The Dark Knight Official Critics Reviews of TDK

[DashCon]

Some punk and his kid just brought the score down to 93% on RT.

He is getting absolute pelters from the RT community. Some of the insults are actually too personal though.

Here is his review: -

THE DARK KNIGHT
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2008 Steve Rhodes

RATING (0 TO ****): ** 1/2

So, you're probably thinking, can THE DARK KNIGHT be nearly as good as its mind-blowing and riveting trailers? Not even close, I am very sorry to say. In one of the most disappointing films of the year, THE DARK KNIGHT is a pale shadow of its marvelous predecessor, BATMAN BEGINS, which I could watch over and over again.

While BATMAN BEGINS was consistently riveting, THE DARK KNIGHT is very much a mixed bag. Mixed with the flashes of absolute brilliance are long dead sections. This, the second of director Christopher Nolan's BATMANs, left me more often bored than entertained. It's a good thing that the long, slow stretches are periodically interrupted by some terrific moments, otherwise this is a BATMAN that could put you to sleep, as it almost did me a couple of times.

This frequently mean-spirited film -- do we really need child endangerment scenes? -- takes itself way too seriously. When it's willing to inject some humor, either in its dark scenes, as in the Joker's magic act in which he makes a pencil disappear into a guy's eye, or in its humorous gadgets, the movie becomes much more enjoyable.

The story starts when the Joker and his pals are busy robbing a mob owned bank. "Pals" is something of a misnomer, since the Joker is a psychopath who likes to kill everyone around him, even his co-conspirators. As everyone on the planet probably knows by now, the Joker this time is played by the tragically deceased Heath Ledger (Oscar nominee for his part in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN).

Although Christian Bale repeats his star turn as both Bruce Wayne and Batman, it will undoubtedly be Ledger's performance that everyone will be talking about. At first, I was a bit mesmerized by Ledger's acting here, but it quickly became obvious that it was a one-note performance, so it went from being interesting to becoming increasing tiresome. Ledger speaks in droll monotones, broken only occasionally by short bursts of creepy laughter. His best work in the picture is when he shuts up entirely and just stares hauntingly into the camera lens, like a circus clown who has been sent to jail.

There are some aspects that work with great regularity in THE DARK KNIGHT, but these have nothing to do with the characters themselves. Later discussing the film with my son, I realized how detached I had become from the storyline. None of the characters are ever worth caring about, so when some died or came back from the dead, I just didn't care in the least.

The images, the music and the sound consistently dazzle you. When the movie cranks up the volume and pulls back the camera, letting you watch Batman fly with majestic power over Gotham City, it's hard to keep chills from going up and down your spine, since it is so gorgeous and moving.

But, running a little over two and one half hours long, the movie becomes more of an endurance contest than a treat. (BATMAN BEGINS was long too, but it made much better use of the time, avoiding long slack sections.) At the ninety-minute mark, THE DARK KNIGHT comes up to a fine conclusion. It then spends another sixty minutes trying out several more possible endings.

What becomes obvious from the ending it finally selects is that everything that is wrong with THE DARK KNIGHT will probably be kept in its sequel, which looks like it will probably be even more pretentious, if that is possible, than THE DARK KNIGHT. Still, I believe that buried within THE DARK KNIGHT is a normal length movie that could have earned at least a star more from me. This shorter and more focused THE DARK KNIGHT would be well worth seeing.

Sure THE DARK KNIGHT will make a mint and the fanboys will undoubtedly go gaga over it, but, in my mind, it's a certain candidate for my list of this year's most overrated movies.

THE DARK KNIGHT runs a very long 2:32. It is rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of violence and some menace" and would be acceptable for teenagers.

My son Jeffrey, age 19, and a big BATMAN fan, gave it ***. He liked it quite a bit, but he had problems with it too, chief among these being the numerous long, self-indulgent monologues. He liked the way the film was darker, and he liked Ledger as the Joker, although he thinks Jack Nicholson might have been better. He loved the sound and the look of the picture. But he found it way too long and thought many scenes and several entire characters should have been eliminated. Overall, he has mixed feelings about the film, thinking sometimes it was absolutely amazing and other times it just wasn't. He said that it was definitely worth one star less than his rating for BATMAN BEGINS, which he thoroughly loved.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, July 18, 2008. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC theaters, the Century theaters and the Camera Cinemas.

Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: [email protected]

http://au.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_...r_my_list_of_this_years_most_overrated_movies

damnit! i think he spoiled joker's pencil trick. i quickly stopped reading when i realized hes spoiling it.

 

[Red Rose]

Man, I just sent that guy my opinion on his review. Can't wait to read his responce. I bet he'll just simply write something like "I disagree with you", or he'll take something I said & turn it around to say something negative about TDK. I really want him to answer everything I've written to him, as if we were having a conversation.

General Vulcun what did you say to him and when you get his response, can you post it here?

 

[Red Rose]

damnit! i think he spoiled joker's pencil trick. i quickly stopped reading when i realized hes spoiling it.

