The Dark Knight

[Alexander]

I'm really surprised that no one has started a thread on this already. I saw THE DARK KNIGHT last night at a midnight showing at my local googolplex. The film started VERY late for some unaccountable reason (probably technical). The audience (which was PACKED, btw) got quite restless after about twenty-five minutes and some people started chanting, "Fuck Regal! Fuck Regal!" After another five or ten minutes (during which time I ate all of my popcorn), they started the fifteen minutes of previews (which, incidentally, included a teaser trailer for WATCHMEN, probably the most anticipated comic-book movie of all time). By the time the trailers were finished, the audience was REALLY restless and I despaired of being able to actually hear the movie over all of the griping (NEVER piss off a theater full of hard-core comic book nerds (the only people who would go see a BATMAN movie at midnight). I'm sure most of them were on their blogs before they even got home, registering their disgust throughout the world). I needn't have worried. The audience went deathly quiet from the second the WB logo appeared on the screen and pretty much stayed that way for the next two and a half hours.

What can I say about this film that hasn't been said already in countless reviews? I was a HUGE fan of BATMAN BEGINS. After being disappointed (as a comic book fan) by two Tim Burton films and then disgusted (as a movie AND comic book fan) by two Joel Schumacher films (which completely squandered two potentially GREAT Batmen (Kilmer and Clooney)), I was eager to see what Nolan would do with this frankly dead horse of a franchise. Drawing his inspiration from Frank Miller's BATMAN: YEAR ONE and Loeb and Sale's THE LONG HALLOWEEN and DARK VICTORY, Nolan made the Batman film that got it right. Bale's performance as Bruce Wayne was note-perfect. Cillian Murphy made a very scary Scarecrow and Liam Neeson a nicely ambiguous Ra's Al Ghul. Was it a little overlong? A bit. Was there a bit too much pre-Batman Bruce Wayne? Maybe a little. The film had its flaws, but it immediately vaulted to the head of the class as far as comic book adaptations go.

Now, 2008 has proven to be a very good year for comic book related movies. We've already had two excellent Marvel adaptations in IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm a huge fan of Guillermo Del Toro's so I'm very much looking forward to HELLBOY II (might even go see it tonight). Plus, Nolan's film not only has to live up to is predicessor, but also to the hype surrounding Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker (already incarnated, for many, by Jack Nicholson). Well, it does not disappoint. It is, in a word, perfection. Character driven in a way the Burton/Schumacher Batman films never were, THE DARK KNIGHT creates a number of completely satisfying, even engrossing, characters in Wayne, Harvey Dent (really never more than a walk-on for Billy Dee Williams and a complete waste of Tommy Lee Jones), James Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and the Joker himself. Even though she's miles away from Katie "Xenu" Holmes as an actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal's Rachel is probably the weakest point in the film. Not a cannonical character (she was introduced in the last film to give Bruce Wayne a love interest), Rachel really just seems to exist in order to be either wooed, kidknapped, or both. While she has one VERY strong moment in the film, she isn't as developed as a character as I would like. Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) is not a cannonical character either, but Freeman carries the role off through sheer charisma.

I don't want to go on forever (and I don't want to put up any spoilers), so I'll just say that Ledger's performance as the Joker is everything that's been promised and more. It's a master class in taking a character that's been passed around among several other performers, as well as having a pop cultural existence all its own, and making it completely your own. His Joker bears no resemblence to anything that's come before, either in or out of the comic (save, perhaps, for Alan Moore's definitive THE KILLING JOKE, which seems to provide at least some of the character). It is unique, anarchic, iconic, and mesmerizing. The saddest thing about this film is knowing that Ledger can never reprise or surpass this performance. It's a perfect swan song.

Aaron Eckhart, who is generally a solid actor who excels at playing assholes, does a fantastic job playing both sides of Harvey Dent. His eventual transformation from the fresh faced DA to the abominable Two-Face is genuinely tragic and horrific.

The film's violence, btw, is competely bloodless (which is saying something for a film with two of Batman's most bloodthirsty foes), but that doesn't mean that it doesn't shock. My daughter can withstand most PG-13 movies, but I've ruled this one a little out of her league. Just try to sit through the Joker's (multiple) explanation(s) of how he got his scars without wincing.

[RDK]

All positive from what I've heard so far. Already made $60M on Friday; expect a record-setting weekend overall. Hoping to catch a Sunday matinee at my favorite theater down the street. Have to see this before heading down to San Diego for Comic-Con!

