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Book Review: Black Belt Patriotism |
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Written by Cisco
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Sunday, 05 October 2008 |
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True Chuck Norris Fact: Chuck Norris was at his neighborhood bank when he noticed an Islamic terrorist entering the bank with a suicide bomb strapped to his chest. Within the space of two nanoseconds, Chuck grabbed a phone book and stuffed it down the terrorist's throat, then delivered a round-house kick to the terrorist's chest, sending said terrorist flying into the bank vault. Chuck quickly slammed the bank vault door shut, and a muffled explosion was heard and felt by all in the bank. When the bank vault door was opened, there was no sign of the terrorist, but the neatly-stacked, double-spaced, typed manuscript of Chuck's new book, Black Belt Patriotism, was found on the bank vault floor. When Chuck submitted this manuscript to his publisher, he refused to answer his publisher's inquiries as to why he had typed the manuscript on phone book paper. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 05 October 2008 )
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Book Review: The Book of Lies |
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Written by Cisco
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Tuesday, 09 September 2008 |
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Book Review: The Book of Lies. Written by Brad Meltzer. Published by Grand Central Publishing, 2008.
In his book, The Letter of Marque , Patrick O'Brian provides a scene in which Captain Jack Aubrey has to deal with a situation that arises from the actions of a group of Sethians that are on board his ship. Sethians are members of a religious cult that believe that Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve's first two sons, were brought into being by angels, but that Seth, Adam and Eve's son who was born after Abel's death, was God's direct, pure creation. (Sethian lore is apparently silent as to whether Enoch, Adam and Eve's third son, born prior to Seth, was the product of angels.) Sethians believe that Seth was the protoype of our Lord and they believe that Seth watches over Sethians with particular care. In O'Brian's novel, the Sethians paint the name “Seth” on the side of Aubrey's ship as a demonstration of their gratitude to Seth for his blessings, and then refuse to have the name removed from the side of the ship because they consider it to be holy. When I first read about the Sethians in O'Brian's novel, I assumed them to be a product of O'Brian's imagination, but I later found that the Sethians are not imaginary and apparently continue to exist today as either Neo-Sethians or as the Knights of Seth. As I consider the existence of the Sethians with the backdrop of having just read Brad Meltzer's newest book, it occurs to me that one of my life-long assumptions has run nose-first into the wall of reality. There exists thousands of Christian denominations and sects, and a proliferation of cults that insist that their existence has a Biblical basis. Until now, I have assumed that the genesis of the myriad of denominations, cults, and sects was largely due to disagreements in interpretations of what the Bible does say, but now I suspect that the majority of the various Christian sects owe their existence to conjecture about what the Bible does not say. The Sethians provide us with a perfect example of this conjecture. Seth is mentioned in the Bible only ten times and each of those times he is only mentioned as a genealogical afterthought, as the son of Adam or the father of Enos. And yet, somehow, a whole religious cult sprang up to honor him.
Another notable example of conjecture over what the Bible does not say is the so-called “Gap Theory.” Theologians theorize about the existence of a historical gap of millions of years between the first and second verses of the first chapter of Genesis. This gap conveniently accounts for the existence and subsequent annihilation of the dinosaurs, and I have known of instances of Christian “brothers” resorting to fistfights over this gap, even though it is just a matter of conjecture. We could list several pages of instances where men have gone their separate ways because of a disagreement over conjecture about what the Bible does not say, but time and space dictates that we now focus on the one instance that Brad Meltzer points out in his newest book, The Book of Lies. Interestingly enough, the subject of Biblical conjecture in Meltzer's book happens to be Seth's older brother, Cain. |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 12 September 2008 )
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We are the one we have been waiting for! |
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Written by Dr. Rich Swier
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Monday, 18 August 2008 |
 In his public statement admitting an affair with Rielle Hunter while his wife Elizabeth fell ill with cancer, John Edwards said, "I started to believe that I was special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic."
Do you remember during the run up to the 2006 elections how the Democrats and media spent billion of barrels of ink talking about the "Culture of Corruption"? They attacked Duke Cunningham, Mark Foley and Larry Craig. The Democrats and media kept up a constant attack right up until the elections. Cunningham and Foley resigned. Senator Craig still serves.
