The Dark Knight How to make this film fun without onliners

[The Kid]

Hi. (****, I misspelled oneliners)

This seemed to me to be one of Nolan's weak points in begins. He didn't quite know how to balance the humor against the serious tone in the film in such a way that the humor doesn't seem out of place. Well, the way it was in begins, having batman say "can you drive stick" and other ones if I can remember (haven't seen begins in a long time) like "excuse me" struck me as an action movie cliche in which the hero's half comedian that should have been left out.

Have batman be no-nonsense. Have Bruce Wayne be the humorous guy.

Your thoughts?

 

[kenellard]

one of BB's biggest failings IMO, many serious films have some genuinely funny moments, however I cringe at each and every one-liner in Begins, because the film as a whole takes itself so seriously for the most part that these attempts at comedy seem forced and, well, crap.

I will say however that Bruce's drunken speech at his birthday was a truly funny moment in the movie

 

[Silver Souper]

Hi.

This seemed to me to be one of Nolan's weak points in begins. He didn't quite know how to balance the humor against the serious tone in the film in such a way that the humor doesn't seem out of place. Well, the way it was in begins, having batman say "can you drive stick" and other ones if I can remember (haven't seen begins in a long time) like "excuse me" struck me as an action movie cliche in which the hero's half comedian that should have been left out.

Have batman be no-nonsense. Have Bruce Wayne be the humorous guy.

Your thoughts?

i see your point, and moving forward I'd agree, but I think it can be defended that Bruce was green/amateurish and probably nervous in his new bat-skin. it makes sense that he'd grow into a more serious, reflective Batman as Gotham hardens him. I think in that way, the awkward humor in begins as batman works. and remember- even TKJ had batman laughing with joker, both in costume. it's not necessarily a hammy thing to have batman laugh or make a joke.

 

[The Kid]

i see your point, and moving forward I'd agree, but I think it can be defended that Bruce was green/amateurish and probably nervous in his new bat-skin. it makes sense that he'd grow into a more serious, reflective Batman as Gotham hardens him. I think in that way, the awkward humor in begins as batman works. and remember- even TKJ had batman laughing with joker, both in costume. it's not necessarily a hammy thing to have batman laugh or make a joke.

Yes, hopefully Nolan improves in the humor departement.

I get what you're saying. My contention is mostly with how obvious the attempt at humor was in the film.

If it was more subtle like the party scene, which was well acted and everything, that'd be the best approach to me.

 

[kenellard]

i see your point, and moving forward I'd agree, but I think it can be defended that Bruce was green/amateurish and probably nervous in his new bat-skin. it makes sense that he'd grow into a more serious, reflective Batman as Gotham hardens him. I think in that way, the awkward humor in begins as batman works. and remember- even TKJ had batman laughing with joker, both in costume. it's not necessarily a hammy thing to have batman laugh or make a joke.

I find that hard to justify, I don't think at any point in his career bats would be any more or less likely to crack a joke, at the beginning he's a vengeful enraged young man and as he grows older as you say more reflective, and also depressive. I don't see it frankly

 

[NolGoyHater]

i see your point, and moving forward I'd agree, but I think it can be defended that Bruce was green/amateurish and probably nervous in his new bat-skin. it makes sense that he'd grow into a more serious, reflective Batman as Gotham hardens him. I think in that way, the awkward humor in begins as batman works. and remember- even TKJ had batman laughing with joker, both in costume. it's not necessarily a hammy thing to have batman laugh or make a joke.

I seriously doubt that is the reason behind the 'humor'. Kenellard hit the nail on the head.

I agree, leave the humor for the Joker.

 

[Arkard]

I do like Batman throwing in a quip occasionaly. I mean yeah, he is supposed to be dark and brooding... ugh whatever, but I like the Deny O'Neil Batman, who always knew what to say, had a sense of humour, but WAS serious, and I feel Bale's Batman was an attempt at that.

Now, I am willing to bet alot money, most of the one-liners were Goyer's doing. The man has alot "experience" with comic book movies so he may as well have brought all the cliches with him. It could have been.
"It is not who I am underneath" seem to me to be an attempt by Goyer to create a new "with great power comes great responsibility".

 

[kenellard]

I do like Batman throwing in a quip occasionaly. I mean yeah, he is supposed to be dark and brooding... ugh whatever, but I like the Deny O'Neil Batman, who always knew what to say, had a sense of humour, but WAS serious, and I feel Bale's Batman was an attempt at that.

Now, I am willing to bet alot money, most of the one-liners were Goyer's doing. The man has alot "experience" with comic book movies so he may as well have brought all the cliches with him. It could have been.
"It is not who I am underneath" seem to me to be an attempt by Goyer to create a new "with great power comes great responsibility".

yeah, that didn't work so well either.

 

[The Kid]

Amen Arkard, I too thought it seemed like an attempt to craft the same sort of sagacious saying.