[medjuck]

Saw it this afternoon. I liked it but my advice would be to wait and see it in Imax if possible. (There is no Imax theater here in Santa Barbara so I'll probably see it at one in LA. That I'm willing to see it twice is a pretty good indication of how much I liked it.)

[DTMX]

I saw it this morning at 9AM. Was well worth putting off the attic fan installation until the hotter part of the day. I kept away from most of the spoilers so there were a few times during the movie that I was pretty surprised.

It reminded me of what I felt when watching Silence of the Lambs: when Lector's onscreen it's the greatest movie ever made in the history of the world; and when he's not, it's just another movie. The Joker was the same way - anytime his character was onscreen it amped up the energy in the scene. Probably because when a character is completely unpredictable it just brings a sense of potential chaos to whatever scene they are in.

Every one of my favorite scenes in The Dark Knight was a Joker scene: the disappearing pen/pencil trick, exiting the hospital and hopping on the bus and the interrogation room moment where the Joker was correcting the detective about the number of policemen he (the Joker) had killed. It was only one word, and not even spoken aloud, but it was a great delivery.

Oh, and the bank heist. Being a big fan of heists, capers and double-crosses, I was flat-out impressed.

Does Heath Ledger deserve a posthumous Oscar for this role? Probably not. I haven't seen a lot of movies this year but I'm sure that someone somewhere has done a better job in some other movie. But he really nailed this part and played the hell out of it. So at least he ended his career with something worth being remembered for (Raul Julia in Street Fighter, I'm looking in your general direction).

I wanted to see it in IMAX but all ATL showing are sold out until Monday. With all of the swooping over the skyscrapers, I'd probably barf. Doesn't mean I won't see it; I'll just save dinner for after the movie.

[Quincy]

It reminded me of what I felt when watching Silence of the Lambs: when Lector's onscreen it's the greatest movie ever made in the history of the world; and when he's not, it's just another movie. The Joker was the same way - anytime his character was onscreen it amped up the energy in the scene. Probably because when a character is completely unpredictable it just brings a sense of potential chaos to whatever scene they are in.

Every one of my favorite scenes in The Dark Knight was a Joker scene: the disappearing pen/pencil trick, exiting the hospital and hopping on the bus and the interrogation room moment where the Joker was correcting the detective about the number of policemen he (the Joker) had killed. It was only one word, and not even spoken aloud, but it was a great delivery.

Oh, and the bank heist. Being a big fan of heists, capers and double-crosses, I was flat-out impressed.

That sums it for me perfectly. When the Joker wasn't on the screen it was just a lot of running around, blowing shit up and so forth.

[Soul Stream]

Toooooo Looooong.

[Alexander]

As is the usual case, I think that the die-hard comic book fans are going to enjoy this much more than the average movie goer. I mean, sure there's a lot of running around and blowing stuff up. It's a comic book movie! But there's a lot going on APART from the explosions (even when Ledger isn't on-screen).

As was the case when BATMAN BEGINS was released, a big part of the film's appeal for me is how well they've adapted the best elements of the 50+ year run of the BATMAN comics to the screen. If your knowledge of the character is based largely on Saturday morning cartoons, reading the odd comic book when you were a kid, or the Adam West show (or - God forbid - the earlier films), then I don't think you'll get too much out of it. But if you've read and digested 30-odd years of comic book mythology, if you can compare the film to the interpretations of Dennis O'Neal, Frank Miller, Jeph Loeb, Alan Moore, and other writers who have helped to define the book over the years, then I think you'll get a lot more out of it. I mean, for me (anyway) watching this film was far from a passive experience. I kept thinking to myself: "Now this element of the film is clearly drawn from "The Dark Knight Returns," while this element here comes from "Year One." I like how Nolan juxteposes Alan Moore's Joker with Jeph Loeb's Harvey Dent in this scene..."

I'm not saying that I'm smarter or more perceptive, but just that this film really wasn't made with the average filmgoer in mind. Put it another way: One of the things I really disliked about Burton's interpretation was the way in which is completely disregarded the comic book origins of the characters. It said: "Hey, you don't have to know anything about Batman or the Joker to appreciate this film. Come on in, and I'll tell you everything you need to know." And geeks like me sat there going, "The Joker isn't the guy who shot Bruce Wayne's parents! The Joker wasn't a gangster named Jack Napier! The Joker doesn't HAVE a known history!" It was almost as though Burton was saying, "Thanks for the inspiration, but I'll take it from here." (Burton did this again, much to my disgust, in "Sleepy Hollow," which ran roughshod over one of my favorite short stories). Finally, with THE DARK KNIGHT, with IRON MAN and THE INCREDIBLE HULK (as well as the three SPIDER-MAN films) filmmakers are making films that the GEEKS appreciate. And frankly, everybody else can go fuck themselves. These films are for me and people like me. Go see "Mama Mia" if this is too long or too explode-y for you.