Well, John Edwards has added a new phrase to the political lexicon. The narcissistic "Culture of Ego". Democrats seem to believe that they can say and do anything and no one will notice. Well you and I are beginning to notice.
Who are card carrying members of the "Narcissistic Culture of Ego" club? Let me name just a few:
William Jefferson, Democratic Congressman, Louisiana - Jefferson's investigation began in mid-2005 [he was re-elected in 2006], after an investor alleged $400,000 in bribes were paid through a company maintained in the name of his spouse and children.
The money came from a tech company named iGate, Inc. of Louisville, Kentucky, and in return, it is alleged, Jefferson would help iGate's business. Jefferson was to persuade the U.S. Army to test iGate's broadband two-way technology and other iGate products; use his efforts to influence high-ranking officials in Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon; and meet with personnel of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, in order to facilitate potential financing for iGate business deals in those countries.
On 30 July 2005, Jefferson was videotaped by the FBI receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills in a leather briefcase at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Jefferson told an investor, Lori Mody, who was wearing a wire, that he would need to give Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar $500,000 "as a motivating factor" to make sure they obtained contracts for iGate and Mody's company in Nigeria.
A few days later, on 3 August 2005, FBI agents raided Jefferson's home in Northeast Washington and, as noted in an 83-page affidavit filed to support a subsequent raid on his Congressional office, "found $90,000 of the cash in the freezer, in $10,000 increments wrapped in aluminum foil and stuffed inside frozen-food containers." Serial numbers found on the currency in the freezer matched serial numbers of funds given by the FBI to their informant.
Jim McGreevey, former Democratic Governor of New Jersey - McGreevey was criticized for appointing as homeland security adviser Golan Cipel, because he lacked experience or other qualifications for the position. In addition, Cipel could not gain a security clearance from the Federal government, as he was Israeli and not a U.S. citizen. McGreevey had met him in Israel during a trip there in 2000.
According to McGreevey in The Confession, The Record was the first newspaper to break the news of a relationship between McGreevey and Cipel. McGreevey brought up Cipel's name six weeks into his administration in a February 14, 2002, interview with The Record's editorial board at its offices saying: “ We will not skimp on security. We actually brought on a security adviser from the Israel Defense Forces, probably the best in the world.” The interview prompted news investigation into Cipel's background. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Drinking Coffee is a Healthy Lifestyle Choice |
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Written by Cisco
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Wednesday, 13 August 2008 |
 We have already noted here on this site that a one-hour walk each day will assist in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, but in addition to that very valuable health benefit, walking has now been shown to raise HDL (good) cholesterol. For those who are interested in reading one of the actual studies that documents the strong inverse relationship between regular walking and the incidence of coronary heart disease, you can read the study published in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled "A Prospective Study of Walking as Compared with Vigorous Exercise in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women.” (Note: This study is a prospective study derived from the massive Nurses' Health Study which only involved women, but it can be assumed that similar positive health benefits can be experienced by men who walk regularly.) Being mindful of the positive health benefits of walking and the high price of gasoline, a few weeks ago I began killing the proverbial two birds with the proverbial one stone. (Note to any members of PETA who may be reading this: No birds were actually harmed, with or without stones, in the writing of this article.) Rather than wandering aimlessly around the neighborhood, or worse, driving to a park so that I can wander aimlessly around a walking track, I now load my computer and my books into my backpack and walk the 1.5 miles to the Morton Grove public library, thereby saving gas and my own health. I have always thought of public libraries as wonderful places, but they are immensely more wonderful today than they were when I was a child. They have begun providing patrons with free Wi-Fi access, and so that is why I make my daily trek with the additional eight pounds (it is rather old) of my laptop on my back. In the library, I am surrounded by the books and periodicals that I need to research whatever topic I am writing about, and I have the added benefit of immediate access to the internet. In addition, you are allowed to bring covered drinks into the library, and the covered drink that I bring to the library each morning is the subject of the remainder of this article. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Welcome to the goodie room ... Tropic Thunder |
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Written by Jared Mobarak
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Thursday, 07 August 2008 |
 Despite my somewhat indifference, bordering on dislike, of Ben Stiller and most of what he does, Tropic Thunder has been on my much-anticipated list for some time now. The audacity of what he was attempting, spoofing the industry that was giving him the money to do so, blatantly and lovingly, was too great to ignore. And then there is the cast of stars with cameo after cameo of surprise faces joining in on the fun, not to mention the intense marketing strategy pushing it along. Websites for each fictional actor, a site with clips from the Rain of Madness making of documentary (a Hearts of Darkness send up “directed” by co-writer Justin Theroux), and even a faux E! True Hollywood Story to air the week before its premiere in theatres just add to the mythology and attention to detail that went into its making. Now, having finally seen the end result, I must say it didn’t let me down. True, I was expecting more in the way of story and plot, especially with all that background info manufactured, but when you get down to it, the entertainment value is off the charts, the one-liners are going to be quoted for years to come, and the laughs come often and hard.
