Dark Knight Review (No spoilers) Batman Box Office
The Dark Knight had the most buzz and hype of any 2008 movie due to the (maybe) suicide/drug overdose of Heath Ledger. This hype broke box office records: $314,000,000 + so far, and not since the 1989 version has Bat-Mania engulfed the world. To view the 1989 version now (Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson) after watching 2008 version would be laughable and silly.
So…Heath Ledger hype aside, was this movie awesome or what?
Yes, it was.
For decades DC Comics’ most consistent and mature superhero comic book line has been Batman, Detective Comics, and the various other Batman related series. The Joker has been a major and complex player in Batman’s life, and his portrayal in this movie was superb.
This Joker is no mere comedian…he’s an anarchist, manic, psycho, serial killer, sadistic clown, yet for some reason, we sympathize with him!
And…without ruining too much, The Joker actually beats Batman in this movie…yes, folks, The Joker won. Whereas in other super-hero films, the villain is expected to “do the job” and take the fall, let’s just say that doesn’t happen in TDK.
In many ways, TDK breaks the super-hero movie genre- we have death…a lot of deaths. We have some hardcore violence. Things are dark. It’s a crime drama with detective elements, in addition to the action. The full cast gets screen time- Ledger and Christian Bale don’t carry the movie by themselves. Aaron Echart (District Attorney Harvey Dent) really added a lot to it. Michael Cain (Alfred the Butler), Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox), and Gary Oldman (James Gordon) were fantastic.
I hate to say it, but I really thought The Joker was right about so many things wrong with society. I felt guilty about looking up to such a perverted and twisted monster like him.
TDK had great emotional and intense scenes. I was at the edge of my seat. There were many twists and curves, and the plot was very deep, which assured multiple viewing by many fans. Since most reviews have been positive, and most of you have already seen it, I won’t spend too much time on this as I usually do.
The Good: Acting, special effects, JoKeR, drama, subplots, HaRvEy DeNt, deep story
The Bad: The plot may be a bit too much for some. I found myself answering a couple of questions from my grandmother about it, and when I checked the message boards, I see that people had tons of questions, like: What was the deal with the fingerprint? Where did Joker get the giant pile of money? Who knew what about the plan? Why does Maroni tell Gordon where to find the Joker? What happened to the Hong Kong guy? What was up with the timer and the windshade? Who did Two-face kill? How and when did Joker kidnap Rachel? etc etc. My reaction: all the answers are there, you need to watch and listen.
The Ugly: Not for kids. If you’re expecting Iron Man, move on. Senior citizens should pass on this, too.
Final Conclusion: As impossible as it seems, it lived up to its hype. Of course, I’m a comic book fan, and I’m sure many “civilians” may be a bit turned off at all the sick stuff that happens in the movie, but I loved it.
Oh, and DID The Joker Kill Heath Ledger?
Yup.
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I was wondering if playing the Joker killed Heath Ledger, too!
Thank God Vahl was there to explain to me the deal with the time and window shade. I was lost by that.
Spoilers included:
Damian, let’s be clear about this — the massive popularity this movie has had is the ultimate vindication for fans of comic books like you and I.
We now know, without a SHADOW OF A DOUBT, comic book stories that we grew up reading can SELL TO THE MASSES … AND THE GRITTY STUFF SELLS, TOO.
Dark Knight BLEW AWAY the hype. Geter and I actually ooh’ed and aah’ed during the some of the sequences, like the Motor Cycle turn-around … and Joker’s Magic Trick with the pencil made everyone jump AND laugh at the same time. Truly sick and unbelievable.
Chris Nolan, David S. Goyer, all the actors involved … they’ve made these movies feel so realistic. Incredible.
The fact that Batman maintained his resolve to do what was best for Gotham at the end, to do what was right, and to not kill … showed true courage and determination.
The fact that his code about not killing came up time and again in the movie … again, Goyer and Nolan are to be commended for putting Batman and his ethics to the TEST.
I was thrilled when the Joker was proven wrong — that was a small victory for Bats. The only victory he had. I fully expected the Joker to be right — especially considering how he was winning the day.
I was also glad to see that Batman caught Joker. That rang true, unlike Tim Burton’s ending from 1989.
The Dark Knight is like two great movies in one — there’s so much happening in those 2 hours and 31 minutes.
By the way — did you catch that Watchmen preview?
WOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooh … Tony Schiavone … when you take a Graphic Novel like WATCHMEN, and you copy it, frame by frame, and put it on the big screen like that, YOU BETTER BELIEVE that you’ve got a winner on your hands, Tony Schiavone.
