'Dark Knight': Is It Good? We Rate The Batman Flick On Key Superhero-Movie Factors
By Larry Carroll
MTV.com
'Batman Begins' follow-up is a faster-paced ride that will have you wanting to buy a ticket for the next showing when you leave the theater.
Four things you should know before you read this article: I've seen "The Dark Knight." <http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/306605/moviemain.jhtml> You haven't. I promise not to spoil anything in the paragraphs that follow. And yes, I do realize what a lucky bastard I am.
Rather than a traditional review, when it comes to the year's most anticipated film, you just want to know one thing: Is it good? With that in mind, here are eight key factors that make a superhero movie sink or swim, and the movie's ratings — from 1 to 10 (10 being best) — in each category:
The "Wow" Factor
This is the strongest category for Christopher Nolan <http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/205647/personmain.jhtml> 's new masterpiece. Your mouth will drop every time Heath Ledger's Joker <http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1583563/20080317/story.jhtml> walks onscreen, you will want to own a Batpod, and you'll marvel at the increased powers and flexibility in Batman's new outfit. Nolan engineers some brilliant chase scenes, cuts together violent montages reminiscent of "The Godfather" <http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/13755/moviemain.jhtml> and mixes in enough beautiful cinematography to make the film feel Oscar-worthy. Do yourself a favor and see it in IMAX. Rating: 10
The "Cheese" Factor
Nolan's greatest triumph with "Batman Begins" may have been banishing any semblance of camp from the franchise. History has shown, however, that the longer a "Batman" incarnation continues, the more cheese begins to sneak in. While "Bam!" "Pow!" "Biff!" and nipple-suits are nowhere to be seen, there is an increased reliance this time around on evil henchmen. As these faceless minions are beaten to a bloody pulp time and again by Batman, you might find yourself a bit concerned. While it's doubtful that Arnold Schwarzenegger's Mr. Freeze will be the villain in the next film, all those lackeys seem like a baby step toward Schumacher-ville. Rating: 7
The "Quote" Factor
Like Jack Nicholson <http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/92406/personmain.jhtml> before him, every line out of Ledger's mouth feels like it should be on a T-shirt. Every word from the mouths of Michael Caine <http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/9107/personmain.jhtml> (as Alfred Pennyworth) and Morgan Freeman <http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/79851/personmain.jhtml> (as Lucius Fox) are pearls of wisdom. But the Batman himself speaks a bit stiffer than in the last film, and Aaron Eckhart <http://www.mtv.com/movies/person/189096/personmain.jhtml> 's Harvey Dent/ Two-Face won't have you changing your e-mail signature anytime soon. Rating: 7
The "Surprise" Factor
Even if you're the sort of Internet geek who has read every MTV.com Batman story over the past few years, freeze-framed the trailers obsessively and participated in all the guerrilla marketing <http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/04/29/ramsey-the-intern-videoblogs-his-dark-knight-viral-event/> , you'll still find plenty of unexpected pleasures in "Dark Knight." My only hesitation in this category's grading is that the ending isn't nearly as surprising or unpredictable as that of "Batman Begins." <http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/239765/moviemain.jhtml> But suffice it to say: Chris Nolan has no problem killing any character at any time. Rating: 7
The "Comic Book vs. Movie" Factor
Much like "Batman Begins," Nolan continues to reinvent the characters as he sees fit. When it comes to the Joker, every move made by Nolan and Ledger is a masterstroke. Unfortunately, Two-Face often pales in comparison. For the most part, however, all of Nolan's choices are as good as, if not better than, his source material. Rating: 8
The "Repeat Viewing" Factor
When this movie ends, you'll want to leave the theater, buy another ticket and go back in for the next show. The film moves very fast, and the plot often becomes quite complicated for a "comic book" movie. Repeated viewings should provide further insight into the motivations of certain characters and will also allow you to savor the finer moments of Ledger's bizarrely beautiful performance. That said, is this the kind of movie that places a reference to the Flash way in the background, fueling team-up talk for sharp-eyed fans? You'll have to go see "Iron Man" <http://www.mtv.com/movies/movie/302714/moviemain.jhtml> again for that kind of thing. Rating: 7
