The Dark Knight - Grading & Discussion

[The Nth Doctor]

The court scenes was the only thing I didn't like about The Dark Knight. The court room seen in The Dark Knight does look like a set, not just because of the lack of windows, but because they were dressed simpler. From what I recall, there was nothing on the walls, no seal, no architectural pleasantries, no flag (but I could be wrong about that bit), nothing but flat boring walls. The court room in Batman Begins had much going on for it.

In addition to the actual set, I thought the acting was a bit awkward and stilted, but maybe that's because I've watched too much Law & Order.

I guess I'll have to send a memo to the court houses I visit near my home (I do depositions) to spruce up their court rooms?

Normally, I don't have a problem with sparse court rooms, but it's highly noticeable in this case because it felt like the court room was downgraded since Batman Begins.

 

[God Magnus]

I loved it. This is the Batman film I have been wanting to see made for ever 15 years. I went in apprehensive because I was partly unsure if Ledger's performance and the story could possibly be as good as everything I had read - and yet they were! Every review I read mentioned the "pencil trick" so I knew something cool was going to happen when the pencil appeared. But it totally didn't prepare me for the actual scene. That's how I felt about the whole movie. I knew the story in broad strokes, but the execution was spectacular.

 

[S. Gomez]

I think I finally clicked in that it was a fake-out about five seconds before the reveal, when I realized that there were scenes with Gordon in the trailer that we hadn't gotten to yet. But they had me going for quite a while...

I knew Gordon couldn't be dead because I remembered the clip of Gordon being held back by two cops (which turned out to be when Rachel died). Still, I was surprised that they tried to pretend that Gordon was dead.

And I should have been thinking of the trailer as well. If I had been, I probably would have figured it was a cop-out (no pun intended... oh, who am I kidding?). But I wasn't. I was just so engrossed in watching the movie that, except for a couple of Joker lines, I wasn't noticing what had been in the trailer and what hadn't popped up yet.

Speaking of Gordon's kids, there's a small bit in Begins that I always thought was really cool. Batman's in the Narrows, checking out an apartment where he thinks the Scarecrow's been operating (this is just before his first encounter with the Scarecrow, where he's hit with the gas and set on fire). He's using a fancy periscope device to look inside when, on the balcony beside him, a young boy comes out and sees him. "The other kids aren't going to believe me"; so Batman tosses him the periscope so he has proof he's seen the Batman. How do Gordon's kids fit in? In The Dark Knight when his family is told he's dead, you see his son for the first time... and darned if I didn't think he was the same kid from Begins. I could see later on that it wasn't really, but he had the same hairstyle and face.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Speaking of Gordon's kids, there's a small bit in Begins that I always thought was really cool. Batman's in the Narrows, checking out an apartment where he thinks the Scarecrow's been operating (this is just before his first encounter with the Scarecrow, where he's hit with the gas and set on fire). He's using a fancy periscope device to look inside when, on the balcony beside him, a young boy comes out and sees him. "The other kids aren't going to believe me"; so Batman tosses him the periscope so he has proof he's seen the Batman. How do Gordon's kids fit in? In The Dark Knight when his family is told he's dead, you see his son for the first time... and darned if I didn't think he was the same kid from Begins. I could see later on that it wasn't really, but he had the same hairstyle and face.

I also noticed the similarities, too, but they're played by two different kids: Jack Gleason played the boy in the Narrows, while Nathan Gamble played James Gordon, Jr. Besides, why would Gordon's son be in the Narrows since they don't live there?

 

[S. Gomez]

^That was also causing me confusion at the time.

 

[Othello]

I know I'm in the minority, but I liked Katie Holmes as Rachel Dawes, and was disappointed to see her character recast. She's hot, too, unlike Gyllenhall. Maggie Gyllenhall did all right with the character, though.

I couldn't agree more.

On another note I can really see how Ledger's performance oa The Joker could leave him in a dark place. Especially if he really tried to connect with the dark emotion behind it to really get into the role.

