best of all-time. Am I being presumptious? Yes. Am I right? Almost definitely.
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  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,690
    facepollution wrote:
    and I thought you were kidding.......

    From the press I've seen him do for Dark Knight he seems a very intense kind of person, I can imagine all the hype around the film has got to be pretty stiffling, not that that's any sort of excuse.
    There is no excuse, but I'm hoping it isn't true, or some such thing. Even if it isn't true, it won't do his image any good...
  • THCTHC Posts: 525
    i may get flammed for this...but i do think it has to be said.

    he was great in the role. very very strong. but i do think he is getting overhyped because of the circumstances surrounding his death...and how this was ultimately his last role. i think Jack did just as interesting a Joker as Heath...only diff.

    great role...but not like the best role in the history of film...that is blowing it out of proportion.
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  • Ledbetterman10Ledbetterman10 Posts: 16,941
    THC wrote:
    great role...but not like the best role in the history of film...that is blowing it out of proportion.

    true, but it's far and away the best performance ever by an actor in an action movie
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  • facepollutionfacepollution Posts: 6,834
    Jeremy1012 wrote:
    I didn't knock it at all, I'd just be very surprised if Heath's Joker is on par with De Niro's Travis Bickle, Falconetti's Joan of Arc, Brando's Don Corleone, Kinski's Aguirre or any of Toshiro Mifune's samurai roles. I can safely say I have no doubt in my mind that, no matter how good this performance is, it's not the best of all-time. Am I being presumptious? Yes. Am I right? Almost definitely.

    Well since it's all pretty subjective, it would ultimately come down to how much you got out of the film, script, character etc. But in terms of how convincing or whatever, there is no reason why Ledger's performance couldn't be just as good as any of those that you mentioned.
  • eyedclaareyedclaar Posts: 6,980
    I will be the first to admit that I was NOT happy with Heath being cast as the Joker. I never thought much about him as an actor... at all. However, I saw the film last night and am man enough to admit when I am wrong. And boy howdy was I ever. Truly an amazing and disturbing performance. Blew Jack's Joker completely out of the water. Great film. Worth the hype.
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  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    facepollution wrote:
    Well since it's all pretty subjective, it would ultimately come down to how much you got out of the film, script, character etc. But in terms of how convincing or whatever, there is no reason why Ledger's performance couldn't be just as good as any of those that you mentioned.
    I'm not saying it COULDN'T be as good, I'm saying it almost certainly won't be. I've already said, yes, I'm being presumptious. I just don't think heath had the talent to produce a performance greater than the very best.

    By your reckoning, a vote for Leslie Nielsen in The Naked Gun is as viable for "greatest film performance in history" as Lawrence Olivier's Hamlet or Brando's On The Waterfront?? :)

    Of course appreciation of a film is subjective. The strength of a performance is not quite as subjective.
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