The Dark Knight Intensity of Fight sequences in TDK!

[Marvin]

applying the reasoning behind the batman begins editing to something like superman would equal

no scene of him flying because he's soooo fast...

what's the point of the movie?

 

[MacLeod]

I'm not really talking about the actors either. I'm talking about the way the fighting was depicted. Fast. Harsh. Powerful. I'll agree with you about seeing more of exactly what he's doing in these fights...but I don't want it to be at the expense of the gritty impact depicted by THIS Batman. And I certainly don't want the fights to look too choreographed.

I think if it were filmed differently all other discussions would stop immediately. Even without a stylized fancy choreography there could still be a way to make Batman look better and powerful without loosing the ability to make him look talented. I don't need traditional martial arts but I don't want him to just be a street fighter either, there should be evidence that he trained for most of his life. The 1940's versions were bad street fights, with the way movies are today and what we know as movie watchers and martial artists there should be a way to please the audience. Since I constantly watch movies, Batman in particular, I am not pleased at all, I still want much, much more.

 

[deemar325]

Still pretty fancy, Blade enjoys it all too much, mocking everyone for their poor skills. There's alot of unnecessary showmanship to his stuff

See that's the thing, it's in Blade's character (Wesley Snipes interpretation of Blade.) he has a certain flavor, machismo and swagger that is not really in Batman's demeanor, but it still doesn't negate the choreography applied in the Blade movies, the camera work utilized, the editing. Hell even Blade had rapid "Frenzy" editing also, but it used it to better effect within the story telling, prime example; the original Blade-opening club fight scene in the meat packing district. It was a masterful almost pitch perfect fight, the camera was all over the place! crazy close-up camera movement in and around the fight scene and the whole thing was pretty visually readable and coherent.

It felt chaotic and brutal, but at no time was it murky and unreadable, you could follow Blade actions and it never felt too "Hong Kong" it felt like ok, this is how a brotha with a serious mad-on for vampire kicks ass. Now apply this fluidity of action to who Batman is, Batman doesn't have the "swagger" of Blade he's a different type of guy so set the tone and tempo of action to Bruce Wayne/Batman.

 

[Crook]

^ For video evidence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0mx0dBXkw4

I completely agree btw.

 

[deemar325]

Danke.

Oh and that is probaly the most badass fight in all of comicbook movies period.

 

[Kleric]

^ For video evidence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0mx0dBXkw4

I completely agree btw.

Great call! One of the coolest opening sequences to a comic based movie. It established a C - class character as a bad ass.

There is serious Batman vibe running through the Blade films. I swear Goyer was auditioning to write Batman by writing Blade.

Hell turn the killing blows into ones meant to disable and you have a great Bat fight. His moves should be precise and brutal.

 

[sasquatchs]

Very cool scene, that and Collateral make me want a club scene in Begins, although a 100 people would see him then. I suppose that's already happening with the penthouse stuff.

There's some nice moves in there but how does it relate to Batman? The staging doesn't fit at all. Most of the time he stands and waits for people to come to him, he's in the middle of the room and exposed to gunfire from all angles. Plus he mostly uses a sword and gun.

 

[deemar325]

Very cool scene, that and Collateral make me want a club scene in Begins, although a 100 people would see him then. I suppose that's already happening with the penthouse stuff.

There's some nice moves in there but how does it relate to Batman? The staging doesn't fit at all. Most of the time he stands and waits for people to come to him, he's in the middle of the room and exposed to gunfire from all angles. Plus he mostly uses a sword and gun.

It relates simply put in the execution, if you read my statement I said Blade and Bats are two different types of people and for one Blade is superhuman so the hyper reality of the fights should be toned down for Batman. Also the fact Blade stands is a none-issue, most fighters stand and let their opponent make the first move, even then Blade is pretty offensesive it's not like he just stands there in every battle.

How it relate specifically to Batman is the overall skill the fights were choreographed and filmed. Take Batman he's a stealth fighter great! It doesn't mean the scenes have to be incoherent a bunch of messy flashes of black rubber and fists might show he's quick and all ninja with his badness, but at some point Chris Nolan needs to step his game up with the cinematography. I think if you got a actor who is athletic and willing and able to learn these fighting styles show it! For the first time in my opinion (Not to slight Clooney,West, Keaton..etc..) you have an actor in Bale who has the physical prowess to match the comicbook why not use that positive?

Blade benefitted from having Snipes, who understands the power of motion and athletism and has the natural talent plus a martial arts background to really take the action to a higher level. I think Bale has that quality also, although not a martial artist in real life he atleast has the athletism. Personally I think it's more the fact Nolan hasn't quite found his footing with action sequences yet, but I think he'll get there, hell even Bryan Singer did, though all Superman did was lift sh-t but that 'Plane rescue' was damn amazing.

So yeah Blade is a good litmus for Batman to guage it's fight scenes.

 

[MacLeod]

Very cool scene, that and Collateral make me want a club scene in Begins, although a 100 people would see him then. I suppose that's already happening with the penthouse stuff.