To take on subject matter as lofty as a send-up to war films, mainly Apocalypse Now, needs a certain amount to bravery and confidence to not care if it all backfires. The production value and effects make this seem as though it is a certified blockbuster falling apart at the seams. Sure the characters are funny and the events on display hilarious, but by the look and feel of the aesthetic, this is a war film to the end. Between that realism and the love I have for meta-narrative, there was little chance Stiller would be bombing in my eyes. Something about movies within movies intrigue the heck out of me, and this one having actors within actors just played up my interest more. There was truly no better way to start this movie then how was done: the playing of Alpa Chino’s rap music, consumerism selling commercial and trailers for our three leads’ previous films. What better way to be introduced to our action star, our funnyman, and our award winning thespian? Knowing full well the extent of satire going on, each spot delivers, giving a little background into the work these men have done in the past.
Directly connecting with the subsequent shot, a live scene from the film at hand, the egos finally come out and show face. Jack Black’s Jeff Portney reins in his comedian schtick to portray a hardened solider, voice rasping as he shows his serious side; Stiller’s Tugg Speedman attempts to revive the action cred he tried to leave behind with his Oscar-bait turn as a mentally handicapped man in Simple Jack, where he went “full retarded, no one ever comes back from that”; and Robert Downey Jr.’s Kirk Lazarus, Australian genius at his craft, playing a black man like he was born one. The scene continues without a hitch, explosions everywhere, screams heard in the distance, and a heartfelt death about to be delivered, until the men show their true colors. Tugg can’t make himself cry, (he’s just not that good), and Kirk’s blubbering and drooling is just so real that the two must partake in a pissing match while effects guru Cody, (the red hot of late Danny McBride), let’s loose the one-take only scorched earth fire storm. It’s all falling apart and script-writer/former soldier Four Leaf, (the always gruff Nick Nolte), gets the director, (Steve Coogan with one of the best film exits I’ve ever seen), to agree on guerilla filming, deep in the jungle of foreign lands. Here is where the fun begins and where the movie inside the movie becomes real, or, in effect, the actual movie—kind of like “the dude playing the dude, disguised as another dude”. The levels at play here are just too many to mention.
Besides a weakly written role for Black, the rest of the men are given enough to work with for some truly great moments. Stiller has a few instances where he returns to his over-long annoying routine—pouring “fake” blood into his mouth for one—but for the most part did a real good job, especially with his tough guy poses shooting off his gun. Jay Baruchel shines as the only non-celebrity involved, the guy who went to boot camp, read the novel and the script, and idolizes the men he is working with. Good to see him get a more beefed up role as opposed to the side parts in Apatow flims. And the back and forth between Downey Jr. and Brandon T. Jackson’s Alpa never get old. The whole dynamic of real black man versus fake was unceasingly funny.
There were plot points that irked me throughout, TiVo’s cameo being the biggest culprit, but I found myself pushing the problems aside and just enjoying the ride. Downey Jr.’s facial expressions, voices, and presence may steal the show, but what really allowed me to forget my worries was an absolutely brilliant cameo from Tom Cruise. His studio executive, pompously crass, loud-mouth made me think of all the horror stories you hear about the Weinsteins, and his dance moves can not be equaled. Tropic Thunder is first and foremost a vehicle for a bunch of friends to have a blast poking fun at their craft and really at themselves. I’ll be remembering quotes all night now, thinking that while the story itself doesn’t necessitate me watching it again soon, the jokes just might make buying it a must…not to mention the wealth of extras that DVD is sure to have.
