Here comes the blasphemy! The Dark Knight, the latest in the new Batman series starring Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader, is simply not dark enough. Cinematically, the film’s darkest scenes are its strength. Dramatically, its darkest character—the Joker—is one of the best screen villains of all time. Structurally, the plot may not be better than that of its predecessor, Batman Begins, but it’s far more sinister. But what was convincingly dark and foreboding in the movie theater is only dim on the small screen.

Still, the night belongs to Heath Ledger, who is, paradoxically, both villain and hero in this movie. While his characterization of the Joker rings more true to the comic book creation, Ledger isn’t much of a “joker” at all. He’s downright serious and wicked in a way that seems noble. Terror is his aim, and Ledger plunges us deep into the Joker’s twisted psyche, reducing Batman to a hunted vigilante in the process. Couple this with the actor’s untimely passing shortly after filming wrapped, and he emerges as the real hero.

Unfortunately, Ledger is completely forgotten in the DVD’s bonus material (the two-disc set has more than 90 minutes while the Blu-Ray format logs in at a whopping three hours). Ledger was notorious for totally engrossing himself in the life of his characters.

Considering the darkness of his personal life and the manner in which he died, he should have been remembered by the producers, filmmakers, cast, his family, etc.

Did the spirit of the Joker truly, as rumored, assist Ledger to his grave? Don’t expect an answer from the DVD. In the end, the producers may have decided there needed to be some light at the end of the tunnel. Or else they became afraid of the dark.

By Leonard Dozier