RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
Here's some more shots of the new BATMAN:Brave & The Bold cartoon. I might not care for the lighter tone of Bat's personna but I am loving this Darwyn Cooke/Dick Sprang look to the animation. B-)
And just for TonyDP... an article pic from TV Guide.
As long as The Batman doesn't return to his 70s Superfriends corniness, I'm all for this new, lighter incarnation.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
And just for TonyDP... an article pic from TV Guide.
The lime green gloves are especially manly.
Since we're off on an animated tangent, I just want to give a shout to "The Batman - The Complete 5th Season", just released on DVD. The animation style may take a little getting used to but it has, in my humble opinion, some of the best Batman crossover stories to grace any of his animated series. At various points during the season, Batman teams up with Superman, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Flash and Hal Jordan (the greatest Green Lantern). Much more fun and kick-ass than either of the recent Justice League efforts. And, as an added bonus, no Aquaman. :v
Here's a link to the Amazon.com page for the show; I'd strongly recommend it to any Batman fan.
And just for TonyDP... an article pic from TV Guide.
The lime green gloves are especially manly.
Since we're off on an animated tangent, I just want to give a shout to "The Batman - The Complete 5th Season", just released on DVD. The animation style may take a little getting used to but it has, in my humble opinion, some of the best Batman crossover stories to grace any of his animated series. At various points during the season, Batman teams up with Superman, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Flash and Hal Jordan (the greatest Green Lantern). Much more fun and kick-ass than either of the recent Justice League efforts. And, as an added bonus, no Aquaman. :v
Here's a link to the Amazon.com page for the show; I'd strongly recommend it to any Batman fan.
I can attest to this; I've been waiting for this one to come out on dvd since the last season aired in September. I bought my copy last Tuesday when I found out here and I've watched it all the way through twice thus far.
Snubbing Aquaman wasn't that damaging to me as opposed to snubbing Wonder Woman in a team-up ep.
I don't agree with her manhater disposition from the current comic books but she deserves better than that. Just give her the Lynda Carter touch... :v
Nice move by the Batman project crew (more than likely Andrea Romano did it) to have Clancy Brown reprise his Lex Luthor role in this. There is no substitute. B-)
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Snubbing Aquaman wasn't that damaging to me as opposed to snubbing Wonder Woman in a team-up ep. I don't agree with her manhater disposition from the current comic books but she deserves better than that. Just give her the Lynda Carter touch... :v
I was also a little surprised as WW's omission. But seeing as she had so many moments in the JLA and JLU shows, I think the producers just decided to focus on some of lesser used characters - namely Hal and Hawkman. I really like how all the guest heroes came across on this show, everybody really behaved exactly like I remember from when I read their respective comics.
By comparison, the JLA and JLU shows often degenerated into soap opera melodramatics; the attempts at "character moments" like John Stewart's relationship problems with Hawkgirl and Vixen just made me cringe. I've come to view the WB JLA/JLU shows as the Deep Space 9 of animated comics shows: they introduced conflict between all the heroes for the sake of conflict, and while there were a lot of great episodes, there were also way too many duds where everybody bickered against each other in the first act, got captured, knocked out, taken over or otherwise embarrassed in the second act, and then quickly (and totally unrealistically) resolved their differences in the third act.
As for the exclusion of Aquaman, no big loss. :v
Nice move by the Batman project crew (more than likely Andrea Romano did it) to have Clancy Brown reprise his Lex Luthor role in this. There is no substitute. B-)
I'm also happy they went back to the more proven voice actors; the creative decision to use more "mainstream" actors for Superman and Luthor in the Superman/Doomsday DVD was far too jarring for me. Smart move on going back to Brown and George Newburn.
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
With about twenty reviews in, Rotten Tomatoes has THE DARK KNIGHT at 88% positive. What I find a little stirring thus far upon reading these, is it seems to be alot of dissatisfaction coming from New York based publications for some reason.
Perhaps it's just a coincidence but I predict that the thumbs-up rating will get higher as we creep ever so closely to opening day. We shall see...
This excerpt was one of my favorites so far:
Dark Knight is I suppose the greatest superhero movie ever made, but it's so far beyond the genre that attempting to compare it with likes of Spider-Man, is almost laughable.
Dark Knight is I suppose the greatest superhero movie ever made, but it's so far beyond the genre that attempting to compare it with likes of Spider-Man, is almost laughable.