 

[Lapis Exilis]

It's official - box office mojo is reporting that TDK is currently at $155,340,000 - topping Spider-Man 3's opening weekend total of $151 million and some change. And that's still with Sunday to go, though I imagine with advance ticket sales, a lot of Sunday tix are already in there.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Yeah, that figure includes Sunday's estimate. $67,850,000 for Friday, $48 million for Saturday, and $39,490,000 for Sunday.

 

[Crusher Disciple]

Actually, his wife's name is Barbara. Meaning his daughter's name isn't.

Is there some physical law I'm not aware of that prevents someone from naming their kid the same name as a parent?

There is in Texas.

 

[davejames]

The court scenes was the only thing I didn't like about The Dark Knight. The court room seen in The Dark Knight does look like a set, not just because of the lack of windows, but because they were dressed simpler. From what I recall, there was nothing on the walls, no seal, no architectural pleasantries, no flag (but I could be wrong about that bit), nothing but flat boring walls. The court room in Batman Begins had much going on for it.

In addition to the actual set, I thought the acting was a bit awkward and stilted, but maybe that's because I've watched too much Law & Order.

I guess I'll have to send a memo to the court houses I visit near my home (I do depositions) to spruce up their court rooms?

Normally, I don't have a problem with sparse court rooms, but it's highly noticeable in this case because it felt like the court room was downgraded since Batman Begins.

Lol, what are you guys talking about? The look of the entire freakin CITY was changed from Begins, and brought more into the real world. I don't know how you could only single out the court room.

Besides, I'm sure there's more than one court room in a city that size.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I guess I'll have to send a memo to the court houses I visit near my home (I do depositions) to spruce up their court rooms?

Normally, I don't have a problem with sparse court rooms, but it's highly noticeable in this case because it felt like the court room was downgraded since Batman Begins.

Lol, what are you guys talking about? The look of the entire freakin CITY was changed from Begins, and brought more into the real world. I don't know how you could only single out the court room.

Fair point.

Besides, I'm sure there's more than one court room in a city that size.

Yeah, yeah, I know...still...I needed something to complain about or I wouldn't be a true fan!

 

[Agent Richard07]

The look of the entire freakin CITY was changed from Begins, and brought more into the real world.

More like completely into the real world. I don't remember any styling or augmentation.

 

[Agent Richard07]

As of this posting, the IMDb has The Dark Knight as the #3 best movie of all time after The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption.

Right now it's at #1.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

As of this posting, the IMDb has The Dark Knight as the #3 best movie of all time after The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption.

Right now it's at #1.

Of course, that's with only 23,611 votes to The Godfather's 288,072 and The Shawshank Redemption's 339,555.

 

[The Evil Dead]

The IMDB list evens out over time. In 2004 all 3 Lord of the Rings films were in the top 10, now none of them are.

 

[CaptainCanada]

It's like dropping a rock into a pond; the ripples disappear eventually; no doubt the film will remain highly rated, of course.

 

[Samurai8472]

[

The court scenes was the only thing I didn't like about The Dark Knight. The court room seen in The Dark Knight does look like a set, not just because of the lack of windows, but because they were dressed simpler. From what I recall, there was nothing on the walls, no seal, no architectural pleasantries, no flag (but I could be wrong about that bit), nothing but flat boring walls. The court room in Batman Begins had much going on for it.

In addition to the actual set, I thought the acting was a bit awkward and stilted, but maybe that's because I've watched too much Law & Order.

Law and Order: Gotham

I'd pay to see that

 

[Aragorn]

Emh, the majority of courtrooms look like that. They're not all grand, and courtrooms that are in the middle of a building tend not to have windows looking outside. So if you're ever on trial for anything, good luck with the "this looks like a set" defense.

 

[N-121973]

The BBC is now reporting that the Dark Knight has made $155.3 million dollars. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7516316.stm

 

[TheBrew]

As of this posting, the IMDb has The Dark Knight as the #3 best movie of all time after The Godfather and The Shawshank Redemption.

Right now it's at #1.

Of course, that's with only 23,611 votes to The Godfather's 288,072 and The Shawshank Redemption's 339,555.

I still need to go see the Shank.

Right after I see the Dark Knight 50 more times.