Christopher Nolan set out to create a three-part masterpiece with his The Dark Knight trilogy by bringing in Christian Bale as DC Comics’ unrelenting vigilante from Gotham City. Released in 2008 after its intriguing prequel Batman Begins in 2005, The Dark Knight is, to date, the best superhero movie out there, even amongst massive competition.
What sets this particular take on the age-old saga of Batman and the Joker apart is the mature and dark themes underlying the crime-fighting story in a broken city. The second installment in the series begins with an alliance between the masked crime fighter, the police lieutenant James Gordon and Harvey Dent. As the three work together to dismantle the city’s complex and vastly spread crime organizations, a new villain is operating in the shadows: the psychopathic Joker.
As a price is put on the head of Batman, Joker further continues spreading anarchy over the city by targeting those close to Batman first. But when Rachel dies at the hands of the evil-grinned villain, Harvey blames Gordon and holds his family hostage, eventually falling to his death. The movie comes to an uncertain end with Dent emerging as the city’s hero as the police ensue on the search and arrest of the now despised Batman.
The grounded depiction of life, through unfiltered crime scenes and raw emotions, is what makes this Nolan film a thriller crime film to its core. The on-point representation by Bale of the dark heroic protector of the city and his alter ego, the billionaire Bruce Wayne is commendable. Posthumous Academy Award winner Heath Ledger was eerily creepy and instilled fear with his portrayal of the Joker, also joined by other big names like Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman.
With the rise of comic book-to-screen adaptations in recent pop culture, the movie not only needs to deliver the performances by the actor, the storytelling, and the cinematography, but the set also plays an equal magnitude of importance. Be it the looming Wayne Mansion or the deserted buildings where the final face-off between the hero and the villain occurs, the fans of such a great franchise deserve only the best.
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Where was The Dark Knight Filmed?
Throughout the movie, amidst high-speed chases and sinister plots of the Joker, the beautiful set and locations, and the tunes of Hans Zimmer, breathe life into this comic book story. To achieve his spectacular vision, Christopher Nolan searched far and wide, scouting locations and attractions worldwide, including Chicago (USA), London (UK), and even Hong Kong.
Chicago, USA
Most scenes from The Dark Knight were shot in Chicago’s suburban neighborhood, with a prominent few landmarks standing out here and there in the film. The gigantic monolith that was the Wayne Tower was shot at the AMA Plaza, a Wabash Avenue skyscraper standing 52 floors and 695 feet high.
Furthermore, the final face-off between the Joker and Batman occurs at the Trump Tower. At the same time, the underground floors of the West Building, McCormick Place, became the Wayne Enterprise’s Applied Sciences Division, all of these situated in the city of Chicago itself.
London, England
The beautifully ornated Criterion Restuarant in the heart of Piccadilly, London, is where Bruce interrupts a romantic night between Harvey and Rachel. Even before this scene, in the early half of the film, as the crime lords gather against the Joker, the dark abandoned room used for this shot was the kitchens of the Earls Court Exhibition Center in London.
At the end of the film, as Batman chooses between saving Rachel or Harvey, we see Rachel near her death at the heights of the Battersea Power Station in London, where this particular tear-jerker was shot.
Hong Kong, China
We see Batman go international in this film as he chases Lau, the accountant of the mafia bosses. As Batman arrives in Hong Kong, several landmarks like the Two International Finance Center debut in the film.
Victoria Harbour and Queen’s Road Central in Central Hong Kong also appear in some of the chase sequences shot here.
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