:v That's a big call since Spider-Man was arguably among the very greatest superhero films ever made. If DK is half as good as Spider-Man (and judging by its trailer and reviews, it looks to be fantastic) then I will be delighted.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
Dark Knight is I suppose the greatest superhero movie ever made, but it's so far beyond the genre that attempting to compare it with likes of Spider-Man, is almost laughable.
:v That's a big call since Spider-Man was arguably among the very greatest superhero films ever made. If DK is half as good as Spider-Man (and judging by its trailer and reviews, it looks to be fantastic) then I will be delighted.
I don't think you got that quite right Dan; if TDK is half as good as Iron Man, it will still be twice as good as Spiderman. :v
If TDK is then twice as good as Iron Man, and twice as good as Spiderman, it will still be three times as good as Superman Returns squared plus or minus The Fantastic Four.
Given that Iron Man 2 is equal to or greater than Iron Man, how much will Aunt May be spending on healthcare insurance when a JLA movie is released?
If TDK is then twice as good as Iron Man, and twice as good as Spiderman, it will still be three times as good as Superman Returns squared plus or minus The Fantastic Four.
Given that Iron Man 2 is equal to greater than Iron Man, how much will Aunt May be spending on healthcare insurance when a JLA movie is released?
) I am completely confused (maths was never my strong point ) but that is hilarious.
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I don't think you got that quite right Dan; if TDK is half as good as Iron Man, it will still be twice as good as Spiderman. :v
Perhaps, but if it is half as good as IM (and twice as good as Spider-Man) it will be only a quarter as good as Spider-Man 2.)
"He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine. And when they start not smiling back—that’s an earthquake. and then you get yourself a couple of spots on your hat, and you’re finished. Nobody dast blame this man. A salesman is got to dream, boy. It comes with the territory." Death of a Salesman
I have the DVD but there's no way of telling on scene selection...
I could be mistaken, but I think the first time you really see it is about 3/5 of the way thru the film. It's the scene where Rachel confronts Dr. Crane about having Falcone committed, right before the Scarecrow gasses her and Batman comes to her rescue, leading into the big chase with the Batmobile. Hope that makes sense
BTW, getting back to Dark Knight, my brother and I just put in the time-off slips for Friday. We won't be doing the midnight showings, but we are shooting for 11:30am tomorrow at one of the better "Director's Hall" screens in our area. We were going to be upstanding citizens, put in a full day's work and then catch it on Saturday, but our curiosity and fanboy zeal got the better of us. Really looking forward to finally seeing it and forming our own opinions.
NightshooterIn bed with SolitairePosts: 2,917MI6 Agent
Just got back from the midnight showing.
A little tired, so I won't say much, except that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the movie. I LOVED every bit of it. Amazing. AMAZING. Much, much better than the first, which I also loved.
Saw this a few days ago. Going in to it, my expectations were set very high. The Dark Knight exceeded them. There's not much to say except The Dark Knight is not only the best Batman film, it is the best comic film ever. Ledger owns the role of the Joker for now and forever. Two-Face is splendidly gruesome and well played by Eckhart. With that said, the film is still very much about Batman. I walked out of the theatre with my head head high. 10/10.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
Hopefully going within the next three hours...
Can't wait! B-)
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Saw the midnight showing as well and was totally blown away by it,saw a fan there dressed totally as the joker, purple suit and green hair and all,at the end the movie recieved a big applause which was great, and ledgers performance was mezmorizing
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
My son and I just came back from the theatre after seeing THE DARK KNIGHT...in a nutshell, we were both blown away from this picture.
Nolan took it up a notch for sure. I'm on my way to teaching my classes but I had to drop in and say...
...This is the BEST comic book movie that I've seen thus far. Half of the time, you never really see it as that, Nolan seems to have a talent to make you think that you paid for a movie of another genre because of the great substance of the story and character development.
I'll go into detail a little more when I return.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
My brother and I just got back from seeing TDK. To be perfectly honest, I'm pretty conflicted about this film. There was a lot that I liked, but also a lot of things that really turned me off. I don't want to go into plot specifics but as to some general impressions of what did (and didn't) work....
