The Dark Knight--Spoiler FREE

[namtab29]

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>>Was it Morgan Freeman's line about "it'll protect you from cats"?

Chris<<

yep--that line jumped out at me for being unnecessary. and since they did not do what i expected--i.e., set up Two-Face as the villain in #3, that leaves the next film wide open, villain-wise.

plus, with Rachel gone, he now has no love interest--perfect timing for a female villain who can turn good, fall in love with bruce, and he can retire as Batman by the end of the film, thereby making it a full-blown, beginning-to-end TRILOGY.

rob!

[Steeler80]

I thought that line seemed a little "forced" as well and wondered about it. I think it would be good for maybe a mobster to have her in her employ. Batman goes after the mobster and has a love/hate thing go on with Catwoman (well it plays better in my head ).

[darklord1967]

Christian Bale IS Batman. Michael Keaton did okay, but in hindsight he comes across as a little man caught in a giant suit. Bale is the first to be able to pull off the depth of the character, AND match the phsyicality. I think his voice works. The whole angle of Batman Begins and Dark Knight (and it should be the angle of every Batman) is to scare the living beejeezus out of criminals. That voice does it.

Sorry. Not for ME it doesn't. It just comes off as a guy with a lisp trying waaay too hard to sound scary. That voice is about as scary as fingernails across a blackboard to me... which is to say not at all. It's more grating and irritating.

The Batman's bizzare appearence is already theatrical, bigger than life, and melodramatic. Having a voice that is that forced only makes things way over the top for me.

With The Batman, less is more... certainly in regards to the voice.

I think Heath Ledger instinctively understood this to be true about his character as well. The understated voice that he developed for The Joker works amazingly well when contrasted against his bizzare appearence. It's eeire. It's dangerous. And it seems psychotically off-balance... perfect for that character.

If Bruce Wayne were portrayed as the chatty, verbose, laughing air-headed playboy that he pretends to be (which Bale handles beautifully), then there would be no need to try to come up with an overly melodramatic voice for The Batman. In fact his silence (punctuated with an occasional raspy word or two), would speak volumes... and would be FAR more un-nerving to a criminal (and to the audience).

I'm kinda thinking along the lines of Michael Myers from the original "Halloween".

There's nothing LESS scary than a guy trying to sound scary.


And just to be clear about one thing: I don't think Michael Keaton was a better Batman by any stretch of the imagination. I couldn't agree with you more that he seemed like a little guy lost in a big Bat-suit.

All I was saying was that his Bat-suit at least had a closer resemblance to the traditional Batman that I prefer to see... and even that one missed the mark.

There are certain things that I prefer to see that I think are essential to the look of The Batman. And not all of them are being applied in live-action versions of him:

1) Some basic design simplicity of the costume is a must. Too much sculpted "designery" crap on the outfit moves away from The Batman's utilitarian no-nonsense approach to crime-fighting, in my view.

2) Some basic contrasting color would be nice. I know that it's fashionable to have The Dark Knight dressed all in black these days like a friggin' vampire or a STAR WARS sith lord or something. But he's The Batman, NOT The "Darth-man" or "Bat-Vader".

3) Shoulders. The Batman's basic sillhouette is far more pleasing to my eye (not to mention more imposing) when he's got broader shoulders. All movie Batmans have had ZERO shoulders making his outline seem awkward. When the producers of the animated Batman put their show together, this was one of the very FIRST things they addressed, and with beautiful results.

4) Bat-Winged Cape. Some super-heroes wear a cape. And some super-heroes wear a cape with character and attitude. By and large I think Chirs Nolan and his team depict The Batman's cape with proper attitude when he's in action. I LOVED the shot when he landed atop the Scarecrow's van for example. Classic Batman!

I would have preferred deeper scallops to the cape's bat-wing design, but that is a minor gripe. Besides which (in their defense), the shallower - wider scallops of the Bale cape design is actually more appropriate, when you think about it. It resembles real Bat wings more accurately.