Edited July 20, 2008 by Alexander

[Shawn]

Toooooo Looooong.

Can't agree, I think it was perfectly paced and executed. I also think there were many other strengths to the film besides Ledger's performance. In fact this is one of the very few (recent) movies I would give a perfect **** star rating to.

Edited July 20, 2008 by Shawn

[Soulstation1]

i hate going to the movies when every single seat is taken

[Soul Stream]

Toooooo Looooong.

Can't agree, I think it was perfectly paced and executed. I also think there were many other strengths to the film besides Ledger's performance. In fact this is one of the very few (recent) movies I would give a perfect **** star rating to.

OMG(like the kids say), My mind wandered to how I needed to do laundry an hour before it ended. Felt like the whole second half was a setup to the next sequel. A constant annoyance of mine with these kinds of movies.

[marcello]

They could have cut at least 20 minutes out of it.

SS is right about all of the end being a set up for a sequel about Two Face.

It really got to be too much for my tastes.

I usually don't like movies like this. I'd rather just read a comic book, but that's been a long, long time.

[robviti]

from a psychological standpoint, i'd rate the batmans in the following order:

1) michael keaton - the best. no one portrayed the inner conflict/controlled pathology of the character better.

2) val kilmer - conflicted yes, but too smug for my taste.

3) george clooney - i'm a fan of his, but he's too debonair. it's like watching cary grant in tights.

4) christian bale - the worst. no depth, just brooding. maybe my opinion will change with the new film.

[Shawn]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii17zX57Qmw...feature=related

save your money for this one.

That's coming out next year. If 300 is any indication of the director's talents I'll definitely be skipping that one.

[Aggie87]

...filmmakers are making films that the GEEKS appreciate. And frankly, everybody else can go fuck themselves. These films are for me and people like me. Go see "Mama Mia" if this is too long or too explode-y for you.

Thanks.

I took a date to this movie last night (her choice of movies, not mine). I agree with SS, it was a bit too long. We were both restless toward the end. I think the same story could have been told just as effectively in 2 hours.

I do think Ledger gave an excellent performance though, and Bale, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine were solid. The guy who played Dent was ok, and Maggie Gillenhall was ok I guess.

[Alexander]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii17zX57Qmw...feature=related

save your money for this one.

That's coming out next year. If 300 is any indication of the director's talents I'll definitely be skipping that one.

It's still WATCHMEN! I'd see it even if Joel Schumacher directed it!

[Alexander]

from a psychological standpoint, i'd rate the batmans in the following order:

1) michael keaton - the best. no one portrayed the inner conflict/controlled pathology of the character better.

2) val kilmer - conflicted yes, but too smug for my taste.

3) george clooney - i'm a fan of his, but he's too debonair. it's like watching cary grant in tights.

4) christian bale - the worst. no depth, just brooding. maybe my opinion will change with the new film.

To me, it's almost the exact opposite:

1) Bale - I think he captures the young Bruce Wayne's inexperience and confusion well. Remember that in the last film he had only just become the Batman and this film takes place less than a year later. He's still very new at this and he's still unsure of his mission.

2)Kilmer - I think he was the best up until Bale and I think he was wasted in a horrible movie. He actually gave Bruce Wayne some inner life, which Keaton completely failed to do.

3)Clooney - Again, great potential, but wasted in a lousy film (with a bad director). He really could have embodied the "millionaire playboy" side of Bruce Wayne (another thing Bale does very well, I think).

4) Keaton - A funny guy whom I've enjoyed in other films, but completely wrong for this role. First, he didn't actually give Bruce Wayne any kind of character. He just did "Michael Keaton" schtick. Two examples: There's a bit where Bruce is trying to tell Vicki Vale (ugh...Kim Basinger) his secret. He's talking about how ordinary guys "Get up and eat breakfast and go to work..." It's total Michael Keaton, straight out of MR. MOM (not a bad movie, btw). The second is a scene where Wayne is confronting the Joker. He suddenly wields a poker and shouts, "You wanna get nuts? Come on! Let's get nuts!" Here, he's doing Beetlejuice (another great movie, btw). There's absolutely no sense of who Bruce Wayne IS. It's just Michael Keaton in a tux. Michael Keaton in a rubber batsuit. Michael Keaton in a black turtleneck.