Heath Ledger really gets into his character and gives us many memorable moments. However, there were quite a few times when I didn't really know who his character was supposed to be. The Joker is a nihilist, a demented clown, and a murderer. But I never really thought of him as a terrorist who would bomb entire buildings or cause the type of collateral damage we see here (although I freely admit to not having read the book regularly in years). Nolan stretches his modus operandi to almost extreme proportions at times and for every moment where I said "that's the Joker" there was one where he really just took it too far. After all the mayhem he causes, I also thought his final fate to be very very anticlimactic.
Aaron Eckhart makes for a very good Harvey Dent and his inevitable transformation into Two-Face is suitably tragic. However, I didn't care for the way the film completely changed the circumstances that lead to Two-Face. Nor did I buy his motivations for his final confrontation in the film. His character arc took a sharp right turn there and I really didn't buy into it.
Christian Bale is again solid as Bruce Wayne and Batman. However, I must confess to having grown a little tired of the way every Bruce Wayne feels the need to question whether he should continue to be Batman or not. We got it with Keaton, we got it with Kilmer and even though this latest incarnation is a reboot, we're subjected to that same plot device yet again. Can't we have a movie where Wayne is at peace with being Batman already?
Lastly, and most damningly, I absolutely hated the way the movie ends, specifically...
how in order to save Harvey Dent's good name and thus the hope of the people of Gotham (who uniformly come across as a bunch of ungrateful jerks that don't deserve to be saved), Batman takes the rap for some murders committed by Two-Face. The film thus ends with Batman as a fugitive from justice, wanted for murder, driving off into the night hunted by the police.
After all the machinations of the last two films, to end up at this point really felt like a cheat and a betrayal of Batman's character arc to me.
As to other impressions:
- Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and especially Gary Oldman all put in wonderful performances and each contributes meaningfully to the story.
- The film is most definitely dark, easily the most dour since Batman Returns.
- Two-Face's appearance is perfect, evocative but hardly as frightening as some would believe.
- Excepting Two-Face the rest of the costumes and make-up were disappointing to me as they once again deviated far too much from the comics.
- Bale's gruff Batman voice was often hard to understand.
- Nolan once again gets too close with his camera for many of the fights, making the action unnecessarily difficult to follow.
- There were a few too many scenes that evoked the post 9/11 paranoia for my tastes.
- The musical score is once again disappointingly generic without any memorable themes at all.
- There's a scene in the movie right out of Thunderball, see if you can spot it.
- At 2 1/2 hours the film is too long, with far too much exposition. By the time it was over, I was exhausted and was having trouble remembering what went on early in the film.
Upon leaving the theater, I didn't feel the exhilaration I did after Iron Man; this movie is definitely downbeat (especially the ending) and I find myself in no hurry to see it again right away. It's a well made film but it's also a stretch to call it a "comic book movie". Nolan clearly wants to distance himself from the gothic feel of the Batman comics and even the appearance of many of the locations and characters, and at the end of the day that lessens the film for me.
I grade it a solid "B"; very well made but hardly the best comic movie ever. It takes itself far too seriously and is certainly not the most fun I've had this summer.
Saw the midnight showing last night. I loved it to death. In many ways, it's very different from a comic book film in the techniques that were used. I loved how the opening sequence was done: very unique. It's easily the best Batman movie, and I would say it's the best comic book film.
Heath Ledger's performance is, quite simply, beyond perfect, if that's possible. I would contend that it's one of the absolute greatest villain performances in any film, comic book or not. He is the demented, murderous clown, for sure, but while I was watching it, I kept thinking, "This is Dr. Greg House gone way beyond the edge." It works extremely well for this character. His performance is worth the price of admission alone. It's truly a shame we won't be seeing any more films with him, as this film shows he was well on his way to becoming a legendary actor.
LoeffelholzThe United States, With LovePosts: 8,998Quartermasters
edited July 2008
Just got back from the cinema with Loeffs Jr and Loeffs III...
B-)
We'll all be seeing it again in the next few days. My opinion is still being formed, as I continue to process and collate.
I will say this right now: Nobody else has a legitimate claim on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, as far as I'm concerned. Heath Ledger is untouchable.
One other observation:
James Bond without Moneypenny and Q? Child's play! Try Batman without Wayne Manor...or the Batcave B-) This reminded me of that stretch in the early-mid '70s, in the the comics, when Bruce Wayne really did live in his downtown penthouse. Very cool indeed.