No, my biggest gripe with the cape is its typical portrayal when it is at rest.

EVERY SINGLE live-action Batman actor since the 1940's Columbia serials (including West, Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney, and now Bale) has worn the cape flipped over his shoulders. To me, that goes completely against the idea of a guy that wants to stick to the shadows and be creepy.

A cape is a very gothic garment, and it should be worn closed in front of the shoulders, certainly for a character like The Batman. There should be very little hint to the shape of a mere man under there until he begins to move into action.

Again, outside the comics, the producers of the various post-modern animated series were the first to understand this, and it worked gloriously when they applied it.

But I guess when you spend 3 or 4 million dollars on an absurdly-sculpted high-tech Bat suit, the last thing you would want to do is cover it up with a closed cape.

[spaceace35]

'Dark Knight' earns over $60 million - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

[phil]

Great movie period. Looking forward to seeing it again. Heard a news story
last night that it could be on the way to becoming the top monet maker of all
time.

[kingdom warrior]

Loved the movie Best Superhero movie EVER!!!! Ledger should get the Oscar. A very well crafted crime drama.......but,

I agree with Darklord. I've said it before I hate the rubbersuits will always hate the suits. I agree all the best action heros Do Not wear High tech Rubber suits so why should Batman. When Jim lee designed his Batman he supposedly wears all his protective gear underneath his suit. But i understand that the toy companies have to sell their 3000 different Batman figures from the movies.......and yes his voice is freeking unnerving...... Kevin Conroy the Best batman voice ever doesn't do that with his voice actually his Bruce voice is lighter.

I also agree don't wait for the DVD and avoid the bootlegs they'll look like crap anyway with all the dark scenes. Go see it on the Big screen.

[joshvox]

I do agree that Bale's voice is a bit forced at times, and was probably better in the first movie overall. However, I think this is nitpicking and that this movie is a success on every possible level, and one of the best action/crime movies of all time.

[Hector]

Darklord, I respect your opinion...but you are just nitpicking...and taking all the so-called negatives waaaaaaaaay too seriously.

[Hector]

Christian Bale IS Batman. Michael Keaton did okay, but in hindsight he comes across as a little man caught in a giant suit. Bale is the first to be able to pull off the depth of the character, AND match the phsyicality. I think his voice works. The whole angle of Batman Begins and Dark Knight (and it should be the angle of every Batman) is to scare the living beejeezus out of criminals. That voice does it. And it's nowhere near his Bruce Wayne. Great performance, and totally underrated in all this Ledger-praise, even though he deserves it!

Spot on Chris.

I for one never liked Keaton much simply because he's of very slight-built and puny...I mean come on, look at this still...Nicholson looks like the Hulk next to Keaton, look at Keaton's tiny shoulders, lol...

[kingdom warrior]

Nicholson was Fat he made everyone look puny....

[The Bat]

I just saw it Today...and I'm still stunned & shocked at how GREAT it was...I'm still in AWE!!! I don't know yet if I can say enough words to describe how happy I am with that Movie! FINALLY....someone understands how to make Batman Movies...God bless You Chris Nolan!

[Megospidey]

Just returned from seeing it - very good flick - Heath Ledger is phenomenal - and Spiderman (the character, not the movie) would have kicked both Batman and Joker's butt all over Gotham City

[toys2cool]

*******SPOILER-FREE REVIEW***********



Speaking as a life-long Bat-fan, I can honestly say that Bob Kane would likely have cried tears of utter joy seeing this masterpiece of a film. Director Chirstopher Nolan continues to return dignity to the whole Batman mythology with a film that is sure to go down in history as a re-definition of the entire genre.

I have NEVER seen a comic book superhero film that treats the material with with such respect, dramatic weight, and reverence for the characters.

The special effects and set pieces pack one hell of a wallop, especially one nasty piece of buisness with a cycle and a semi truck. And the psychologial thriller of a script was gripping and extremely well-written.