I think that Burton's Batman films were decent Burton films, but horrible Batman films. Thing is, if I want to see a Burton film, I'll go see BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, or ED WOOD. I'm not looking for Tim Burton's brand of weirdness in a Batman movie. I'm looking for BATMAN's brand of weirdness in a Batman movie.

[Quincy]

But if you've read and digested 30-odd years of comic book mythology, if you can compare the film to the interpretations of Dennis O'Neal, Frank Miller, Jeph Loeb, Alan Moore, and other writers who have helped to define the book over the years, then I think you'll get a lot more out of it. I mean, for me (anyway) watching this film was far from a passive experience. I kept thinking to myself: "Now this element of the film is clearly drawn from "The Dark Knight Returns," while this element here comes from "Year One." I like how Nolan juxteposes Alan Moore's Joker with Jeph Loeb's Harvey Dent in this scene..."

I've read Loeb, Miller and Moore, and I suppose a little of O'Neal too. Yeah, I did pick up some of the references, especially The Killing Joke. I thought the portrayal of Two Face/Dent was pretty good too (though I did expect the back of the coin to be scratched up more. ) I had forgotten to check running time before I went and I'll admit thinking a couple of times "oh hell, is this thing ever going to end." To avoid spoilers I'll just say some of the "running around" and people in peril in the last 1/3rd of the movie was torturous. Perhaps part of the trouble is the reviews making this thing out to be "great cinema" rather than big budget summer entertainment, but that's not it entirely.

See, I loved Iron Man. It was quite possibly the most fun I've had watching a superhero movie. I've even recommended it to friends who don't care for the genre. Hell, I think it'd be humorous if instead of Ledger being nominated for The Joker that Downy would for Iron Man. Batman on the other hand takes itself so seriously. It's a rightful reaction to the camp of '60s but on the other hand it's probably swung a bit too far in reaction. (Granted, the "serious" Batman has been that way in print for what, 20 years now.) Unless it's processed digitally I feel so sorry for Bale - he must have a sore throat for weeks having to do the so serious Bat-whisper.

I'd rather have a little bit less than more with action scenes. For instance the last King Kong movie would have been much better had they removed all that nonsense of people running between the dinosaur legs in the stampede. Sometimes 1 dinosaur is better than 20, or 20 seconds is better than 2 minutes. Same sort of thing in this movie, at least for me, with chases and people in peril. But in the end I think it's worth seeing for the Joker scenes and some other moments, but I'm being careful about who I recommend it to.

[RDK]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii17zX57Qmw...feature=related

save your money for this one.

That's coming out next year. If 300 is any indication of the director's talents I'll definitely be skipping that one.

Agree re: 300, but Zack's quite talented and did the terrific (imo) remake of Dawn of the Dead. The Watchmen script is pretty darn good too. I think the teaser looks very promising.

[RDK]

Saw TDK. Liked it a lot, didn't love it. Thought the casting was terrific overall, but the film a bit too long - not so much in the third act (as others above have commented) but more in the middle. Actually thought the ending was very compelling, especially when the story's themes really started coming together. Thought Heath was great as the Joker (best Joker yet and all that!), but credit also needs to go to the writers (well, the Nolans), who gave him all the best lines. Just shows to go you that the villains make or break these kinds of films.

[RDK]

SS is right about all of the end being a set up for a sequel about Two Face.

Um - I don't think so.

[Alexander]

SS is right about all of the end being a set up for a sequel about Two Face.

Um - I don't think so.

Yeah (spoiler alert):

Two-Face looked pretty definitively dead at the end there (which I thought was a shame. I HATE the fact that superhero movies (with the exception of the X-Men films) always kill off the bad guys. And while they did kill off Dent, they left the Joker alive...and Ledger can't play the character again! It sucks!

Edited July 21, 2008 by Alexander

[Jazzmoose]

...which, incidentally, included a teaser trailer for WATCHMEN, probably the most anticipated comic-book movie of all time...

You're kidding; this is actually going to happen? Damn, if it's done well...

[Bright Moments]

d*mn that joker was one scary dude!

[BruceH]

...which, incidentally, included a teaser trailer for WATCHMEN, probably the most anticipated comic-book movie of all time...

You're kidding; this is actually going to happen? Damn, if it's done well...

Don't worry, it won't be.

[PHILLYQ]

I went to Dark Knight this evening and it was one hell of a popcorn movie! It's a step above the usual summer blockbuster and Heath Ledger is/was a great Joker.

I was a bit disturbed to see people taking young(5-6 year old) kids to see this- it's way too dark and scary for kids that age.