Tropic Thunder 8/10 |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Book Review: Empire of Lies |
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Written by Cisco
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Tuesday, 05 August 2008 |
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Book Review: Empire of Lies. Written by Andrew Klavan. Published by Harcourt, 2008. During the past month, I have read two recently published novels which have as their antagonists groups of Islamic fundamentalist terrorists. These two novels are Brad Thor's The Last Patriot and the book which we now have under review, Empire of Lies. To be sure, the plots are drastically different, and the protagonists in the two books could not possibly be more different: the hardcore CIA operative, Scot Harvath, found in Thor's novel, and the real-estate investing Evangelical Christian father of three, Jason Harrow, found in Klavan's novel. But both novels deal with the subject matter of Islamic fundamentalists, demonstrating that their primary objective is to kill anyone who disagrees with them. We have already done a review of The Last Patriot which you can read, but I will note here that, while I have a generally positive opinion of Thor's writing, The Last Patriot tends to be a dry history lesson at times and there are some gaping holes in the plot. Apparently, not everyone shares my opinion of the book, for even as I write this current review, The Last Patriot is number five on the Times Best Seller List. Certainly, some portion of it's popularity is attributable to the fact that Thor's readers have come to know and love Scot Harvath, and they want to know what is going on in this latest episode of his life. We see this same dynamic at play in the newly published book, The Bourne Sanction. The popularity of that book can in no way be attributable to good writing – the writing is mediocre, at best – but can only be explained by the desire of Jason Bourne fans to read more about Jason Bourne. When we compare the popularity of Empire of Lies to that of The Last Patriot, we find that not only is Klavan's book absent from the top ten on the Times Best Seller List, my local Barnes & Noble store did not even have one copy when I checked recently. In addition to the difference in popularity in the two books, we should also note the difference in notoriety. Since the publication of The Last Patriot, Brad Thor has been forced to re-locate and pay for additional personal security because of the death threats that he has received from Islamo-fascists. Apparently Islamo-fascists do not care for fictional characters searching for a fictional last revelation of the Qur'an. We have no indication that Andrew Klavan has received any similar death threats for Empire of Lies, even though the protagonist in the book can be found talking about Islamo-fascist fundamentalists, describing them as “Crazy jihadists taking over the failed kingdoms of Islam, fanatic hordes of fundamentalist warriors who seem to have burst alive out of the mural of the Dark Ages, burst, complete with beards and turbans, frothing horses, scimitars upraised, to go galloping nutso through real life. They would brook no god but their god, their ferocious god, and no law but their sharia law. They would kill any one that might oppose or offend them, any Muslim who imagined a new future, any woman who wanted to be equal or free...They were murderers in Holland. Rioters in France. Bombers in England, Russia, Pakistan, and so on.” Apparently, a writer of fiction does not merit death threats if he merely tells the truth about the fascistic behavior of Islamic fundamentalists. Perhaps you have purchased The Last Patriot because you are a great fan of Thor's Scot Harvath, or perhaps you have purchased the book just to find out what is written there that merits the Salman Rushdie treatment for Brad Thor. But if you are a true fan of the spy thriller genre, I think that you will be doing yourself a great disservice if you choose to ignore the superior book of the two, Empire of Lies. The book is superior in it's character development, superior in it's believability, and superior in it's telling of action sequences. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Written by Dr. Richard M. Swier
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Friday, 01 August 2008 |
 Our good friend Waldo Proffitt writes an interesting article about the pros of electricity provided by wind turbines in his column, " The Saudi Arabia of wind power". Why do we compare American resources to Saudi Arabia? Is Saudi Arabia the new gold standard for energy? I prefer to think about America being the gold standard. We have been and we are. Anyway, we agree with Waldo and T. Boone Pickens that we need to exploit wind power. That makes perfect sense. We need to find the optimal locations in America to place wind turbines and just do it. However, I am against subsidizing any form of energy production. T. Boone Pickens is asking tax payers to help fund his project with massive multi-billion dollar subsidies. As the Wall Street Journal points out, "Mr. Pickens figures that [his plan] would save the U.S. about $300 billion a year, in addition to cleaning up the environment. But there’s a vicious circle in place: Wind can’t