Check out my Amazon author page!Mark Loeffelholz
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
saw the midnight show last night with a bunch of people on my friend's 19th birthday! Well, what can I say about this movie? It was AMAZING. It exceeded all of my expectations...
The Joker was FANTASTIC. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen the entire time. I will be going back to see this movie very very soon
~Pen -{
Hey! Observer! You trying to get yourself Killed?
mountainburdphotography.wordpress.com
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
edited July 2008
Sorry you were a little down on the film, Tony; but we figured as much. :v
It's all subjective anyway because I felt the very same way about Iron Man when we saw it opening weekend. Outside of RDJ, just solid.
Yeah it was dark indeed so I can see why that might make some viewers' painfully sigh...
If I had to complain on something in this one, I'd say that I hate Bale trying to talk gruffy when he's Batman. It's grating . And I was thankful that they kept his new costume sort of in shadow mostly.
I love Batman in this context; much better than the camp & fruitiness Schumacher brought to the franchise , nearly killing it. With the exception of the 60s tv show, campy doesn't belong in Batman's world.
The Best Comic Book Film thus far! {:)
Driving home this afternoon, I heard on the radio state that TDK made about 18.5 million dollars on a midnight showing alone? Any truth to that?
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
First off, since people are now reviewing the movie I thought it was best to add a spoiler warning to the thread.
Second, for my review. . . I saw it this afternoon. I was hoping to be absolutely blown away, but I really wasn't. The hype may have had something to do with that, or it could just be that the superhero movie that DID totally blow me away--Spider-Man 2--is a better film. That said, TDK is still a good movie, and it's a unique one. The storyline, look and feel are so different from Batman Begins that it's strange to realize both films were made by the same team and with mostly the same actors. While the thrill of BB was in seeing Batman become Batman, this film works--as a lot of critics have observed--as a straightforward crime drama. I loved the interplay between the side of good and the side of evil, as well as The Joker's relentless crusade to show that the two sides really aren't so different at all.
That said, I have to follow the crowd and say that Heath Ledger is indeed incredible as The Joker. I was afraid that I would spend all my time thinking, "Poor Heath, he's dead and gone;" but Ledger does so thoroughly disappear into the character that I never recognized him. Even in the brief scene when we see him without makeup I didn't see Ledger. (And is it just me, or did he base the J-man's voice on Richard Dreyfuss?) I also wasn't bothered by something I initially hated--the fact The Joker clearly wears makeup. He's so maniacal and unhinged I completely BOUGHT the character. With or without greasepaint, he's scary and always watchable. I couldn't help but feel that a point was being made in The Joker's changing stories about how he got his scars--it doesn't matter why he looks the way he looks; he's a force to be reckoned with in the here and now.
I also thought Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent/Two-Face was perfect, and an appropriate apology to the world for the way Tommy Lee Jones handled this most tragic of Bat-villains. Unlike TonyDP, though, I wasn't bothered at all by the changes made in the character's origin. The animated series also changed how Two-Face came to be--both that version and the one told in TDK are more dramatic than a simple splash of acid in the face. But what Eckhart does best is show the gradual deterioration of Harvey Dent--his growing frustration with the crime in Gotham City and his willingness to take the law into his own hands even BEFORE he's scarred. And the way Rachel Dawes was worked into Harvey's story made for the biggest surprise in the film.
I regretfully must quibble with Tony's statement that the Gothamites didn't "deserve" to be saved. The entire sequence toward the end of the film involving the two boats proved that they do indeed deserve salvation--they showed that they won't act out of self-interest but will put the needs of other people first. This defeats The Joker's belief that people are inherently selfish, fearful, and easy to manipulate. As for how the film ends, I wasn't bothered by it. . .to me, it was a cliffhanger, which I'm sure will be resolved in the third Nolan-directed (I hope) Bat-flick. I've even got a great title for it: Batman the Hunted.
So, again, a good film. Maybe not a masterpiece, and it's certainly lacking a real sense of fun that was evident in Iron Man and Hellboy II (though The Joker DOES generate some laughs, as in the "disappearing pencil" trick); but a thoughtful movie where all the elements in the complicated story click together, and it's one that shows a greater understanding of who Batman is than Tim Burton or Joel Shumacher ever showed. Maybe if I see it again I'll find it a masterwork.
