It's been a while since I've watched this movie so I put it in and watched tonight. It's easy to forget inside the year or so since I last watched just how great this movie was. I mean, it's damn-near flawless. My only complaint to this day remains that Bale's "Batman Voice" is too much. But everyone, most notably -of course- Heath Ledger, turns ina great performance including Michael Caine. And I really, really, like Aaron Eckhart's portrayal of Harvey Dent, I remember applauding even a bit to myself when he first uses the coin. I think really one of the best uses of Two-Face. Clearly, as has been said many times over the years, TDK just shows how great a "comic book movie" can be when the source material is taken seriously.
I've seen it now about ten times since it first came out and think it's just an incredible piece of film making period let alone a comic book film. The story is executed flawlessly I think and is paced extremely well despite it being a lengthy film. I still regret not being able to see this in the theater when it came out, it came out on the day I was released from hospital from my second foot surgery. I agree that it is a pinnacle of comic book films and yes shows what you can do when you take the source material seriously. You don't need to be exact with the material but at least take the core elements from the material and make it work with the context of the film. There are various snippets from "Batmanark Victory" in the film, and of course the use of the Bat Bunker (a nod to the Dennis O'Neil run in the 70's and something that Grant Morrison has used during his run with Dick as Batman). Bale really does over do his Batman voice but it's grown on me. I think it vastly improved in "The Dark Knight". I can't wait for "The Dark Knight Rises".
I saw TDK at a Midnight showing the morning of the day it came out (or the night before the day it came out, depending on how you want to look at it. ) And it was one of those rare "theater experiences" that you just cannot get that often. Everyone in the nearly sold-out theater loved the movie and the cheering/applauding that happened afterwards was great. The guy I sat next to in the theater him and I chatted quite a bit too about some Batman lore, and other comic-book stuff. Just an fun experience overall. It's a movie that's really just nearly flawless.
I like Batman Begins more...I have both movies on DVD here somewhere...maybe I need to watch TDK again. A lot of it felt rushed.
I remember reading somewhere that the sound effects people deepened Bale's voice.... which makes sense why his voice was different from Batman Begin. The batpod/ Harvey Dent armored car convoy scene is one of the best action sequences i've seen.
It's an awesome film, no doubt. I've never had a problem with Bale's voice, though. It seems logical he'd change it so no one could make the Bruce Wayne connection.
It's logical, but it sounds goofy. I notice it a lot more upon repeat viewings. I've decided I don't like the film anywhere near as much as I did the first time I saw it. I have a hard time sympathizing with any of the characters, and that makes it really hard to care about their fates.
I think one of the problem's with the voice is that it sounds forced, not practiced. One of the reasons why I think Kevin Conroy works so beautifully is because you believe that Bruce actually has spent years training his voice to change on cue. I didn't buy that from Bale's voice. Even Micheal Keaton's Batman voice wasn't as guttural and rough as Bale's is. That being said it's not that bad. I like to look at both Nolan films like this: "Batman:Begins" is a Bruce Wayne film. Bruce is the center focus of the film, it depicts his journey into becoming Batman. While "The Dark Knight" focuses on Batman and the consequences of his war on crime has had on Bruce Wayne and those close to him. I believe that "The Dark Knight Rises" will conclude with a sort of balance happening not only between Bruce and his other self (i.e. he will finally accept being Batman along with all the responsibility and repercussions in doing so) while Gotham City will finally accept Batman as their protector and guardian. Their Dark Knight. This is why I think "The Dark Knight Rises" works well as a title.
The Dark Knight is generally a good movie, but it sort of felt like a slightly toned down Heat only in silly masks and costumes, with slightly far fetched gadgets and a fictional city. It took itself a bit too seriously like Watchmen did; I found Iron Man and Kick-Ass more entertaining because they were more tongue in cheek.
If you wanted a genuinely rare "theater experience," you should've been at the one I was at for the midnight premiere. I bet it doesn't get more rare than having to evacuate due to a bomb threat!
The Dark Knight is a serious themed film though. "Kick-Ass" is a superhero satire while "Iron Man" has serious moments balanced with Tony's own humor.
It's well-made, and entirely captivating every time I sit down to watch it. But it's not without its flaws. The Joker gets by as a character almost solely because of Heath Ledger's performance--he makes the character such a force of nature that you don't find yourself questioning the plausibility of any of his schemes until the film is over. Of course, once the film is over, I can't help but find myself thinking how he got all those explosives on the ferries without anyone noticing, among many other things. Two-face doesn't really work. The justification for his coin-flipping philosophy from the comic book character never is explained very convincingly. You go with it because it's Two-Face, and the coin is to be expected. You also go with it because, despite everything pointing to the Joker being a dead man when he shows up in the nurse's outfit to confront Harvey Dent, you want Ledger to be on screen for as long as possible. Still, it's very watchable, and the Blu-Ray looks terrific. And as far as comic book movies go (mainly, I mean to say superhero movies), most aren't going to be as good as (or better than) THE DARK KNIGHT.
Heath's performance really is truly brilliant. I tend to agree with the thoughts on Two-Face...I think Aaron Eckhart is terrific in this movie but as Harvey Dent. The original plan was that Two-Face was going to be in two movies I believe via Goyer's original trilogy treatment. This changed prior to production on "The Dark Knight".
They rushed Two Face and it shows...The Joker & Two Face are great on their own without being forced to be together in a movie...I think some lesser villains would have worked along with The Joker and do Two Face full on with some more lesser villains in the 3rd film. JMHO.
Yes that I think was gonna be the plan. Harvey would have become Two-Face at the end of "The Dark Knight" then we would have had Two-Face as the major villain in the third and final film.
Wasn't it something like Joker on trial in the 3rd movie or something as well in the original idea for a 2/3 joint story.
I think the Joker on trial might have been fan/media rumors. JacksonArcher would be able to clear this up.