become a bigger part of the electricity mix until there’s a new batch of transmission lines, and nobody is willing to foot the bill for new power lines until there’s a lot of juice to move. Plus, a lot of communities hate the idea of big power lines plowing across their land. Mr. Pickens says he’s ready to pay for his own private transmission lines to get his wind farm spinning... But to really take off nationwide, wind power needs a national solution, the Senate heard. Western governors are teaming up with counterparts in Mexico and Canada to build their own clean-energy networks across state boundaries. But so far, the patchwork of federal and state regulations and permits is acting as a brake on wind power’s growth. That means Washington has to act, Mr. Pickens said, by tackling prickly questions like eminent domain and right-of-way across big swathes of federal land." Now for a reality check. Paul Driessen, from TownHall.com, writes, "Hydrocarbon fuels created America, gave us the technologies and living standards we enjoy today, enabled us to eradicate diseases that plagued earlier generations, and boosted our life expectancy from 50 in 1900 to nearly 80 today. They still provide 85% of our energy, and we could greatly reduce our reliance on oil imports if we would simply end the outrageous policies that keep our nation’s abundant energy resources locked up. We have enough oil, natural gas, oil shale, coal and uranium to provide power for centuries. We have a growing consensus that we need to drill, onshore and off. But partisan intransigence and absurd environmental claims prevent us from utilizing them. Instead, we’re offered bromides like wind. Wind contributes more every year to our energy mix. However, it still provides only 1% of our electricity – compared to 49% for coal, 22% for natural gas, 19% for nuclear and 7% for hydroelectric. Wind power is intermittent, unreliable, noisy and expensive (even with subsidies). Many modern turbines are 400 feet tall and carry 130-foot-long, 7-ton blades that slice up raptors and other birds. They operate only 8 hours a day, on average, compared to 85% of the time for coal, gas and nuclear plants. They rarely provide power during peak summer daytime hours, when air-conditioning demand is highest, but wind speed is low to nonexistent. Using wind to replace all gas-fired power plants would require some 300,000 1.5-MW turbines, covering Midwestern “wind belt” acreage equivalent to South Carolina. The noise, scenic impacts and bird kills caused by such an “eco-friendly” energy source defy imagination. Building and installing these turbines requires 5 to 10 times more steel and concrete than is needed to build far more reliable coal or nuclear plants to generate the same amount of electricity, says Berkeley engineer Per Peterson. Add in the financing, steel and cement needed to build transmission lines from distant wind farms to urban consumers, and the effects multiply. That means vastly more quarries, mines, cement plants and steel mills to supply those raw materials. But radical greens oppose such facilities. So under the Pickens proposal, we would likely import more steel and cement, instead of oil." I am not against wind farms. I am against those that want "only" wind farms. I have said time and time again that the United States in general and Florida in particular must look at all forms of energy production. Florida has potentially billions of barrels of oil and trillions of cubic feet of natural gas just off of our coast lines. These natural resources belong to all Floridians. By tapping into these offshore resources and refining them we would bring billions of dollars into our economy, create high paying jobs, diversify our economy, increase tax revenues, and help America reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Nothing should be off of the table. Wind, solar, geothermal, nuclear, oil, clean coal, oil shale, and biomass all have potential and must be developed. T. Boone Pickens is correct when he says we cannot drill our way out of this mess. We must drill, mine, build, invent, innovate, and use technology to get us out of this mess. For those concerned about the environmental impact of drilling offshore Deroy Murdock of the Seattle Post Intelligencer reports, "U.S. offshore oil drilling is not perfectly tidy. It's only 99.999 percent clean. Indeed, since 1980 -- as MMS figures indicate -- 101,997 barrels spilled from among the 11.855 billion barrels of American oil extracted offshore. This is a 0.001 percent pollution rate. While offshore drilling is not 100 percent spotless, this record should satisfy all but the terminally fastidious. Ironically, in terms of oil contamination, Mother Nature is 95 times dirtier than Man. Some 620,500 barrels of oil ooze organically from North America's ocean floors each year. Compare this to the average 6,555 barrels that oil companies have spilled annually since 1998, according to MMS." The Heritage Foundation states, "Congressman John Boehner of Ohio is set to introduce The American Energy Act, which will most importantly increase America’s energy supplies. The bill calls for leasing regulations for offshore natural gas by 2010, removing restrictions for outer continental shelf drilling, and opening up sections of ANWR for drilling.