Vox clamantis in deserto
RogueAgentSpeeding in the Tumbler...Posts: 3,676MI6 Agent
As for how the film ends, I wasn't bothered by it. . .to me, it was a cliffhanger, which I'm sure will be resolved in the third Nolan-directed (I hope) Bat-flick. I've even got a great title for it: Batman the Hunted.
That's the way that I perceived it. There could be no other reason to end a movie like this on such an odd note.
Sort of like The Empire Strikes Back prologue.
Mrs. Man Face: "You wouldn't hit a lady? Would you?"
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice isUNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Comments
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
And just for TonyDP... an article pic from TV Guide.
As long as The Batman doesn't return to his 70s Superfriends corniness, I'm all for this new, lighter incarnation.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
The lime green gloves are especially manly.
Since we're off on an animated tangent, I just want to give a shout to "The Batman - The Complete 5th Season", just released on DVD. The animation style may take a little getting used to but it has, in my humble opinion, some of the best Batman crossover stories to grace any of his animated series. At various points during the season, Batman teams up with Superman, Green Arrow, Hawkeye, Flash and Hal Jordan (the greatest Green Lantern). Much more fun and kick-ass than either of the recent Justice League efforts. And, as an added bonus, no Aquaman. :v
Here's a link to the Amazon.com page for the show; I'd strongly recommend it to any Batman fan.
http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Complete-Fifth-Season/dp/B0016OM3WC/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1216074205&sr=8-1
I can attest to this; I've been waiting for this one to come out on dvd since the last season aired in September. I bought my copy last Tuesday when I found out here and I've watched it all the way through twice thus far.
Snubbing Aquaman wasn't that damaging to me as opposed to snubbing Wonder Woman in a team-up ep.
I don't agree with her manhater disposition from the current comic books but she deserves better than that. Just give her the Lynda Carter touch... :v
Nice move by the Batman project crew (more than likely Andrea Romano did it) to have Clancy Brown reprise his Lex Luthor role in this. There is no substitute. B-)
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I was also a little surprised as WW's omission. But seeing as she had so many moments in the JLA and JLU shows, I think the producers just decided to focus on some of lesser used characters - namely Hal and Hawkman. I really like how all the guest heroes came across on this show, everybody really behaved exactly like I remember from when I read their respective comics.
By comparison, the JLA and JLU shows often degenerated into soap opera melodramatics; the attempts at "character moments" like John Stewart's relationship problems with Hawkgirl and Vixen just made me cringe. I've come to view the WB JLA/JLU shows as the Deep Space 9 of animated comics shows: they introduced conflict between all the heroes for the sake of conflict, and while there were a lot of great episodes, there were also way too many duds where everybody bickered against each other in the first act, got captured, knocked out, taken over or otherwise embarrassed in the second act, and then quickly (and totally unrealistically) resolved their differences in the third act.
As for the exclusion of Aquaman, no big loss. :v
I'm also happy they went back to the more proven voice actors; the creative decision to use more "mainstream" actors for Superman and Luthor in the Superman/Doomsday DVD was far too jarring for me. Smart move on going back to Brown and George Newburn.
Perhaps it's just a coincidence but I predict that the thumbs-up rating will get higher as we creep ever so closely to opening day. We shall see...
This excerpt was one of my favorites so far:
Dark Knight is I suppose the greatest superhero movie ever made, but it's so far beyond the genre that attempting to compare it with likes of Spider-Man, is almost laughable.
I'm emailing that one to the Sisters.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_dark_knight/
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
I don't think you got that quite right Dan; if TDK is half as good as Iron Man, it will still be twice as good as Spiderman. :v
Given that Iron Man 2 is equal to or greater than Iron Man, how much will Aunt May be spending on healthcare insurance when a JLA movie is released?
www.scottacademymartialarts.co.uk
Unless Spiderman 3 is zero, in which case 8 x 0 would still be zero
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbey_Mills_Pumping_Station
I have the DVD but there's no way of telling on scene selection...
Roger Moore 1927-2017
I could be mistaken, but I think the first time you really see it is about 3/5 of the way thru the film. It's the scene where Rachel confronts Dr. Crane about having Falcone committed, right before the Scarecrow gasses her and Batman comes to her rescue, leading into the big chase with the Batmobile. Hope that makes sense
NP
bTW Happy belated birthday!
