The Dark Knight review thread - Page 9

elevation2u · 07-20-2008, 11:07 PM

corianderstem · 07-20-2008, 11:37 PM

I was one of those who piped up that it was too long, and I'd like to take that back. When I see the words "two and a half" hours, I say to myself, "Shit, that's a long movie." But to be honest, it didn't feel like two and a half hours.

Sex and the City was two and a half hours, and that was too long - it didn't need to be that long by any stretch of the imagination. This movie needed the full two and a half hours to tell what it needed to tell.

Who knows - maybe I felt like I had to say one negative thing about it, rest I start foaming at the mouth at how awesome it was.

phillyfan26 · 07-20-2008, 11:44 PM

Two and a half hours has never seemed long to me. Maybe I've just seen a lot of long movies. But I always feel like anything more than a few minutes under two hours is underwhelming.

pepokiss · 07-21-2008, 12:00 AM

Apocalypsis Now Redux... now THAT'S a long film... 3:30 or something

lazarus · 07-21-2008, 03:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlsAloudFan

"Johnny Fontane will never get that movie! I don't care how many dego guinea wop greaseball goombah bastards come out of the woodwork!"

"I'm not Italian, I'm German-Irish."

Your move.

Lila64 · 07-21-2008, 03:24 AM

Packed house at the 9:30pm show on a Sunday night in the 'burbs. I was pleasantly surprised by that, and luckily there early enough to get a decent (aisle) seat.

I didn't stay for the credits

, I guess I will next time 'round. I didn't read this thread enough to know that (I didn't want to read spoilers). Heard others leaving saying how amazing they thought it was. A girl next to me in the ticket line was back for her second helping.

Great movie, great acting, great action.

to Heath especially. The scenes you all mentioned

I couldn't believe Lt. Gordon was dead, I mean, how could they go on without him? And Rachel's death? I was surprised by that. They never found a body, right?

Oh, and a few mentioned Batman's voice - the growling. Not much of a fan of that myself.

GirlsAloudFan · 07-21-2008, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazarus

"I'm not Italian, I'm German-Irish."

Your move.

"Well let me tell you something my Kraut-Mick friend...I'm gonna make so much trouble for you, you won't know what hit you!!!"

cobl04 · 07-21-2008, 05:16 AM

Just got back from seeing it, and I loved it as well, and what they said about Ledger was true. He was magnificent. Stole the show. I wonder what the response would have been like if Heath was alive today...

bonocomet · 07-21-2008, 05:38 AM

Sold out show at 6:00 AM yesterday here in San Diego at the Imax. Wow awesome! All the shows have been sold out for days but even the 6 am we went to sold out. Amazing!

Dalton · 07-21-2008, 10:57 AM

TDK is fantastic. Kudos to Nolan, Bale, Ledger and the rest of the cast. I thought everyone did a phenomenal job. It will be one of the few movies I will purchase.

I will say, however, that I found the plot to be a little clunky in a few different places. I am eager to see Nolan's Director's Cut to see if bridges some of the gaps.

lazarus · 07-21-2008, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlsAloudFan

"Well let me tell you something my Kraut-Mick friend...I'm gonna make so much trouble for you, you won't know what hit you!!!"

Good morning.

Utoo · 07-21-2008, 01:39 PM

The film's brilliant, and the acting even more so--as everyone else has said so far. I'll try not to rehash what others have said, though that may be hard to do.

- Somehow, after hearing how dark, twisted and disturbing the movie is, I was a little surprised to find myself unphased by the darkness.

Maybe it's because I've read a lot of Batman and, well, this the kind of badness that happens in Batman books. Or, maybe it's because once I'd seen Brokeback, I had a feeling that a Nolan-Ledger Joker would be deliciously twisted. So, it's not that the darkness and maliciousness weren't exceptionally well done. I just didn't leave the theater feeling ill-at-ease. (My wife, though, had to look at a picture of our daughter (who was at home asleep) on the car ride home in order to feel happy again!)

- So many awesome moments, many of which have been mentioned already. The Joker as the nurse--fantastic! Dozens more, but I'm too lazy to rehash them, esp. as we all know what they were.

- I was really, really impressed at the way the film kept you fully engrossed and tense through the whole thing. Not a single moment where you could've said, "Here's my chance to pee."