The difference in this case is that it, like the oneliners, seemed forced. I think what it might be is Nolan and Goyer trying too hard by throwing everything and the kitchen sink at us and seeing what sticks. A little bit of love interest here, a little bit of oneliner here, a little bit of city chase here, a little bit of karate here, a little cute kid in trouble here... it's nice but it comes off to me as being unfocused and meandering.

 

[Miranda Fox]

Nothing really to do with this thread, but I just wanted to note how *ahem* strange it is that Nolly shows up at the exact same time K.B. makes his not-so-triumphant return.

Dammit, does this mean I lost my int3rn3ts wager over who Nol's puppetmaster was?

 

[Silver Souper]

Yes, hopefully Nolan improves in the humor departement.

I get what you're saying. My contention is mostly with how obvious the attempt at humor was in the film.

If it was more subtle like the party scene, which was well acted and everything, that'd be the best approach to me.

works for me.

I seriously doubt that is the reason behind the 'humor'. Kenellard hit the nail on the head.

I agree, leave the humor for the Joker.

i never said it was the reason behind the humor. i said you could justify the humor that way, and that they'll probably correct for this over the next films. just watch.

I find that hard to justify, I don't think at any point in his career bats would be any more or less likely to crack a joke, at the beginning he's a vengeful enraged young man and as he grows older as you say more reflective, and also depressive. I don't see it frankly

i see what you're saying, i could go either way honestly, but i don't mind the idea of him being a little goofier as he's learning the ropes.

 

[kenellard]

I don't like the idea of Bats being in any way goofy while he's on the job, I think what we're talking about here is how to inject some humour into TDK as a whole, which can easily be done between the supporting cast, and also Bruce Wayne himself, there's no need to have Batman acting like spider-man, if you get what I mean

 

[Arkard]

Maybe he can get a bit more open while he grows older.
I still say, check Denny O'Neil for a little less gloomy Batman, who is still serious.

 

[The Only Woj]

bad humor:
"I gotta get me one of those" - Rachel is maybe dead, but Gordon can crack a one-liner to himself?
"nice coat" - shouldn't that old guy be dead by now? or at least have aged? did he not hear any of the gun fire? why was he the only homeless person there?
"nice ride" - come on, silly black man. no car humor.

good humor:
"weaponized hallucinogen" bit
"drunk speech"
"it's a bit complicated, but my company's future is secure"/"didnt you get the memo?"

basically, situational humor is far superior to uncharacteristic one-liners. it's hard to fit a one-liner in that fits both the tone and current situation.

 

[CConn]

Harley Quinn.

 

[TRWalter Kovacs]

i always laugh at the scene where bruce finds out alfred has him registered dead...then the "you can take the rolls out if youd like"

 

[CConn]

Yeah. Dry, witty stuff like that is a fine tone of humor for a Batman movie.

 

[The Kid]

Harley Quinn.

That could work. I reckon she'd add some of here quirky sexiness too. And I do love a bit of sexiness in a comicbook movie.

 

[El Payaso]

No Batman movie needs to be funny.

If anything, let's follow the natural path and wait for the humour to come up instead of forcing one-liners here and there again.

Other than that, I think the whole humour of TDK can be held on Joker's shoulders, period.

 

[Buttman]

I thought they were all great, tbh.

Besides, it's not like Batman went "Nice coat. Heh. Smart annndd funny. You got it right? They got it." (Laughter track.)

And there was no "i hateh iteh wwyen phepel tarlk dooraingh da movieh!!"

 

[kenellard]

I thought they were all great, tbh.

Besides, it's not like Batman went "Nice coat. Heh. Smart annndd funny. You got it right? They got it." (Laughter track.)

And there was no "i hateh iteh wwyen phepel tarlk dooraingh da movieh!!"

I don't think "B&R had crappier one-liners" is any way to defend the ones in BB, they were still awful, even worse in that they stuck out like a sore thumb in the context of the movie.

And it wasn't as if the scene on the docks even required a moment of comic relief, it didn't sit right and strikes me as a lazy attempt to get a laugh out of the audience, personally I thought "oh jesus, what was that" even the first time I saw it in the theatre, it wasn't even passable the first time IMO

 

[Tobiaswins]

We should leave the one liners for MR J.

 

[BatMatt]

There are funny moments in Batman Begins that aren't corny as well. "Didn't you get the memo", "BILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY BURNS DOWN HOME", "sorry to disappoint", and Bruce's hotel scene. If TDK uses this more "intelligent" humour, I'd be very happy. The one liners in Begins don't bother me except for "can you drive stick."

 

[Darkest Knight]

One liners were't that bad in BEGINS. And that wasn't Nolan, that was Goyer. Get it straight.

 

[Darkest Knight]

One liners were't that bad in BEGINS. And that wasn't Nolan, that was Goyer. Get it straight.