As The Heritage Foundation’s Senior Policy Analyst Ben Lieberman has been arguing this even when gas prices were around $1 a gallon. More energy supplies, not more taxes and regulations, are what this country needs. It’s economics 101: expanding supply is the surest way to lower energy prices, and the quicker Congress moves to open up restricted areas, the quicker more resources will be available... Where Boehner’s bill falters is the support for renewable fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol. Ethanol has been a prime culprit for rising food prices not only in America but also globally. The federal government has been trying since the 1970s to pick winners and losers by subsidizing unsuccessful alternative sources of energy and these sources still only comprise a small fraction of America’s energy profile." Republicans have offered multiple bills in the Congress to develop all forms of energy. That is the best idea. That is the rational approach. That is what is best for the people. That is what we must do. Posted by Dr. Richard M. Swier, LTC, U.S. Army (Ret.) at |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 21 August 2008 )
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Book Review: The Devil's Delusion: Atheism And Its Scientific Pretensions |
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Written by Cisco
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Friday, 25 July 2008 |
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Book Review: The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions. Written by David Berlinski. Published by Crown Forum, 2008. When reading anything written in German, I never do so with the expectation of having any emotional reaction. It is my opinion that the German language tends to be very utilitarian, a language that is not often associated with love songs and endearments. It is a language which is more likely to be associated with engineering specifications than with sweet nothings or with words filled with spiritually uplifting connotations. I have no doubt that many native-speaking Germans will find fault with my opinion of their language, and would be able to show me examples of German literature replete with beauty and emotion. The dedication of David Berlinski's newest book, The Devil's Delusion, is partially written in German and when I read it, I did indeed have a strong emotional reaction. Berlinski dedicates his book “To the memory of my maternal grandfather, Samuel Goldfein,” and then the dedication is completed in German. I have attempted to contact Berlinski's publisher, Crown Forum, to ask them about the dedication, but they are apparently too inept to actually respond to phone calls and e-mails. I wanted to ask them why the dedication was written in German, but lacking their answer, I will put here in writing what I suspect. The dedication to the book tells the story of a sixty-six year old Ukrainian Jew, Berlinski's grandfather, who was transported to Dresden as forced labor in February of 1943, then sent to the Jewish ghetto, Theresienstadt, in March of that same year. For those who may not know, Theresienstadt was a place where many older Jews were sent prior to being sent to the extermination camps. Nearly nine months later, he was deported to Auschwitz. The dedication ends with the simple phrase “in Auschwitz vershollen.” |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Sometimes the truth isn't good enough ... The Dark Knight Movie Reivew |
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Written by Jared Mobarak
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Thursday, 24 July 2008 |
 What do you do when your film is hyped up as the best comic book movie of all-time? What about when your star dies of an accidental drug overdose after completion, attributed by some to prescribed depression medication acquired due to the toll his character took on him? Well, you just have to ride the wave and hope it all turns out good. I mean just those two aspects alone were going to drive people to the theatres on Friday night, the real question was would the word-of-mouth keep them coming afterwards? My answer is a resounding yes. Rarely does a film not only live up to the lofty expectations set before it, but almost never does it exceed them. The Dark Knight is not only a great comic adaptation, but also a great movie from any genre. The acting is amazing, the story is intelligent and always keeping you on your toes, and the direction is a step up from the original installment, Batman Begins. I definitely had my reservations with the plethora of new characters and return of so many old ones, but Christopher Nolan handled it all like a champ. Some were so small that they probably weren’t necessary at all—I’m talking to you Scarecrow—but it never suffered from the sequel curse of too much too soon. Having The Joker and Harvey Dent introduced at the same time was natural and necessary because the two are on opposite sides of the legal spectrum, helping give Batman a look at what life could be in Gotham without him, both for the worst and the best.