When the fat Batman swung on his noose into the window, the whole theater jumped. I was also impressed that it actually keeps you guessing. I get disappointed in a lot of films because I'll often guess what's coming well ahead of time. (example: I hated "The Man Who Wasn't There." Saw it with friends who were surprised at every turn, but I guessed every curveball 20 mins ahead of time

). With TDK, I believed. I believed that Gordon was dead, even though I knew that they couldn't kill him. I thought I'd figured out that the driver of Dent's armored car was Batman...then he showed up. Somehow I next thought it might be Alfred...and didn't actually guess Gordon until two or three minutes before he revealed himself. Later, I fully believed that Dent would kill Gordon's son. I fully expected Batman to go after Rachel. And while I figured that each ferryboat had the other's detonator, when it came time that the civilan guy was about to push the button and blow up the prisoners, it had me wondering that maybe the Joker had given each boat its own detonator after all----what a wonderfully twisted turn that would've been!

- I think it's brilliant how much of the viral marketing for this film really fit in with the Joker's own methods. The notion of him recruiting random people--truck drivers, thugs, etc.--who don't fully know what they're involved in was reflected in the crazy-ass marketing techniques of having people show up to bakeries and get cakes with cell phones in them, then get instructions from strangers at the other end of the phone; post videos to http://www.ibelieveinharveydent.com to show support for Dent; have real-life Dent rallies in cities across the nation, etc.

- Heath Ledger. As others have said above, this film really hammers home the terrible loss the world has had in his death. To realize that he can't be here to reap the mountains of accolades. To know that there could've been so much more brilliance in the years to come.

Nowhere was there any sign of anything from before---no Ledger himelf, no Gabriel from 'The Patriot,' no Ennis---just pure, 100% The Joker, as if he'd always played the role and the role was always played by him. (I've felt the same about Gary Oldman's Gordon since the first film, though the Joker is more fun to watch and appreciate.) I think it was Oldman or Michael Caine who noted how Ledger gave such a brilliant up-close performance. It's not the tongue thing (which seems to be a common ploy used in psychotic villain characters--i.e., Wormtongue). It's his face and delivery of the line: "It's not about the money...It's about the message," said almost to himself. It's the moments when he's trying to persuade Batman, when he does persuade Dent---those moments are where you see the depth of the Joker, understand and wonder at his ability move people to believe that maybe his insanity isn't quite so insane. Those moments, and the times when he flippantly, yet so very convincingly, changes the stories of the origin of his scars; confidantly applauds Gordon on his promotion, etc; they're the times that make you wonder whether he's so insane he's making sense or that he sees the world so damn honestly that he's completely insane. And it's the delivery of this depth of character that makes Ledger's performance so damn incredible.

corianderstem · 07-21-2008, 02:10 PM

My moment to say that was when, at Bruce Wayne's party, Rachel and Bruce stepped aside to have A Moment, or whatever. I peed ... and totally almost missed the Joker crashing the party!

Damn my small bladder.

Utoo · 07-21-2008, 02:31 PM

Having not caught up with Lost past season 2, I prefer to remember the Mayor as 'Batmanuel' from the Tick live-action series:

Actually, he reminds me a lot of the irritatingly annoying singer of Maroon 5.

LMP · 07-21-2008, 02:34 PM

Why the hell was he wearing guyliner throughout the entire movie?

Utoo · 07-21-2008, 02:55 PM

Seriously. Doesn't he know that no one's used the term 'metrosexual' since the first season of "Queer Eye?"

Lila64 · 07-21-2008, 03:01 PM

Nice post/review Utoo

Alicia?

Pee before the movie woman! Or at least during the previews for goodness sake!

I didn't get the Quantum of Solace trailer

phillyfan26 · 07-21-2008, 03:23 PM

When I see it a second time, I'll post a full review.

corianderstem · 07-21-2008, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lila64

Alicia?

Pee before the movie woman! Or at least during the previews for goodness sake!

Don't get me started, woman.

I peed three times before the movie started (once when we got in line, again right after we were let in, and again before the previews). I even planned ahead of time and didn't have much to drink with my dinner.

Believe me, I do plan for these things. I can't help it. Don't judge me!

WildHoneyAlways · 07-21-2008, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LemonMacPhisto

Why the hell was he wearing guyliner throughout the entire movie?