Roger Moore 1927-2017
BTW, getting back to Dark Knight, my brother and I just put in the time-off slips for Friday. We won't be doing the midnight showings, but we are shooting for 11:30am tomorrow at one of the better "Director's Hall" screens in our area. We were going to be upstanding citizens, put in a full day's work and then catch it on Saturday, but our curiosity and fanboy zeal got the better of us. Really looking forward to finally seeing it and forming our own opinions.
A little tired, so I won't say much, except that I couldn't tear my eyes away from the movie. I LOVED every bit of it. Amazing. AMAZING. Much, much better than the first, which I also loved.
I :x this movie.
Can't wait! B-)
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
Nolan took it up a notch for sure. I'm on my way to teaching my classes but I had to drop in and say...
...This is the BEST comic book movie that I've seen thus far. Half of the time, you never really see it as that, Nolan seems to have a talent to make you think that you paid for a movie of another genre because of the great substance of the story and character development.
I'll go into detail a little more when I return.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Heath Ledger really gets into his character and gives us many memorable moments. However, there were quite a few times when I didn't really know who his character was supposed to be. The Joker is a nihilist, a demented clown, and a murderer. But I never really thought of him as a terrorist who would bomb entire buildings or cause the type of collateral damage we see here (although I freely admit to not having read the book regularly in years). Nolan stretches his modus operandi to almost extreme proportions at times and for every moment where I said "that's the Joker" there was one where he really just took it too far. After all the mayhem he causes, I also thought his final fate to be very very anticlimactic.
Aaron Eckhart makes for a very good Harvey Dent and his inevitable transformation into Two-Face is suitably tragic. However, I didn't care for the way the film completely changed the circumstances that lead to Two-Face. Nor did I buy his motivations for his final confrontation in the film. His character arc took a sharp right turn there and I really didn't buy into it.
Christian Bale is again solid as Bruce Wayne and Batman. However, I must confess to having grown a little tired of the way every Bruce Wayne feels the need to question whether he should continue to be Batman or not. We got it with Keaton, we got it with Kilmer and even though this latest incarnation is a reboot, we're subjected to that same plot device yet again. Can't we have a movie where Wayne is at peace with being Batman already?
Lastly, and most damningly, I absolutely hated the way the movie ends, specifically...
After all the machinations of the last two films, to end up at this point really felt like a cheat and a betrayal of Batman's character arc to me.
As to other impressions:
- Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and especially Gary Oldman all put in wonderful performances and each contributes meaningfully to the story.
- The film is most definitely dark, easily the most dour since Batman Returns.
- Two-Face's appearance is perfect, evocative but hardly as frightening as some would believe.
- Excepting Two-Face the rest of the costumes and make-up were disappointing to me as they once again deviated far too much from the comics.
- Bale's gruff Batman voice was often hard to understand.
- Nolan once again gets too close with his camera for many of the fights, making the action unnecessarily difficult to follow.
- There were a few too many scenes that evoked the post 9/11 paranoia for my tastes.
- The musical score is once again disappointingly generic without any memorable themes at all.
- There's a scene in the movie right out of Thunderball, see if you can spot it.
- At 2 1/2 hours the film is too long, with far too much exposition. By the time it was over, I was exhausted and was having trouble remembering what went on early in the film.
Upon leaving the theater, I didn't feel the exhilaration I did after Iron Man; this movie is definitely downbeat (especially the ending) and I find myself in no hurry to see it again right away. It's a well made film but it's also a stretch to call it a "comic book movie". Nolan clearly wants to distance himself from the gothic feel of the Batman comics and even the appearance of many of the locations and characters, and at the end of the day that lessens the film for me.
I grade it a solid "B"; very well made but hardly the best comic movie ever. It takes itself far too seriously and is certainly not the most fun I've had this summer.
Heath Ledger's performance is, quite simply, beyond perfect, if that's possible. I would contend that it's one of the absolute greatest villain performances in any film, comic book or not. He is the demented, murderous clown, for sure, but while I was watching it, I kept thinking, "This is Dr. Greg House gone way beyond the edge." It works extremely well for this character. His performance is worth the price of admission alone. It's truly a shame we won't be seeing any more films with him, as this film shows he was well on his way to becoming a legendary actor.
B-)
We'll all be seeing it again in the next few days. My opinion is still being formed, as I continue to process and collate.