The "Darkness" Factor
There is some messed-up stuff in this movie, and I mean that in the best possible way. Conversely, there are also a few too many deaths that occur off-camera. Ultimately, the film uses Joker's insanity, Harvey Dent's honor and Batman's struggle somewhere in the middle to explore the thin line between hero and villain. You'll leave the theater not only discussing all the cool gadgets, toys and action scenes, but also the psychological tipping points of these men. Ultimately, such intelligence is the most powerful weapon in the "Dark Knight" utility belt. Rating: 8
The "Sequel" Factor
Overall, "Dark Knight" is superior to "Batman Begins." Much of this stems from the film's eagerness to pick up within moments of the last film's conclusion, without any need to explain the origins of anyone. Once the film gets going, you'd better keep up, because things move more rapidly than in "Begins." It's the best "Batman" movie ever made, hands down. Rating: 9
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The Dark Knight: An Extraordinary Cinematic Revolution
by Alex Billington
First Showing
This is not a review of The Dark Knight. However, considering the film isn't even in theaters yet, it might come as a surprise to hear so much profound praise, but I can't help from sharing my feelings on this absolute masterpiece. In fact, I've decided to move beyond calling it a masterpiece to calling it potentially a cinematic revolution. Not since Lord of the Rings: Return of the King five years ago in December of 2003, did I walk out of the theater so moved, so amazed, and so extraordinarily impacted by the movie I had just watched. Instead of reviewing this film and its many brilliant elements, I must explain why it truly is a flawless masterpiece that the world will experience together on July 18th. Don't necessarily change any of your expectations, but be prepared for an unforgettable theatrical experience.
The biggest reason that I believe The Dark Knight is a cinematic revolution is its use of IMAX cameras and stunning cinematography. This was unlike anything I have ever seen before and that's because it literally has never been done before until now. I have never normally enjoyed watching movies converted to IMAX, but the work in this was breathtaking, a true look at a future where movies constantly push visuals to these extremes. It's a true revolution because when The Dark Knight arrives and the world is so drawn into how amazing the film looks on IMAX, it will instantly become the standard for the future, similar to bullet time from The Matrix. Christopher Nolan has shown us a world without filmmaking boundaries. And for the first time ever, I can't suggest you watch this anywhere else besides on IMAX.
One of the other elements of The Dark Knight that I consider a revolution is its brilliant viral marketing. Every last element of the viral "alternate reality game" ties in with the film - from the locations to the fictional characters to the events - they were all directly involved with some part of the actual story or the film. This isn't just a game that's set in a fictional Gotham City that exists solely on the internet, it felt like it was truly a part of the film. Without spoiling specific details, the viral marketing elements that connect with the film included: corrupt police officers, the election of Harvey Dent as District Attorney, TV newscasts from Gotham Cable News, defaced newspapers, locations (Gotham Ferry), buried cell phones in "things" such as cakes from last year, and much more. This is the ultimate in fan interaction.
The last major element that will incite endless discussion is the potential for The Dark Knight to change comic book movies forever. As for how exactly, it's tough to get into that discussion without the entire world having seen the movie already, but for the first time ever I actually cared more about the story and the progression of the characters than the action. Most comic book fans look for great action in superhero movies and that's it, but this is definitely not just another big budget action film. Christopher Nolan has showed us that a superhero movie with a fantastic story can achieve a level of brilliance that few thought was possible. It is only a potential right now because it is dependent on the financial success and how well both critics and fans receive the film upon its release.
