The Dark Knight - Grading & Discussion

When discussing the merits of Burton's films vs. Nolan's films, this is probably the most interesting talking point.

I can see the strengths of both sides...

 

I don't get this criticism of the Nolan films. Batman has had a history of film noir/ true crime stylistics since the early 1940s, brought back strongly in the 1970s and utilized since then pretty regularly. He's also long been discussed as the least fantastic superhero. I don't see a clash between the style and the subject here anymore than I did when reading Year One or any of the Batman fights organized crime stories of the 70s. Personally I always find it jarring to read comics where Batman goes up against magical supervillains like Clayface, or to have him team up with super-powered heroes. He's always been a hard-boiled detective in cape to me.

 

I actually think that, like any of the big super heroes, that Batman is a little hard to write. I like Batman's rogue gallery. One of the most creative and certainly one of the most entertaining. The problem with Batman that I find is paralleling him with other characters.

 

But there certainly are differences between Burton's films and Nolan's films, enough to draw a distinction between the two.

For instance, I think there are fantastical elements in Burton's films that never would've made it into Nolan's. And by that same token, I think there are realistic elements in Nolan's films that never would've made it into Burton's.

In all actuality, however, I think it's more a difference in the directors and their creative preferences than it is in how they viewed the source material.

 

Just an observation, but in regard to Superman being the film to which all superhero films are compared to, as of late, I've heard Spider-Man 2 thrown around many more times than Superman when it comes to a supposed "standard" for the genre.

And many are of the opinion that The Dark Knight surpassed even Spider-Man 2 when it comes to a genre "standard" or a target to surpass. I, for one, would concur with this opinion. But that's just me.

 

Well for me, the best way to explain it is imagine you were watching 1971's The French Connection... and suddenly Batman strolled into the scene and proceeded to have a conversation with Gene Hackman's character. You'd be like "What the FUCK?!? What is this guy in a ridiculous bat costume doing in this gritty, realistic crime thriller??"

That was pretty much what I was feeling while watching Batman Begins. Nolan did such a good job establishing a gritty and realistic world, that everytime Batman showed up he looked about as ridiculous as a Batman would look in OUR world.

I still felt that at times in TDK, but fortunately the story was so captivating I didn't care as much.

 

Speaking of Burton, has he ever commented on Nolan's Batman at all? Either about this movie or the previous one?

I'm dying to know if he's seen them, and what he thinks. I can't imagine no one's asked him in all this time...

 

Well, I finally saw the movie last night and, as today is my day off, have taken the hours necessary to wade through this entire thread.

I rated the film excellent and enough has been written about why it deserves that ranking, so I won't gild the lily. But I've just got to respond to the general tenor of remarks (here and elsewhere) about Heath Ledger:

Ledger gave a very well-done, nicely nuanced performance. But to call it Oscar-worthy is a stretch. Like a few others, I truly believe that notion started as typical studio hype and gained credibility with most folk due to the actor's unfortunate death. To call it the best ever performance of a villain is simply hyperbole and to compare Jack Nicholson's Joker with Ledger's unfavorably is just wrong, IMO.

The Ledger Joker is the product of a combination of Mr. Ledger's own not-inconsiderable skills, a top-notch script and a certain directorial approach. Likewise, Nicholson's Joker was what was called for by Tim Burton. Had scripts and direction been more similar, I think most folks would be saying how Ledger didn't quite measure up to Nicholson's mark. My wife and I both thought that Ledger's performance owed a good deal to Nicholson's. In fact, at one point during the film, she leaned over to me and whispered, "He's not acting, he's channeling Nicholson!" And she's no Nicholson fan, btw.

(Slightly off-topic, whoever it was that said Nicholson's work for the last 25 years has consisted of "Look at me -- I'm ACTING" needs to go back and watch some of Nicholson's more serious films. Say, "The Pledge" or "About Schmidt.)

So in my book, Ledger did a better than competent job and his death is sad but all this Oscar talk is simple Hollywood mawkishness. And there's no way he touches Jack Nicholson's skill as an actor.

Still, damn good flick!

 

Except neither Batman Begins or The Dark Knight are actually gritty, realistic crime thrillers. Ninjas in mountaintop monasteries plotting the destruction of the world's major cities? You ain't gonna find that in Scorcese. Neither will you find a bank with $68 million in cash in the vault but only 3 employees and no security guards, or psychotic guys in clown make up who can mysteriously survive an explosion that seems to kill everyone else in the room (Joker's escape from MCU), or guys who can have their eyeball survive a fire that burned off all the surrounding skin - not to mention a mayor who wears more eyeliner than I did in my Goth days, and is still taken seriously. These movies have the style and tone of realistic crime thrillers, but it's not just the hero that is unrealistic.

I guess I'm saying if you can buy all the other stuff in the story, what is it about the guy in the Batsuit that's throwing you off?

 

(replying to Capt Drago) Ledger's performance doesn't have to be the best EVER, or the best portrayal of a villain in the HISTORY of the artform to still be oscar-worthy.

 

Spider-Man 2 is thrown around way too much for my tastes. It was good, not sure I think it's "better" than the first, certainly better than 3, but the "superhero movie standard", I'm not so sure.