That's how he always looks:

07-20-2008, 11:07 PM	#161
elevation2u Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS Join Date: May 2002 Location: corner of Badlands & Magnolia Mountain Posts: 5,371 Local Time: 02:25 PM	__________________

07-20-2008, 11:37 PM	#162
corianderstem Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 64,498 Local Time: 03:25 PM	I was one of those who piped up that it was too long, and I'd like to take that back. When I see the words "two and a half" hours, I say to myself, "Shit, that's a long movie." But to be honest, it didn't feel like two and a half hours. Sex and the City was two and a half hours, and that was too long - it didn't need to be that long by any stretch of the imagination. This movie needed the full two and a half hours to tell what it needed to tell. Who knows - maybe I felt like I had to say one negative thing about it, rest I start foaming at the mouth at how awesome it was. __________________

07-21-2008, 01:39 PM	#172
Utoo Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lovetown Posts: 8,343 Local Time: 06:25 PM	The film's brilliant, and the acting even more so--as everyone else has said so far. I'll try not to rehash what others have said, though that may be hard to do. - Somehow, after hearing how dark, twisted and disturbing the movie is, I was a little surprised to find myself unphased by the darkness. Maybe it's because I've read a lot of Batman and, well, this the kind of badness that happens in Batman books. Or, maybe it's because once I'd seen Brokeback, I had a feeling that a Nolan-Ledger Joker would be deliciously twisted. So, it's not that the darkness and maliciousness weren't exceptionally well done. I just didn't leave the theater feeling ill-at-ease. (My wife, though, had to look at a picture of our daughter (who was at home asleep) on the car ride home in order to feel happy again!) - So many awesome moments, many of which have been mentioned already. The Joker as the nurse--fantastic! Dozens more, but I'm too lazy to rehash them, esp. as we all know what they were. - I was really, really impressed at the way the film kept you fully engrossed and tense through the whole thing. Not a single moment where you could've said, "Here's my chance to pee." When the fat Batman swung on his noose into the window, the whole theater jumped. I was also impressed that it actually keeps you guessing. I get disappointed in a lot of films because I'll often guess what's coming well ahead of time. (example: I hated "The Man Who Wasn't There." Saw it with friends who were surprised at every turn, but I guessed every curveball 20 mins ahead of time ). With TDK, I believed. I believed that Gordon was dead, even though I knew that they couldn't kill him. I thought I'd figured out that the driver of Dent's armored car was Batman...then he showed up. Somehow I next thought it might be Alfred...and didn't actually guess Gordon until two or three minutes before he revealed himself. Later, I fully believed that Dent would kill Gordon's son. I fully expected Batman to go after Rachel. And while I figured that each ferryboat had the other's detonator, when it came time that the civilan guy was about to push the button and blow up the prisoners, it had me wondering that maybe the Joker had given each boat its own detonator after all----what a wonderfully twisted turn that would've been! - I think it's brilliant how much of the viral marketing for this film really fit in with the Joker's own methods. The notion of him recruiting random people--truck drivers, thugs, etc.--who don't fully know what they're involved in was reflected in the crazy-ass marketing techniques of having people show up to bakeries and get cakes with cell phones in them, then get instructions from strangers at the other end of the phone; post videos to http://www.ibelieveinharveydent.com to show support for Dent; have real-life Dent rallies in cities across the nation, etc. - Heath Ledger. As others have said above, this film really hammers home the terrible loss the world has had in his death. To realize that he can't be here to reap the mountains of accolades. To know that there could've been so much more brilliance in the years to come. Nowhere was there any sign of anything from before---no Ledger himelf, no Gabriel from 'The Patriot,' no Ennis---just pure, 100% The Joker, as if he'd always played the role and the role was always played by him. (I've felt the same about Gary Oldman's Gordon since the first film, though the Joker is more fun to watch and appreciate.) I think it was Oldman or Michael Caine who noted how Ledger gave such a brilliant up-close performance. It's not the tongue thing (which seems to be a common ploy used in psychotic villain characters--i.e., Wormtongue). It's his face and delivery of the line: "It's not about the money...It's about the message," said almost to himself. It's the moments when he's trying to persuade Batman, when he does persuade Dent---those moments are where you see the depth of the Joker, understand and wonder at his ability move people to believe that maybe his insanity isn't quite so insane. Those moments, and the times when he flippantly, yet so very convincingly, changes the stories of the origin of his scars; confidantly applauds Gordon on his promotion, etc; they're the times that make you wonder whether he's so insane he's making sense or that he sees the world so damn honestly that he's completely insane. And it's the delivery of this depth of character that makes Ledger's performance so damn incredible. __________________

