Comments on media spec: The Dark Knight: More Than A Super Hero Film

Now that I've finally seen the movie, I read your ...

2008-08-05T20:39:02.531-05:00

Now that I've finally seen the movie, I read your review and think it is really excellent. (both the movie and the review). Had fun reading it!

My personal opinion and love for Batman aside, one...

2008-07-27T03:34:09.347-05:00

My personal opinion and love for Batman aside, one of the biggest reasons why I think The Dark Knight is so amazing is because it truly is one of the more definitive versions of the character and story. With so many different interpretations over the years, I feel like TDK can be pointed to any fan or non-fan and have both be satisfied.

I agree with your assessment on both Harvey Dent and Joker. There are several possibilities on a third movie, and it will be very interesting to see how the story will play out. I will say that I think the next one can be pulled off without recasting Heath Ledger. There will be criticism no matter what they do and I believe it can stand on its own without directly showing Joker and giving Two-Face (no longer just Harvey anymore) a chance to shine. And given Nolan's track record so far, they really could do Catwoman justice. That throwaway line with Lucius and Bruce may have more hidden meaning or just be a casual tease.

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a huge fan o...

2008-07-26T20:57:44.820-05:00

I'll start off by saying that I'm not a huge fan of the Batman. The series has been going on since 1939, which means story lines have been full of contradictions, unnecessary characters have been added to prolong the life of the series, and the values of the story have changed and evolved (so the characters don't necessary have the same values and personality.)

I do like the character himself. From what I can see of the random tv shows, movies, comics, and Wikipedia articles, he represents truth as truth is. He's not willing to go through the politics of being a beloved public figure, so he doesn't mind rejecting the public for its own good. (The Dark Knight touched on this.) I like that he doesn't have superpowers - that he uses his own intellect and badass gadgets to catch criminals makes him more heroic and a character most people can relate to. (Points off for being a wealthy millionaire with the trust fund.)

Having said that, I loved the Dark Knight. It brought in a major character to the Batman story (the Joker) and all the characters were played believably. Yes, Joker was portrayed as the carefree anarchist very well. Yes, Harvey Dent was shown as the great DA with the tragic fall to criminal behavior. (I do think his death was premature or staged, but probably used as a good segway into the next movie.)

The thing I'm disappointed with is that Ledger did such a good job with the Joker's character. Without getting into how terrible it is that he died and that, his performance of the Joker was so believable that another actor playing may be rejected by the audience as not being true enough to form.

Overall, awesome movie. I think your description of it is very accurate and that you accurately described/commented on the different elements of the movie.

I couldn't have said it better myself. It truly i...

2008-07-20T04:02:46.147-05:00

I couldn't have said it better myself. It truly is unfortunate that the Joker could never be recast in good conscience, but I believe it's not completely necessary to do so. He will remain in spirit, already setting things in motion and creating that standard to live up to.

There were so many little, subtle things that added up to make The Dark Knight so amazing. The attention to detail and the fact that everyone so completely understands the characters, universe, story, and all the different nuances. You could really see the thin line that separates good from bad and how precarious it can be. It really is a huge leap from Batman Begins.

I waited to watch THE DARK KNIGHT before reading y...

2008-07-20T01:21:39.352-05:00

I waited to watch THE DARK KNIGHT before reading your review, as I wanted to be able to see the movie for what it is.

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I agree that all characters seemed to be spot-on. I was concerned that Heath Ledger's part in this movie was being seen "through rose-colored glasses," as you say, but after watching the movie, I must say The Joker lived up to his name. I am saddened to know that any possibilities of The Joker being reprised for future sequels to this series can never be entertained in the same way again.

I also agree with you that Harvey Dent was a hidden treasure in this movie. What could have been a flat side villain was rich in shades of light and dark. He had more depth than I realized, and I appreciated that it was brought forth.

I liked the attention to detail in this movie, such as the effort with shadowing and other effects to make Maggie Gyllenhaal more similar to Katie Holmes' physical portrayal of the character. I always wondered how they were going to keep hidden Bruce Wayne's use of Wayne Enterprise's R&D Department for Batman's purposes, and the movie even had an explanation for this.

THE DARK KNIGHT was more about the choices that people ultimately make for good or bad and what can push someone to make a decision to perform acts of evil. I can't wait to see where this series goes in the next installment.

I've only had a chance to see it once, and I alrea...

2008-07-19T17:34:19.651-05:00

I've only had a chance to see it once, and I already can't wait to go see it again. Look for it in IMAX theatres, as there are certain scenes created especially for it.

For another in-depth review of The Dark Knight, check out munjey86's great upcoming blog.

Good review of TDK. I'm hoping to see it really s...

2008-07-19T16:02:59.108-05:00

Good review of TDK. I'm hoping to see it really soon. Coming from you, its good to know that it's a good movie.