Thanks to David Goyer, Christopher Nolan, and his brother Jonah Nolan, the story in The Dark Knight is entirely incomparable to any other previous superhero movie. It twists and turns nearly every twenty minutes and keeps you on the edge of your seat, gasping for air and accelerating your heart rate, throughout all 160 minutes of it. Not only is the story amazing, but the film combines that with phenomenal action scenes for a result that is an utterly flawless combination of an intricate story with intense action. This may not be new for filmmaking on a whole, as films like The Coen Brother's No Country for Old Men are this will crafted, but they're not a part of the comic book genre. It's up to the fans and moviegoers to embrace this style in this genre, but it certainly has the potential to change the comic book genre forever.
Given Batman Begins wasn't exactly the biggest box office earner for Warner Brothers, it's amazing to see that the studio has let Christopher Nolan have this much free range control over the film to create such a dark, thematic, and long feature. It's not just great filmmaking, but it's something that really breaks the general rules for studio summer tentpoles and yet succeeds at its progression throughout three finely crafted acts. What I must continue to emphasize is how much The Dark Knight accelerates past the limits of typical expectations for summer superhero blockbusters yet achieves an amazing level of brilliance that most movies in general don't even come close to anyway. At nearly 160 minutes, the film is immensely epic and races you through one of the most astounding cinematic experiences in the last few years.
The in-depth discussion of the cinematic revolution of The Dark Knight won't truly begin until July 18th. It may feel like a long wait, but it's worth it, every last minute of it. The first time I saw the film it was such a profound experience, that I want everyone to be able to walk out as completely moved as I was. The moment that the credits started rolling, I finally let out a breath that I had been holding the last few minutes. I didn't want it to end because I felt as if I had been personally involved in an intense and unforgettable experience. It's just that incredible. It might not change your life, but as Christian Bale said in Batman Begins, its filmmaking achievements will undoubtedly "rattle the cages" of Hollywood.
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10 Reasons Why I Loved The Dark Knight
by Peter Sciretta
Slash Film
I have been given the go ahead to review The Dark Knight, but this is the type of film that I need to see at least two or three times before attempting such a task. The film is so very expansive, so incredibly epic. I decided that instead of a full review, I will just share my first impressions. But lets first talk expectations. Going into 2008, I was looking forward to only a few films, The Dark Knight being one of them. As you probably already know, WALL-E was at the top of my list, and Pixar’s latest didn’t disappoint. I was very sure that WALL-E would end up being my favorite film of the year, and it is… errr WAS. That is until I saw The Dark Knight. I screened the film on Saturday night in Los Angeles, and now that I’ve had a few days to think about the film, I thought I would share my ten spoiler-free reasons why I believe that The Dark Knight is a masterpiece - an almost flawless comic book movie adaptation.
1. The Movie is Epic - The Dark Knight is not just a superhero movie. It is the first comic book adaptation to transcend the genre. Imagine one of the greatest crime thrillers of all time which just happens to have a guy who dresses in a bat costume and fights crime. Think Godfather 2 or Heat, with a insane terrorist who paints his face like a clown and goes around killing random people. It’s expansive in feel and tone. It’s the type of film which you make a point to refer to as a “film” instead of a “movie”.
2. Bigger, Better, Longer - I’ll admit that I wasn’t completely blown away by Batman Begins. Sure, it was the best Batman film to date, incorporating darker themes and a sense of realism that the franchise had never seen before. But Batman Begins is also not without its problems. I think even hardcore fans would agree that the film suffers from third act problems. The Dark Knight is bigger and better in every single way. The film is 152 minutes (two hours and thirty two minutes) long, and every second is gripping. Does it feel long? Yeah. But at the same time I wouldn’t have removed a thing. Every single second is necessary to tell this story. Nolan even keeps some plot developments off screen which resonate in various scenes throughout the film.
3. Heath Ledger - Some friends have expressed concern that the death of Heath Ledger will taint their Dark Knight viewing experience. It doesn’t, and here is why - Heath is amazing. From the first second he steps on screen you will forget that their is an actor behind the make-up. Heath doesn’t play The Joker, he IS the Joker. You will believe that a psychopath wearing clown makeup is terrorizing a whole city. The performance is Oscar worthy. What Anthony Hopkins did for Hannibal Lector, Ledger does for The Joker.