WOOOOOOoooooooooh! You don’t need Alan Moore’s approval, Tony Schiavone.
You just need to see Dr. Manhattan, winning Vietnam, to know what you’re getting yourself into.
You just NEED to see The COMEDIAN, circa 1978, chomping on that cigar.
You just NEED Night Owl’s ship, coming out of the Hudson River.
You just NEED Rorschach, with a spray can and a match.
You just NEED, Tony Schiavone, Silk Silhouette, RIDING SPACE MOUNTAIN, GOING TO MARS, STYLIN’ AND … WOOOH PROFILIN’ IN THAT YELLOW AND BLACK SUIT.
Adrian Veidt … ADRRRRIAAAANN VEEEIIIIDT. Anytime, anywhere, buddy.
You think you can catch a bullet, ADRRRIIAAAN? Well, let me tell ya, you never had to catch my fists, ADRRIIAAN. You never had to face the NATURE BOY, RIC FLAIR, IN HIS PRIME. I’ll turn back the clock, ADRRRIAAN, just for you … just one more time, so you can learn, once and for all … to be the man, you got to BEAT the man! And I am … the man.
WOOOOOOoooooooh….
My heart raced during the Watchmen trailer. My body was covered with goosebumps. Couldn’t get it out of my my mind. Felt like Sin City in terms of panel by panel conversion.
Moore already has bashed it, but that’s fine, because he’s right- his 12 issues and sidestory can’t be truly duplicated, his whole gimmick is he and Gibbon’s panel layout and background stuff/symbolism.
That being said, the other movies he bashed V for Vendetta, From Hell, and League of E.G. were great!
Yes, Batman felt like 2 movies in one, and it was great. It felt like Long Halloween or another trade paperback or storyarc.
It had the mob, Dent’s transformation, Joker, romance, corruption, Batman being in danger of giving up his ID, Hong Kong, and more.
Yeah, there’s vindication. There’s no doubt tons of Batman comics have been like this since the 1980’s, and it finally translated 100% on the big screen.
I loved when the criminal threw the detonator outside the window, too.
Speaking of trailers, it’s amazing how the MEDIA rips Robert Downey JR for playing a black guy when it’s clearly a parody IN THE MOVIE ITSELF.
Nothing against Heath Ledger at all, his performance was great, absolutely terrific. He was a almost perfect fit for the role and he really made the movie with his performance.
But lets face it, when they were casting for this movie Johnny Depp was one of, if not THE best actor out there Even more so a role like the Joker is one of those which were made for Johnny Depp, the Joker was creepy, unique, and an outcast, all of which Johnny Depp plays perfectly.
So as I see it, there was no better fitting role ever for Heath Ledger than the Joker, and he showed that, but I think Johnny Depp was just as good if not an even better fit, and is an overall better actor, leading to my belief that he would’ve been a better Joker.
I bet Katie Holmes is kicking herself in the *** after the success of The Dark Knight. What a stupid move to make to drop out of it. What did she make instead? Oh that’s right, Mad Money…lol what a stupid beeetch.. i’m gonna go punish her now for what she did to batman begins.
“here’s my card”
Evening Commmmmmishionerrrrr
“Starting tonight people will die I’m a man of my word”.
“no, i kill the bus driver.”
“In their final moments people show you who they really are. So, in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which ones were cowards?”
“How about I cut you into little pieces and feed you to your pooch, HmmM? Then you can see HOW LOYAL a hungry dog really is!”
“LOOK… AT… ME!!!”
“WOOOOHAHAHAHAHAH you have NOTHING! NOTHING to threaten me with with all your strength!”
Uhmm…the acting sucked, bro.
- I was unconvinced by Eckhart’s transformation into two face. It was all to quick and unconvincing for me.
- Gary Oldman, who is a truly excellent character, had a bland and limited role written for him here.
- Christian Bale, another excellent actor, was surprisingly uninspired and uninspiring throughout I felt.
i saw a girl at the mall
the other day with a
Joker shirt
on and asked if she
was gonna see the movie
and she said “what movie?”
i walked away
you should have smacked
her in the face,
and when she stared
at you with wide eyes and a trembling mouth,
screamed
“WHY SO SERIOUS?”
and pranced off.
