Michael Abernethy - The Homegrown Snob

“The Dark Knight” :

$65 million opening day (record).

$155 million opening weekend (record).

$200+ million first week anticipated U.S. box office.

$200 million worldwide so far.

And then there’s Ledger:

“… mad-crazy-blazing brilliant” - Rolling Stone

“It is a towering performance. From his menacing, pencil-packing greeting to Gotham’s Mob fraternity (one of the most economic and effective character introductions ever), to the threat and fire he conjures in exchanges with Maggie Gyllenhaal’s sexy, sophisticated brief and “The Bat-maaan”, to the Sophie’s choice surprises of the third act, he is pure, powerful, immense. A force of fucking nature.” - Empire

“But Ledger’s mesmerizingly damaged agent provocateur is the film’s dark heart, a presence so malevolently unpredictable that it remains palpable even when he’s not on screen.” - TV Guide

“In this, the last performance he completed before his death, Ledger had a maniacal gusto inspired enough to suggest that he might have lived to be as audacious an actor as Marlon Brando, and maybe as great.” - Entertainment Weekly

“This Joker is simply one of the most twisted and mesmerizing creeps in movie history.” - TIME

Yeah. He’s that good.

“The Dark Knight” succeeds at frightening levels, and the bulk of the praise belongs to Ledger. Every time he left the screen, he left me wanting more.

Forget Batman. I want a Joker franchise.