4. Two-Face - At the core this movie is not about Batman, or even The Joker, but instead about Harvey Dent, and his transformation into Two-face. In a way the story is almost a Shakespearean tragedy of a man who goes bad. The screenwriters play against the established conventions of Two-face’s origin story to give you something new, refreshing, and ultimately more authentic than the story presented in the comic books. You will believe that a hero becomes the villain. And you might also be shocked at how long the two-face character appears on screen. It’s not just a tease - you will get everything! His computer generated make-up is so gruesome and realistic looking, that I’m shocked the film was able to get a PG-13 rating.
5. The Empire Strikes Back - The Dark Knight is The Empire Strikes Back of comic book movies. It is dark, bleak, and realistic. Kids looking for a fun superhero movie need to look elsewhere. This is a multi-layered, authentic crime tale. There is more than one casualty, and it doesn’t exactly end on a high note. Fans will eat the ending up. After sitting in the theater for two and a half hours, it will leave you wanting more.
6. IMAX - If you don’t see this movie in IMAX than you haven’t seen the movie. A few of the action sequences and many of the establishing shots throughout the film were shot using IMAX cameras. The result is breathtaking. There is a sequence where Batman leaps off the top of a building (you’ve probably seen it in the trailers) and the camera pushes in. It’s so vivid and high resolution that it almost felt like it was part of one of those motion controlled theme park rides. Going into the screening, I thought the IMAX thing was probably more gimmick than anything else. Previous IMAX presentations involved up-converting the 35mm film image to fit on the IMAX screen. The footage shot with the IMAX camera is amazing. Even if you’ve seen a traditional IMAX movie in the past, you will be blown away by seeing a Hollywood action film on the big big screen. It makes you wonder why more Hollywood productions haven’t begun incorporating the IMAX camera. I wouldn’t be surprised if the inevitable third Batman movie wasn’t shot completely shot on IMAX cameras.
7. Gotham City - The extensive on location filming in Chicago adds to the authenticity of Gotham City. There is never a moment that you feel like you’re watching a bunch of actors on a Hollywood soundstage.
8. Characters - Every character that appears on screen has a history. Even when Nolan doesn’t show us this backstory - we see it. Even a corrupt cop that has two lines of dialogue has an extensive past, at least I’m convinced they do. The world is so full of rich three dimensional characters, some of which only appear on screen for brief moments. And some of the characters do have backstories which were provided in the extensive viral marketing campaigns. If you participated in the alternative reality game online, than you will get more out of the film as a whole.
9. The Bat-Pod - You will love how the Bat Pod is introduced in the film.
10. Nontraditional - The screenplay is both multi-layered and nontraditional. I was caught completely off guard at the many wonderful choices that Nolan and Goyer made in the script. You will wonder how they got Warner Bros to sign off on the screenplay, and I mean this in a good way. Characters that you expect to die might survive, and characters you expect to live will meet their ultimate demise. Even Two-Face’s origin is not exactly as you expect. That said, I advise you to stay as far away from spoilers as you can, because this is a film you want to experience for yourself in a packed IMAX theater on opening night.
To me, The Dark Knight is an almost flawless cinematic experience. Is The Dark Knight one of the best films of all time? No. Where does it fit in my top 100? I’ll have to digest it a couple more times before my mind finds a suitable placement. Rewatchability is an important factor to me. While I do think this film will hold up to multiple viewings, I’m not sure that the expansive IMAX sequences (which are part of the reason why I loved this film) will translate in a home movie viewing environment.
I do believe that The Dark Knight is the best comic book adaptation to date. For me it takes over the spot held by Spider-Man 2. For others it might replace Superman: The Movie, X-Men 2 or The Incredibles. And who knows, some people might be disappointed. Those expecting a fun movie filled with hope might come out sadly disappointed. I’m also not sure this film will play for younger audiences. And I’m not even going to pretend to know what women might think of it. I can only tell you my thoughts. I can’t wait for you guys to see the film so that we can have a discussion.
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