It's a good movie, but Rami's style is just too... light and silly. The "raindrops falling on my head"/goofy cheesy smile scene for example. Too silly and pointless. (Eclipsed in stupidity by the "Emo Dance" scene in 3.)

It also, I think, tries to fit atleast two movies worth of plot into one movie (the "Spider-man no more bit would've made for a great cliff-hanger. Instead it comes almost half-way into the movie or so and so much more happens in the rest of the movie.)

And the look and style of the movie is just too colorful and light.

Again, good movie but I'm not convinced it's the "defenitive comic-book/superhero movie" which -IMHO- should define the hero and should also be an origin story -and I suspect people will take me to task on that last bit.)

That's why Superman The Movie is often touted so much. It's the character brought to life, we're shown his origins, his rise as a hero and him saving the world. (Well, the country.... Ok, California.... OK, Lois! ) It also has a much better tone and look to it and between the opening theme and the music itself much more "epic feeling" also adding to it the Smallville and Krypton scenes.

Spider-Man 2? Good movie?

Defenitive Superhero movie? Not so sure.

Frankly, I think TDK comes closer to being "defenitive" for how it treats the characters, it's tone, and pairing up one of the more famous Hero/Villan rivalries in comic-book history.

(And for my "origin requirement" Well... LOOK, is that a demon duck?!)

:runs off:

 

It's not eyeliner. Just really thick eyelashes.

 

Dude, it's eyeliner. No one's lashes give them thick black lines around their entire eye.

(Oh, are you making fun of all the people who keep saying it's not eyeliner? 'Cause that is indeed hilarious!)

Lapis, a little slow on the uptake today...

 

He's been on Lost several times with the same look. So unless he's got in his contract somewhere that all his apperances must have him given thick eyeliner he's got "something crazy" going on naturally with his eyes.

 

Oh, I wasn't slow on the uptake.

Yes, actors often have a specific look or makeup requirement. Do you think the makeup crew on Lost doesn't have an eyeliner pencil?

 

OK, it took me three days to wade through this thread, but I finally did it. Just some thoughts.

This movie is firmly based in the real world, with practical technology which is for the most part plausible. (OK, someone will now scream 'sonar! sonar!' yes, it's a little on the iffy side, but there are many technologies in movies that I have to buy at face value even though it doesn't make complete sense)

It is a crime thriller more than a "super" movie, and I would say that for the most part it holds up as well as many equally gritty crime/thriller/adventure movies such as Live Free or Die Hard, Die Hard With a Vengeance, Miami Vice,
Speed, etc. Make Batman a PI with high tech gear working with the police on a case, and the plot is reasonably sound.

It is because of this that some people might be put off, because it doesn't require a fantastical setting to work. I however having seen it twice (I'm tracking down spare change to see it again) think that not only is it the best movie I have seen this year, it may be the most compelling movie I've seen in a few years.

I can respect people who disagree for several reasons, but the character development and acting in this movie I found to be excellent across the board. I will own this movie, and watch it repeatedly. I can't imagine how the next installment can be a better film than this, but I will await it with baited breath. I really hope that Mr. Nolan will come up with another compelling story to wrap up this arc. If he doesn't return, I would be hard pressed to see this universe sustained. This particular vision of Batman is Nolan's and Bale's. If they don't continue it, we will still see another movie, but I doubt it will resemble what we've seen with these two movies.

I ranked it excellent, and while it's not a perfect movie, (I haven't seen one yet) it is a compelling one which I will enjoy for a long time.

MRE

 

Occam's Razor.

Either Nestor Carbonell has it his contract -inexplicably- that when he appears on a show he's got to have thick black lines around his eyes and this silly requirement doesn't turn people off on his mediocre talents and "star draw" to loon somewhere else OR he's got naturaly thick eyelashes or something else going on there.

The latter of that seems more likely to me.

Do a Google Image Search on him and all of his pictures (including publicity ones) has the "thick eyelashes"/"eyeliner" and on (my) closer observation it just looks like he has thick, dark, eyelashes.

No doubt he's the envy of many a woman.

 

For the "realism" or the real-world believability, I have to be honest: NO superhero or comicbook hero looks like they belong in the real world. If Batman dropped the helmet, he might be able to pull it off or the X-Men might be able to pull it off, but if someone is going out to save the world they aren't going to go out in tights, capes, or masks unless they served a very specific purpose. Bad guys aren't going to go out in silly helmets or suits either.

With that said, while Batman simply won't look like he belongs in the Land of Reality, I do appreciate and like the fact that Nolan really did try to put a more realistic spin on Batman. He's not a superhero, he's literally a vigilante. He's not wearing tights and a cape for a fashion statement. He's wearing armor and a cape that serves a purpose. His villians aren't crazies that are trying to use TV's to steal personal information or freeze town. They are bank robbers, bombers, murders, kidnappers, and bio-terrorists. Gotham looks like any other big town across America.

Sure, no matter how you will stack it, a guy who calls himself "Batman" (Spiderman/ Green Lantern/ etc) and wears a silly mask is going to look stupid, some of the technology is questionable at best, and mountain-top ninjas are just different, but I really do like that it was all taken and put in a context or format where I could almost think that it was a plausible situation.