I will say this right now: Nobody else has a legitimate claim on the Best Supporting Actor Oscar this year, as far as I'm concerned. Heath Ledger is untouchable.
One other observation:
"I am not an entrant in the Shakespeare Stakes." - Ian Fleming
"Screw 'em." - Daniel Craig, The Best James Bond EverTM
The Joker was FANTASTIC. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen the entire time. I will be going back to see this movie very very soon
~Pen -{
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It's all subjective anyway because I felt the very same way about Iron Man when we saw it opening weekend. Outside of RDJ, just solid.
Yeah it was dark indeed so I can see why that might make some viewers' painfully sigh...
If I had to complain on something in this one, I'd say that I hate Bale trying to talk gruffy when he's Batman. It's grating
I love Batman in this context; much better than the camp & fruitiness Schumacher brought to the franchise , nearly killing it. With the exception of the 60s tv show, campy doesn't belong in Batman's world.
The Best Comic Book Film thus far! {:)
Driving home this afternoon, I heard on the radio state that TDK made about 18.5 million dollars on a midnight showing alone? Any truth to that?
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -
Second, for my review. . . I saw it this afternoon. I was hoping to be absolutely blown away, but I really wasn't. The hype may have had something to do with that, or it could just be that the superhero movie that DID totally blow me away--Spider-Man 2--is a better film. That said, TDK is still a good movie, and it's a unique one. The storyline, look and feel are so different from Batman Begins that it's strange to realize both films were made by the same team and with mostly the same actors. While the thrill of BB was in seeing Batman become Batman, this film works--as a lot of critics have observed--as a straightforward crime drama. I loved the interplay between the side of good and the side of evil, as well as The Joker's relentless crusade to show that the two sides really aren't so different at all.
That said, I have to follow the crowd and say that Heath Ledger is indeed incredible as The Joker. I was afraid that I would spend all my time thinking, "Poor Heath, he's dead and gone;" but Ledger does so thoroughly disappear into the character that I never recognized him. Even in the brief scene when we see him without makeup I didn't see Ledger. (And is it just me, or did he base the J-man's voice on Richard Dreyfuss?) I also wasn't bothered by something I initially hated--the fact The Joker clearly wears makeup. He's so maniacal and unhinged I completely BOUGHT the character. With or without greasepaint, he's scary and always watchable. I couldn't help but feel that a point was being made in The Joker's changing stories about how he got his scars--it doesn't matter why he looks the way he looks; he's a force to be reckoned with in the here and now.
I also thought Aaron Eckhart's performance as Harvey Dent/Two-Face was perfect, and an appropriate apology to the world for the way Tommy Lee Jones handled this most tragic of Bat-villains. Unlike TonyDP, though, I wasn't bothered at all by the changes made in the character's origin. The animated series also changed how Two-Face came to be--both that version and the one told in TDK are more dramatic than a simple splash of acid in the face. But what Eckhart does best is show the gradual deterioration of Harvey Dent--his growing frustration with the crime in Gotham City and his willingness to take the law into his own hands even BEFORE he's scarred. And the way Rachel Dawes was worked into Harvey's story made for the biggest surprise in the film.
I regretfully must quibble with Tony's statement that the Gothamites didn't "deserve" to be saved. The entire sequence toward the end of the film involving the two boats proved that they do indeed deserve salvation--they showed that they won't act out of self-interest but will put the needs of other people first. This defeats The Joker's belief that people are inherently selfish, fearful, and easy to manipulate. As for how the film ends, I wasn't bothered by it. . .to me, it was a cliffhanger, which I'm sure will be resolved in the third Nolan-directed (I hope) Bat-flick. I've even got a great title for it: Batman the Hunted.
So, again, a good film. Maybe not a masterpiece, and it's certainly lacking a real sense of fun that was evident in Iron Man and Hellboy II (though The Joker DOES generate some laughs, as in the "disappearing pencil" trick); but a thoughtful movie where all the elements in the complicated story click together, and it's one that shows a greater understanding of who Batman is than Tim Burton or Joel Shumacher ever showed. Maybe if I see it again I'll find it a masterwork.
That's the way that I perceived it. There could be no other reason to end a movie like this on such an odd note.
Sort of like The Empire Strikes Back prologue.
Batman: "The Hammer Of Justice is UNISEX!"
-Batman: The Brave & The Bold -