There's some nice moves in there but how does it relate to Batman? The staging doesn't fit at all. Most of the time he stands and waits for people to come to him, he's in the middle of the room and exposed to gunfire from all angles. Plus he mostly uses a sword and gun.

You may be thinking too concretely. The fans of Blade, and I'm one of them, like that style of fighting, filming, and action. If you incorporate that into a Batman movie you have a kick butt fight scene. Should Batman stand around like Blade and bob and weave, no, but he can do all the hand to hand combat and then move on. My point is to use what is good, take out what is not necessary, and show the action. Blade is a good reference of what I would like to see in a Batman movie, I just don't think that's ever going to happen.

 

[jesse custer]

i hope not-that was my one complaint about the first film. you heard christian bale talk about martial arts he learned and trained for- but they never pulled back to show anything

 

[gqxsensazn]

In regards to what Monk said in his post. Everyone knows why Batman fights. We don't need to be told that. But as an audience watching a MOVIE, there still has to be something visual for us to connect to. Pretty much everyone here is in agreement that the editing should be different. It's fine for Batman to use KFM, but we want to see how its done. We're not asking him to be a student of Yuen Woo Ping's school of movie fighting. We're asking to be able to see the fighting.

I agree with Casino Royale. I mentioned in another thread that the movie had the perfect combination of hardcore fighting and editing. We knew it was brutal and violent because we were able to see it.

That's what we want. We've established how skilled Batman is in the first movie, now its time to watch.

 

[Eggyman]

I liked BB's fighting, to an extent. But I would rather see some proper fighting this time.

 

[nightwing07]

i want to see batman fights as clear as the fights in the bourne identity!!!

 

[Citadel30]

I think that there should be a few fight scenes, but I really enjoy the whole - Batman is waiting for his prey in the shadows and once they are close he quickly demolishes them without a struggle. of course- seeing batman in actual hand to hand combat is something that all the fans really want to see.

and yes- that chase scene in CR was absolutely SICK!!! If we got to see a Batman scene even resembling something that, it would absolutely awesome.

 

[Hole Shot]

Did anyone notice in Begins that when he fought Ducard/Ra's the filming of the fight wasn't tight shots, hand held, quick edits, etc. ie choppy?

That's because you can film one on one fight and make it look believable without editing.

Watch all the previous Batman films, watch any martial arts film, hell watch any action film where there is a fight that involves one guy versus several guys at the same time - and you'll notice something. That no matter if it's three opponents or 30 surrounding our hero, the hero always ends beating them all one by one.

Now from some reason thugs in Nolan's Batman Begins are some of the first in cinematic history to grow some common sense, because they realize the advantages of their numbers and Batman takes on the whole f'ing group at the same. That's the advantage of the choppy filming of the fight scenes, it's to make one guy fighting multiple opponents at the same time look believable.

 

[MAKIEVELLI]

Did anyone notice in Begins that when he fought Ducard/Ra's the filming of the fight wasn't tight shots, hand held, quick edits, etc. ie choppy?

That's because you can film one on one fight and make it look believable without editing.

Watch all the previous Batman films, watch any martial arts film, hell watch any action film where there is a fight that involves one guy versus several guys at the same time - and you'll notice something. That no matter if it's three opponents or 30 surrounding our hero, the hero always ends beating them all one by one.

Now from some reason thugs in Nolan's Batman Begins are some of the first in cinematic history to grow some common sense, because they realize the advantages of their numbers and Batman takes on the whole f'ing group at the same. That's the advantage of the choppy filming of the fight scenes, it's to make one guy fighting multiple opponents at the same time look believable.

Not true, watch any Jackie Chan or Jet Li film. The bad guys are always rushing them three at a time or something like that. Not saying Bats should adopt their styles in fighting but I strongly disagree with your statement.

 

[nightwing07]

i want batman to do bench pressing in the movie
55o lbs bench press
i mean they have to show batman is very strong even though hes only human

 

[Andrex]

i want to see batman fights as clear as the fights in the bourne identity!!!

YES

 

[spideydave]

No the choppy stuff worked best at the docks because it added mystery to Batman and a horror film aspect from the thugs POV. The fight scenes should be similiar to The Bourne Supremacy and Kill Bill 2

 

[Conebone69]

I didnt mind the fighting in BB but I would like to get a better look at whats going on

 

[Hole Shot]

Not true, watch any Jackie Chan or Jet Li film. The bad guys are always rushing them three at a time or something like that. Not saying Bats should adopt their styles in fighting but I strongly disagree with your statement.

If this is the type of thing you're referring it also happens to be what I'm referring. It's a pretty cool fight scene though! (about 1:30)

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3xHu7BphU0[/YT]

 

[1981]

Do I want the fighting in TDK to be the same as BB?

OF COURSE! Who doesn't like shakey camera?

 

[Hole Shot]

Do I want the fighting in TDK to be the same as BB?

OF COURSE! Who doesn't like shakey camera?

Depends. I liked it in Batman Begins, loved it in Gladiator but thought it came close to ruining the Bourne Supremacy.

 

[Keyser Sushi]

I want to be CONSISTENT with BB.

It doesn't have to be the same, but it should be consistent, if you see what I'm saying.

 

[explode7]

I want it to top BB