Oh sorry dude, I didn't realise that - should have put a spoiler tag on that section of the review. My bad.

 

[General Vulcun]

General Vulcun what did you say to him and when you get his response, can you post it here?

I basically told him that Batman at heart is serious and he should be smart and do some research before he macks a stupid statement like "it's too serious", and then I questioned what he was looking for in the film when he said he nearly fell asleep many times.

But I did end it with "oh and by the way, Vantage Point 4/4? Do you have any idea what a good film is?"

And yes, I will post his reply. I'm a man of my word...

 

[DKFan]

Check this thing out... Some kind of timeline of The Dark Knight, with background music, videos, photos... pretty sick... http://www.capzles.com/#/a6a3b38e-d6fd-43de-a376-de95281caac3/:brucebat:

 

[Voyeur]

Because there's been so many reviews already, and many more to come, this'll probably be the last one I post (though I still look forward to commenting on them). I'll post the whole thing:

Jul 18, 2008, Laremy Legel

Grading a film like The Dark Knight is tough because it's immediately clear that Christopher Nolan is much, much smarter than your average filmmaker. Judging him, and criticizing what is clearly a masterwork, leads to all sorts of dangerous self-evaluation. Would I have said, "Ah, well, Michelangelo's David could have been a little more defined," or "Sure, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was nice, but what about that silly second-act pacing?"

No, I don't think I would have. I think I probably would have sat back and enjoyed a genius at work. On those rare days, you've just got to smile.

But the question comes all the time, "Well, who are you to judge anything?" Usually, the answer is "I'm just an average fella, trying to make my little way in the world." But in this case I don't know who anyone is to knock a film like The Dark Knight. The scope of the thing, the beauty of the monster, the complexity and terror of the piece -- well, these aren't elements defined by a genre and so they defy singular judgment. We're talking about something bigger here. Nolan is tackling the social issues of our day and he's doing it with a guy in a bat suit. Think of the craziness of that statement, the manic joy encapsulated in an act so brazen. Why is he doing it? I suppose for the same reason Stevie Wonder plays the piano. Because it feels good to be this good at anything.

The film starts with a gritty Joker robbery. Man, is it a pretty opening scene. I caught this one in IMAX and it feels bigger and grander than anything I've seen in that format, partly because they filmed six scenes in 24-frames-per-second glory. To compare the film to Batman Begins, I would say that this one is much larger in scope. In 2005 we saw an origin story -- an excellent one, mind you, but an origin story all the same. The film was forced to establish tone and characters, and because of that, they could only aim so high. I love that story. But I'd marry Dark Knight (sorry, hon).

So then, what are these high-minded and impressive themes I keep slathering all over? To what does Dark Knight dedicate its two-and-a-half-hour running time to? Oh, little issues like what holds the fabric of society together. And do you have to become a monster to kill a monster? How close are we to the edge of chaos in our daily lives? Just for fun they get into the role of surveillance in a free society and the Achilles Heel of Democracy (hint: the people). It is a little strange that it takes Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale, and a "comic book" movie to tackle issues that mortal directors shy away from. It's an interesting commentary on our culture that the nation's introspection is coming from what we'd normally dismissively call "entertainment."

The Joker, Heath Ledger, is Sofa King great here. For the first hour the film builds and builds until finally it's as if you're a hostage. The last 90 minutes jab at you with menace and dread, with a tone that wouldn't have been possible to establish without Ledger. Before the movie I thought Heath would be the sentimental favorite to win an Oscar. Now I don't see how you can logically choose anyone else. The man owns this film in the same way De Niro owned Raging Bull. He devours the part and the part IS the film, full and complete. Ledger's Joker is terrifying because he makes decent points upon occasion and you never know his true motivation for wanting to tear everything down. He's smart, driven, and fully lethal. I don't know, it feels like there might be a larger lesson there too. Ahem.

There are specific criticisms you can make about The Dark Knight ... much in the same way you'd fill out a survey while recovering from a Coast Guard Rescue. Batman's voice was distracting at times ("um, when I was being given CPR he wasn't very gentle!") and there are maybe two rough edits. I ended up liking Katie Holmes better than Maggie G. ("What, the Coast Guard didn't save my BOAT??") -- a choice I admit is a personal one. Whew. I'm already exhausted trying to think what didn't go right here; so admirable was the effort that it feels dirty to complain. I just want Christopher Nolan to keep making movies. I'm willing to start some sort of fund if necessary.

A scene plays out in the middle of The Dark Knight, actually in three scenes, interwoven to deliver maximum tension. This triptych is elegant, flowing, and damn purty, with life and death hanging in the balance. It goes on for a few minutes, building and building, layer upon layer of emotion and evocation. It's something to behold, this dance, this dark and sinister mental toying. You know there are consequences coming, just as you know that no art form can remain taut indefinitely.

But somewhere in there you think to yourself, "I never want this to end." And you wonder what that says about where we're all at, and when in the world things got so serious on us.

