So, I finally watched The Dark Knight

[angelophile]

A few thoughts...

Honestly, I'm glad I held off watching this movie when it came out and was being hailed as the besterest movie ever! because I didn't find it so. In parts great and generally good, but it didn't speak to me on the level I'd need to uphold it as a personal great.

The best things about the movie were Gary Oldman and Aaron Eckhart, in my opinion. I can kinda see why people love the Heath Ledger Joker, and as far as the writing for the part went, it was very good, but in terms of performance I didn't find it Oscarworthy - a little too scenery chewing for my tastes, and not so much to be flamboyantly so, and, frankly, the lip licking irritated me quite quickly. That's not to say it's a bad performance, by any means. As sociopaths go, Ledger played it brilliantly, but more like a sociapath in clown makeup and with the taste for the theatrical in his performance, rather than the Joker I'd always imagined.

As for the other performances, well Christian Bale's Batman voice got old very quickly and it could have been practically anyone in the costume. And I still consider Michael Caine to be a brilliant actor, but woefully miscast.

Otherwise, the script was excellent, with a very solid plotline and character arcs for all the major players. Good to see Gordon promoted to the major role within the plotting. I'm afraid I considered the final fate of Harvey to be a waste. All that build up and then the fall, what happened to Dent after he was broken was fodder for the next movie. As it was, that felt like a wasted and rushed ending. It wasn't the only pacing issue as I felt the movie was at least 20 minutes too long, if not more.

Still, it was a good movie. I just clearly haven't clicked with it the same as many other people, although I enjoyed it a lot more than Batman begins.

I don't quite understand the religious-like fervour there was over it, though.

Comments

[wal-lace.livejournal.com]

While I loved Ledger's performance almost as much as the hype said I should, I'm with you on most of the rest. In particular the use of Two-Face - they wasted him on what felt like a tacked-on epilogue, when they could have built a third film around him.

I also think the single best line delivery in the film is the incredibly matter-of-fact way Eckhart says "my turn", as he puts the gun to his own head. But that's just me.

(Also, I continue to maintain that Two-Face is not actually dead until Christopher Nolan himself makes a public declaration during which he swears on the Bible, the Koran, and his own left hand that it is so)

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

Yes, it seems like they may be rethinking the fate of Harvey, after Heath Ledger died. The Joker would, presumably have played a role in the next film and I seriously doubt they're about to recast the role, so there are rumblings about Dent making a return. But it should have been left open in the first place. The ruination of Harvey from the true hero of Gotham to Two Face woulc enough without tacking on an ending in a hurry.

[entershan.livejournal.com]

I don't think that if Ledger was alive they would have necessarily used the Joker in a major role in the next film. They'd make you aware he was still operating in some capacity, but I don't think he would've been seen much.

As for Two-Face, I'm not seeing what incredible potential he had as a villain short of becoming an insane mobster. Although it would have been better to keep him alive in order to build up the universe of Gotham with more maniacs. Joker would be alive (his influence inexorable), Scarecrow, Ras Al-Ghul, and Two-Face. It would be a formidable foundation to the Batman universe.

What did you dislike about Caine as Alfred? This Alfred is more of a seasoned veteran, rather than just a rather introverted and idiosyncratic butler.

[angelophile.livejournal.com]

Which the comic Alfred is too. I'd just always considered him the quintessential Jeeves and not a military batman, which is Caine's role. I'd always considered Alfred to be softly spoken and more of the stiff upper lip type than the salt of the earth Cockernee rascal.

[darcblayde.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you...
In my opinion it was Eckhart who was the standout performance of the film...

[(Anonymous)]

Now watch Green Slime.

-Grimbot.