I can’t even watch Nightmare Before Christmas anymore because of how the emo/goth set claimed it for their oh-so-tortured-because-I-live-in-a-middle-class-suburb-and-my-parents-don’t-get-me-because-I’m-so-edgy purposes. I think Blink-182 is partially to blame. When I was younger, Hot Topic was selling anti-establishment stuff, RIP shirts for Kurt Cobain and 2Pac, and kick-*** movie and soft core pin-up posters. I’m glad I haven’t been to one lately if all they’re doing is hawking shirts with Heath’s picture on them.
Comic book geek is now chic. I guess we have Seth Cohen from the OC to thank for that.
1) can someone explain to me how Bruce would have known the Joker was coming up the elevator, when he hid Harvey in the closet. If you notice, there were people behind Rachel when she was talking to Harvey and at the part when Bruce knocked Harvey out, they are gone. This confuses me.
2) When Harvey takes the criminal in the ambulance and interrogates him in the weird dark area, how did Batman find him and know he was there?
3) How did Batman know where Dent and Gordon were at the end of the movie? He didn’t hear Gordon’s conversation with Dent on the phone and the Joker didn’t tell him where they were. Maybe just a lucky/logical guess?
batman 10/10
batman returns 7/10
batman forever 5/10
batman & robin 4/10
batman begins 5/10
the dark knight 5/10
Batman: The Movie (1966) – 6 (9 if I'm drunk)
Batman – 8
Batman Returns – 7
Mask of the Phantasm – 8
Batman Forever – 5
Batman & Robin – 0 (The only movie I ever walked out on)
Batman Begins – 8
The Dark Knight – 9.5
I know your all going to slam my comments, but here goes any way.
I just saw the film today and i dont think the hype is really justified.
And here are the reasons why…
Mainly the film was too superficial. We have no real understanding where the joker cam from, what caused him to be like this. And it came across rather like the “saw” char in that he had a lame excuse for his existence. Saw’s was that he wanted people to value life.
The joker seemed to be the same, his only reason for being was to upset the balance. The whole ferry scene, and the phone in his gut, seemed right out of saw.
Same goes for the choice between the da and her.
The whole good DA lets all believe in him, because of some statements at dinner, again seemed to be something i have seen many times before. And so that was sad.
Morgan freeman, ok i’ll do it, then i quit. again no substance.
the scene in the cell where the joker pushes batman, well just fizzled out, and to me, had no real threat.
I did like batman begins, i think it really started to explain thru seeing what he wayne did, leaving the mansion, becoming a criminal to understand them, apart from the “comicy” ending, i thought it was the best bat man i had seen.
But this one left he feeling that i had seen it all before in other movies, something that i was not hoping for.
And maybe it all stated with the “Thomas Crown Affair” intro to the Joker, which again seemed like a variation (minor) on something seen before, maybe that should have told me what the whole film was going to be like, something i’d seen before.
I really cant understand why so many think this was brilliant, honestly i cant, all i can see was little character development, superficial drama, with reworking of other movies.
But maybe that’s why people like it, maybe it’s because it brings TCA, SAW, Zodiac, etc all into one film.
But in the end I didn’t see anything new, as i did in Batman Begins, which to me make the D.K. a disappointment, and worse a lost opportunity.
LASTLY… and most importantly….
I do remember the comic, “the killing joke”, god if the movie could have only been like that.
i was gonna see it
but now im
not
after
reading this
maybe in the $5
dvd crate at blockbuster
with iron man and all the
otyer ober hyped movies
of 2008!!
1989 Joker vs. 2008 Joker.
Who do you think would win in a fight to the death?
Why/how would two Jokers fight….?
Ledger reminded me of an introverted child molester type. He tended to grumble talk to himself and had weird body language. He didn’t appear to be amused by everything all the time and he wasn’t manic. I still think he did a good job, but as I’ve said, I’ve met REAL Joker types and I bet Ledger didn’t think they existed, but they do.
The Joker should be like an evil Robin Williams when he’s on a roll. Like he won’t shut up and can’t calm down. Also, with manic versus happy people, if you cut them off and so forth, they suddenly get vicious.
It could have been done much, much better.
why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?why so serious?
maybe ill try to download it off bittorrent.
You’re under arrest
I'm not as impressed with the movie as everyone else seems to be. I've got some questions, issues, and complaints that I need to get off my chest.
1) The movie felt rushed and disjointed to me. Almost like Spider-Man 3 where there were too many sub-plots going on to fully be able to grasp the main plot. Bruce, Rachel, Harvey love triangle, Lao from Hong Kong, the mobsters, Bat 'copycat" vigilantes, Harvey into Two-Face, a blackmailing scheme from a no name character, etc.