Grade: A+

http://www.film.com/movies/story/review-dark-knight-is-exceptional/11597472/21840239

 

[paec_djinn]

Just thought I mention that TDK is currently #4 on IMDB's top 250 movies of all time.

It's still early though, so presumably it might drop lower as more votes come in.

 

[DashCon]

Because there's been so many reviews already, and many more to come, this'll probably be the last one I post (though I still look forward to commenting on them). I'll post the whole thing:

http://www.film.com/movies/story/review-dark-knight-is-exceptional/11597472/21840239

wow, just wow. these kinds of reviews make my throat dry in exhilaration and anticipation. 5 more hours for me and then 'here. we. GO'.

 

[Voyeur]

Okay, I lied...this is the last one, I swear:

Make no mistake: "The Dark Knight's" tone is midnight black — that Warner Bros. secured a PG-13 rating for this film is surprising.

The violence is brutal — snapping bones have never sounded so real or so sickening. Although sometimes tough to sit through, the violence is thematically integral: The filmmakers need us to understand just how dangerous the world of Gotham City is.

"The Dark Knight" is a masterpiece of the first order, and the first great post-Sept. 11 film. I mean that not chronologically, but generically. It is the first film to realistically confront the impact of terror on society writ large — and grapple with how that society must respond in the face of nihilistic aggression against a foe dedicated to ending its way of life.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/18/gotham-citys-war-on-terror/

 

[Voyeur]

8 positive reviews have been added since RT dropped down to 93%, but no change so far.

 

[LostSon88]

I think because if my math is correct, with those reviews, it would still be around 93%

93.4 to be exact.

 

[voeten]

yeah I didn't understand.
Why 1 negative = drop 1% ?

 

[Voyeur]

I think because if my math is correct, with those reviews, it would still be around 93%

93.4 to be exact.

Yeah, math is not my strong suit...neither is going to bed when I should! But I'm gonna do that right now!

 

[paec_djinn]

yeah I didn't understand.
Why 1 negative = drop 1% ?

Because the percentage is quite high already, a positive review doesn't do much to sway the score, where else a bad one will drop it. It all comes down to math really.

 

[Merkel]

yeah I didn't understand.
Why 1 negative = drop 1% ?

The Tomatometer is a percentage, not an average. Since it conveys a percentage of positive reviews + negative reviews = 100%, its minority (whether negative or positive reviews) when gets an extra review impacts the meter much more significantly. TDK currently sits at 93%. This means that for every negative review that pops up, TDK needs to get around 14 positive reviews to maintain the percentage. It's actually very simple mathematics.

 

[redfirebird2008]

Average rating dropped from 8.5 to 8.4.

 

[DashCon]

i cant seem to connect to rottentomatoes. anybody having problems too?

 

[paec_djinn]

I had problems in the morning, probably because of the rush of traffic there. But at the moment it's working alright for me and the meter's back to 94% and 8.5 average rating.

 

[LostSon88]

i cant seem to connect to rottentomatoes. anybody having problems too?

It was probably becuase they were updating the site. As just mentioned, the rating was bumped back up to 94%/8.5 rating.

t:

 

[DashCon]

it loads the background then quickly cancels to 'cannot display page' error. ur right it might be the traffic.

i cant seem to stop reading the reviews although im 100% sure i would love it. maybe i just like the feeling of exhilaration when reading these.

 

[DashCon]

It was probably becuase they were updating the site. As just mentioned, the rating was bumped back up to 94%/8.5 rating.

t:

forget the percentage. i would love the average rating to go up to 9/10.

i can dream can i? t:

 

[redfirebird2008]

I had problems in the morning, probably because of the rush of traffic there. But at the moment it's working alright for me and the meter's back to 94% and 8.5 average rating.

Yep yep, mine went back up too. t:

 

[Rikxiepoo]

94%
149 good, 10 bad
8.5 rating

It will get to 95% for sure. 97% might be a long shot but it could reach it if random, unknown critics stop nitpicking the film because of its run time or similarities to other films. Regardless, if it stays at 94% or higher it will be the best reviewed comic book movie on rotten tomatoes.

 

[DSET]

DAMn
another negative on the way possibly
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121632327909562803.html
was a short review most just praising ledger and the rest saying that the movie was too jumbled and complex and the ending wasnt as satisfying as it could have been

but overall the majority was slightly positive IMO
he gave it to metacritic as 60% god knows what itl show up as on RT
im pretty sure hes a top critic too

 

[redfirebird2008]

DAMn
another negative on the way possibly
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121632327909562803.html
was a short review most just praising ledger and the rest saying that the movie was too jumbled and complex and the ending wasnt as satisfying as it could have been

but overall the majority was slightly positive IMO
he gave it to metacritic as 60% god knows what itl show up as on RT
im pretty sure hes a top critic too

Complains that the movie is too dark and claims Two-Face is a rip-off of Anton Chigurh. Automatically has zero credibility with me for those two "criticisms," neither of which are valid -- especially the second one which is a flat-out lie. The facts do not support it in any way whatsoever. Not only is TF decades older than Anton, but TDK was done filming before NCFOM ever came out.