The Gotham crime syndicates are afraid of the caped crusader to the point where their employees cower in the shadows at the sight of the Bat-signal and the mob bosses hold their meetings during the day. Worried that their finances are about to be seized by Lt. Gordon’s strike force, (Gary Oldman once more showing his greatness in even the straightforward roles he takes when on hiatus from the crazed villains he is used to playing), they pool it all together and hand over control to an Asian corporation, naively thinking it is safe from Gotham and new DA Harvey Dent’s jurisdiction. Only the demented nihilist The Joker understands that Batman has no bounds when it comes to what he is capable of. A vigilante himself, the superhero can go where he pleases and extract Lau from Hong Kong, the man with every penny owned by the city’s underbelly in his seemingly safe hands. This fact isn’t a question of could happen, but instead one of will happen. It is the first step in The Joker’s elaborate plan to take control of the city and prove to all that even the pure of heart can be and will be corruptible. Human nature is flawed and he wants to show the world just how much. Money is inconsequential; all he wants is the power and control.
While first seen as a fly sticking out of a bee swarm, Batman and Gordon don’t take any real heed of The Joker’s threat. It is the mob they are after and, with the help of Dent, are almost to the point where they can take them down for good. But as Harvey says, it is always darker before the dawn and this crazed maniac is blotting out the sun. Devoid of morals and seriously insane—“do you want to know how I got these scars?”—he takes no prisoners and consistently plays with everyone on his trail. A master of the human psyche, he is always two steps ahead of Batman and Gotham’s finest, pulling the strings on who is to live and who is to die. With the finding of his polar opposite in the form of Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego, The Joker is ready to have fun. Knowing how Batman’s one rule is the inability to kill, he pushes his buttons and places the blame of those he kills onto Wayne’s consciousness. Having a man like Dent there to stand for justice, face accessible to the world and not hidden behind a mask, Wayne’s guilt drives him to the edge of finally letting his identity be known. The Joker is a wild card in the poker match of life, orchestrator of anarchy, turning the world on each other and soon doesn’t even need to actually do any of the killings himself. Those he toys with find themselves falling to the darkness of revenge and greed, doing his bidding without even having to be asked.
No one is safe in this pitch-black world of violence and crime, almost completely shrouded in shadow once the small glint of light that seemed about to break through is snuffed out. Nolan throws conventions out the window with his plotting and willingness to take a chance on letting those we may find to be untouchable become expendable. He also has honed his action skills by giving us a bit more of a wide angle view on fights, letting them happen before our eyes and not be constructed later with quick cuts that don’t meld together. And the special effects, all I can say is bravo. From the new gadgets, (sonar systems and a kickass bat-cycle whose introduction is only upstaged by its ability to flip 90 degrees by riding up a building wall), to the make-up work, (The Joker is unsettling to view without Heath Ledger’s superb acting work), to the computer graphics, (not to ruin anything, but Two-Face is a sight to see), The Dark Knight pulls no punches.
With solid acting all around, Christian Bale and company carry over the success from the first film without fail. He himself is more comfortable in the duality of lifestyles, shining as Bruce Wayne the playboy, while also getting a chance to show some heroics before able to get his suit on, showing how it is the man and not the costume that really is super. However, it is the newcomers that bring the standard for comic book performances up to a level that may never be eclipsed. Aaron Eckhart is great as Dent with his pretty boy looks and affable charm. Unable to be bullied or scared, Eckhart embodies the good that Gotham has in its future and the subtle hinting to the darkness always hiding behind the façade of someone that pure of heart. He himself said it best, “you either die the hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Foreshadowing at its best.
But of course, the true amazement is with Ledger’s Joker. When cast, many had their doubts, yet I remember always standing by the choice, knowing he could hit it out of the park if given the chance. Wow, this is the best villain ever put to screen. His vocal work and laugh are chilling and the facial ticks and licking of the lips just show the detail Ledger put in. The back-and-forths between him and Bale are always intriguing and exciting as the two powerhouses just put on a clinic and how about the introduction to his character at the start robbing the bank, what an entrance. The only part of this film that left me sad was the fact that we won’t be able to see Ledger reprise the role in the next installment. Kudos to Nolan for already saying that they will not recast; it is an honor to the job Heath did and to the audience so as not to pull a switch, ruining the character and movie because no one could ever even attempt to match the craft that went into the role here. A fantastic performance in a fantastic film…whatever you have heard, believe it.
The Dark Knight 10/10
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 20 August 2008 )
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Our good friend Waldo Proffitt writes an interesting article about the pros of electricity provided by wind turbines in his column, "The Saudi Arabia of wind power".
