The Dark Knight - Ten Years On

[Smellmet]

I actually like Begins more but that's only because I love origin stories, it felt more like a comic book movie and I find it easier to rewatch. TDK is by far a superior movie when you judge it on a technical level and Heath was fucking outstanding in it but for some reason I always place Begins a little ahead of TDK.

That mirrors my feelings a lot. I've always loved begins.

 

[suarezguy]

I think I've figured out and can express why I don't like TDK Joker much and don't think he's a good adaptation of the comic book character but others liked him a lot. He's depicted as pure evil and a monster, a freak, he's got no humanity or relatability. To me that's a still somewhat interesting character but also a bit of a waste, a lot less interesting than a character who is relatable and yet still evil; relatability is what makes the evil a lot more disturbing, without it a character pretty much feels like just irrelevant fiction.

 

[DonIago]

Was the Joker ever really supposed to be relatable though?

I mean, the Michael Keaton film at least gives us an origin, but even then it's not really clear why he goes out and does the things he does.

 

[theenglish]

I don't think the Joker has ever been meant as a relatable characters unless you're a psychopath. He's insane and he's obsessed with tormenting Batman...period. That said, I think suarezguy makes a good point, and that may be why Harvey Dent's transformation is woven into the story.

For me, I thought TDK was a pretty good movie. It was solid. It was like reading a Batman comic from the period. That said, I really felt that it was unrelentingly aggressive when I watched it the first time. It was bleak and dark from beginning to end without letting up, and for me that was just too much on initial viewing. I've grown to appreciate more since, but for me Batman Begins is really the best film of the trilogy.

 

[M'rk son of Mogh]

This thread makes me realize I haven't seen the movie since it came out on dvd for the first time. Guess there's not much pull to revisit it for me.

 

[Mage]

I think I've figured out and can express why I don't like TDK Joker much and don't think he's a good adaptation of the comic book character but others liked him a lot. He's depicted as pure evil and a monster, a freak, he's got no humanity or relatability. To me that's a still somewhat interesting character but also a bit of a waste, a lot less interesting than a character who is relatable and yet still evil; relatability is what makes the evil a lot more disturbing, without it a character pretty much feels like just irrelevant fiction.

Except for a few comics where origins are hinted at or even revealed, the Joker was never a relatable character. He just does what he does because he does. He is that insane. Mr Freeze, Poison Ivy, Bane, The Riddler. All these iconic Batman villians all had motivations for doing what they do. As the popular meme said, Joker was in it for the lolz.