2) A few of the scenes seem to have some rough editing.
Which I'm saying the scene was cut (ended) abruptly and had no follow through. The biggest one is in the scene where Batman saves Rachel after being thrown from the building. Batman never returns to the gathering to follow up on whether the Joker had departed or whether he was still up there threatening or even killing people, he just laid there talking to Rachel like he assumed that everyone was safe and it was all over. I thought it was an abrupt incomplete ending to that scene. There are a couple more scenes that felt like that but I'll leave it at that for now. And speaking of that scene,……
3) Is Batman a magician, or a teleporter?
I find that scene where Joker says to Rachel "you've got a little fight in you..I like that" and then Batman just appears from out of nowhere right next to the Rachel and says " then you're gonna love me" just way too impossible. I mean,.. how could he possibly get THAT close to Joker and Rachel without any of his henchmen or any of the patrons reacting to his arrival? Did he just simply walk into that huge fully lit room UNDETECTED? I mean,.. he was standing RIGHT THERE NEXT TO RACHEL! Does the Joker have poor peripheral vision? Batman just appears out of the thin air, spouts some dialogue and starts fighting, almost like he literally teleported into the room. Am I the only one who finds this shot kinda odd and funny looking?
They are also starting to make Batman look almost magical with his little disappearing act while people are talking to him. I'm ready to accept that one scene where he "disappeared" while talking to Harvey and Gordon on the rooftop, but there is another one where he does it in the police station where it's just not possible that he could have gotten out of the room that quickly. They're starting to make Batman look like a teleporter. They need to chill just a little with that thing where if you blink your eyes or if you turn your head he's gone routine.
4) What was the purpose of that sub-plot with the guy who was going to reveal the secret identity on TV?
I thought that was an unnecessary bit of distraction that didn't need to be there. I thought that once he tried to blackmail Fox with the info that he had that was the end of his involvement with the film, and I was surprised he resurfaced again with additional movie involvement. Does that guy know who Batman is? And if he does know……..
5) Did Lucius Fox 'out' Bruce?
Now I only saw the movie once so I don't quite remember the dialogue, but the blackmail guy (I think his name was Reese) said he found that funds were missing from the R&D department and aluded to the fact that he knew Fox was financing Batman. But Reese never said anything about knowing who Batman was did he? Fox made some kind of comment like "do you really want to cross a billionaire playboy who spends his spare time as a vigilante and blah blah blah". Like I said I can't remember the exact dialouge exchange and if somebody else does please help me with that scene, because to me it looks like Fox just gave Bruce up.
6) What was that little Scarecrow cameo for?
Was that necessary? Did that serve any purpose? I don't understand why that was there.
7) The Bat-pod wall turn.
That little wheelie up the wall where he turns around on the batpod looked kinda dopey. Yeah it's a small thing but I thought it looked like an unnecessary bit of C.G.I. usage that accomplished nothing.
That scene with Fox getting all worked up and turning in his resignation due to the "bat sonar" modifications that Bruce made seemed to be overplayed and unnecessary. Was this Nolan's attempt to inject his views on "illegal wire tapping" or something? It seemed kinda heavy handed and forced to me. And speaking of the "bat sonar", those glowing eyes that came along with the "Daredevil vision"….I didn't care for that either, just a little too "hi-tech" for me. But I guess that's more of a personal preferance more than a film making problem.
9) The ferry boat sequence.
I feel as though this was an anti-climactic and worthless scene and could have been left out all together.
and my biggest gripe…
10) Rachel's death was VASTLY underplayed.
Bruce Wayne's lifelong friend, the woman he wants for himself, she gets blown up and I just didn't feel the pain from him. They had that one scene where Batman was standing at "ground zero" with his head down, then that other scene where he's sitting in the chair with his mask off sulking feeling sorry for himself and that was it. Did he ever cry? did he scream in anguish? I just didn't see a strong enough reaction that would suggest that he had just lost someone very close to him. Harvey seemed to be more emotionally distraught and hurt over it than Bruce was.
Everyone is ready to hail this movie as a masterpiece and compared to some of the other garbage out there I guess it is. I just felt somewhat let down and not quite as satisfied as I hoped I would be. However as I said I only saw it once and I'll have to go see it again just to make sure I saw what I think saw, and heard what I think I heard.
But as it stands right now I just walked out only appreciating the performance from the actors, but from a filmaking standpoint it was less than what I was expecting. I loved Batman Begins, and at this moment I'll say liked it more than The Dark Knight.