07-21-2008, 02:31 PM	#174
Utoo Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lovetown Posts: 8,343 Local Time: 06:25 PM	Having not caught up with Lost past season 2, I prefer to remember the Mayor as 'Batmanuel' from the Tick live-action series: Actually, he reminds me a lot of the irritatingly annoying singer of Maroon 5. __________________

07-21-2008, 02:55 PM	#176
Utoo Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Lovetown Posts: 8,343 Local Time: 06:25 PM	Seriously. Doesn't he know that no one's used the term 'metrosexual' since the first season of "Queer Eye?" __________________

07-20-2008, 11:44 PM	#163
phillyfan26 Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 30,343 Local Time: 05:25 PM	Two and a half hours has never seemed long to me. Maybe I've just seen a lot of long movies. But I always feel like anything more than a few minutes under two hours is underwhelming.

07-21-2008, 12:00 AM	#164
pepokiss Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Santiago, Chile Posts: 7,984 Local Time: 06:25 PM	Apocalypsis Now Redux... now THAT'S a long film... 3:30 or something

07-21-2008, 03:24 AM	#166
Lila64 Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ♥Set List Lane♥ Posts: 52,894 Local Time: 03:25 PM	Packed house at the 9:30pm show on a Sunday night in the 'burbs. I was pleasantly surprised by that, and luckily there early enough to get a decent (aisle) seat. I didn't stay for the credits , I guess I will next time 'round. I didn't read this thread enough to know that (I didn't want to read spoilers). Heard others leaving saying how amazing they thought it was. A girl next to me in the ticket line was back for her second helping. Great movie, great acting, great action. to Heath especially. The scenes you all mentioned I couldn't believe Lt. Gordon was dead, I mean, how could they go on without him? And Rachel's death? I was surprised by that. They never found a body, right? Oh, and a few mentioned Batman's voice - the growling. Not much of a fan of that myself.

07-21-2008, 05:16 AM	#168
cobl04 45:33 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: East Point to Shaolin Posts: 59,143 Local Time: 08:25 AM	Just got back from seeing it, and I loved it as well, and what they said about Ledger was true. He was magnificent. Stole the show. I wonder what the response would have been like if Heath was alive today...

07-21-2008, 05:38 AM	#169
bonocomet Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: California :) Posts: 67,032 Local Time: 02:25 PM	Sold out show at 6:00 AM yesterday here in San Diego at the Imax. Wow awesome! All the shows have been sold out for days but even the 6 am we went to sold out. Amazing!

07-21-2008, 10:57 AM	#170
Dalton Blue Crack Addict Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Little hand says it's time to rock and roll. Posts: 15,154 Local Time: 06:25 PM	TDK is fantastic. Kudos to Nolan, Bale, Ledger and the rest of the cast. I thought everyone did a phenomenal job. It will be one of the few movies I will purchase. I will say, however, that I found the plot to be a little clunky in a few different places. I am eager to see Nolan's Director's Cut to see if bridges some of the gaps.

07-21-2008, 02:10 PM	#173
corianderstem Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Seattle Posts: 64,498 Local Time: 03:25 PM	My moment to say that was when, at Bruce Wayne's party, Rachel and Bruce stepped aside to have A Moment, or whatever. I peed ... and totally almost missed the Joker crashing the party! Damn my small bladder.

07-21-2008, 02:34 PM	#175
LMP Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 37,609 Local Time: 04:25 PM	Why the hell was he wearing guyliner throughout the entire movie?

07-21-2008, 03:01 PM	#177
Lila64 Blue Crack Distributor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ♥Set List Lane♥ Posts: 52,894 Local Time: 03:25 PM	Nice post/review Utoo Alicia? Pee before the movie woman! Or at least during the previews for goodness sake! I didn't get the Quantum of Solace trailer

07-21-2008, 03:23 PM	#178
phillyfan26 Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 30,343 Local Time: 05:25 PM	When I see it a second time, I'll post a full review.

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