The performances here were all, by and large, admirable. Maggie Gyllenhaal is effective as Bruce Wayne's former flame (and assistant DA) Rachel Dawes. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine once again contribute immesurably to the dignity of the film in their turns as Lucius Fox and Alfred Pennyworth respectively. Gary Oldman IS Leutenant (later Commissioner) James Gordon brought to life right off the comic book page. Aaron Ekhart's performance proves that he is a lot more than chiesled good-looks, and he makes you forget all about Tommy Lee Jones' silly turn as Two Face. The new horrific origin for the character is perfectly realized, and it creates a flawless motivation toward villainy and hatred for The Batman. When Two-Face is finally revealed, the character's nightmarish look socks you in the gut like a sledgehammer, and it keeps on hitting you with the power and effectiveness of Ekhart's portrayal behind it.

Let me be totally honesty here and say that I have never been overly enamored with Christian Bale's casting as Bruce Wayne / The Batman. His Portrayal of callous air-headed playboy Bruce Wayne is spot-on, you understand, and he really looks the part. It's his interpretation of The Batman that I cannot stand. I absolutely despise that horribly melodramatic growl of a voice that he puts on when playing the Dark Knight. And with that hideously ugly Bat-cowl design pinching his lower mouth area into a pucker nearly worthy of Michael Keaton's, Bale actually develops a slight lisp when doing that voice.

It's laughable.

Maybe I'm one of the six or seven guys left in the entire world that still feels this way, but I would just like to see a live-action Batman that actually looks like The Batman.

I'm not saying that I want to see the day-glow blue cape and cowl of the comics. But I have had quite enough of this completely monochromatic armor-clad Robo-Batman with no interesting contrasts to the design of his costume. Each successive film moves farther and farther away from a traditional look for The Batman.

I think it's astonishing that Keaton's awful '89 suit is the closest they've come to a live-action Bat-suit that remotely resembles the look of the character in the comics. But I would actually be very happy at this point with the '89 Keaton outfit, done in very dark charcoal grey, with a yellow chest oval and black bat emblem, yellow utility belt, midnight blue (or black) cape,cowl, boots and gloves. Done.

But Bale's irritating Batman voice and costume notwithstanding, not even he could ruin this gem of a film.

And of course, this film belongs almost entirely to Heath Ledger's Joker.

Here is a villain that is every bit as brilliant, phychotic, and terrifying as Kevin Spacey's "John Doe" serial killer in the film "Seven". But Ledger completely owns this character and brings a unique, original, skin crawling interpretation, that makes you forget all about Jack Nicholson. The few times he actually cackles like the Clown Prince of Crime, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle up. Absolutely bone-chilling.

Ledger most-definitely deserves not only the oscar nomination, but the award itself. This has NOTHING to do with his unfortunate sudden death, mind-you. People would have been (and will be) talking about this performance for YEARS... even if he had not passed away. It was the type of performance that you just don't see in a "genre" film, and one that CANNOT be appreciated with just one viewing.

The Dark Knight soars higher (if darker) than anything else offered this summer. It is miles beyond the highly over-rated "Iron-Man"... an epic among not only comic book movies or summer movies, but among all movies.

Do yourself a favor: Don't wait for this to come to DVD. Don't buy a bootleg DVD (you shouldn't be doing that anyway!)

Go to a good movie theater, with a decent sound system, and let this epic work its magic on you. A word of caution: Go to the restroom, get your popcorn, soda, and milk duds BEFORE this movie starts, because once it does you're not gonna want to get up even for the Star Spangled Banner.

LMAO!! my brother says the same thing about Bale and he doesn't like him as Batman,I on the other hand think he's perfect

[marmes]

Loved It!!!
Lotsa' fun and REAL LOUD!!!
Heath kicked *** as the Joker.

M

[goldenryan]

forget about another sequel they can't top this. But hollywood is all about making money so they will make another batman. i just won't see it.