The Dark Knight The Dark Knight Fan Review Thread

[The Navigator]

Double post.

 

[Storm22]

Flawless film! 10/10

 

[hammy]

Okay, here's my review:

This movie kicked so much arse I didn't know there was that much arse for it to kick.
10/10

Agreed, btw.

 

[citizenpain]

finally saw it and of course it awesome. i hate packed houses so i waited until yesterday to go. i wouldn't say it's the greatest film ever or anything like that (yeah, i said it!) but it definitely was amazing.

as a batman film, it delivered on so many levels thanks to the great performances of everybody included. heath ledger definitely stole the show as the joker, it's such a shame he won't be around to reprise the role. bale was solid as always, he's been a favorite of mine since equilibrium, and eckhart came close to stealing the show too. two-face looked sick! in a good way, of course. it was the first time i saw him too cuz after the interwebs were flooded with dark knight stuff shortly before its release, i avoided it all like the plague... i hate spoilers. the rest of the cast were good, maggie was a fine replacement. she should have been rachel from the start... so i think it's kinda funny that they brought her in just to kill her off.

as an action/crime film, it delivered as well. ever since the first time i saw memento, christopher nolan has been one of my favorite directors. after batman begins and the joker and two-face casting it was pretty obvious to me that the dark knight would be nothing short of amazing. great cinematography, several good action scenes, and the plot kept me interested the entire film. a brilliant example of how movies based on comic books should be treated when adapted to the big screen. with all that in mind, i'd rate it 9/10.

 

[El Payaso]

The decision Gordon and Batman made was that the lives of Gothamites would be in danger were Harvey's collapse made public.

People being in danger is a situation, the result of a a bunch of factors, a scenario, but never a decision of two people, unless those two people are the ones p0utting them in danger.

How were they in danger if truth was revealed?

You can disagree with their call.

Oh I certainly do.

I disagree. I believe that there is truth that goes beyond mere facts.

Which one exactly? Certainly not the one decided by two guys.

 

[stillanerd]

Well, better late than never, but I FINALLY saw The Dark Knight tonight, thinking that after two weekends, there'd be enough tickets and also not as much of a crowd left over to see it. Of course, the theatre I went was STILL packed with no seats left. But anyway, as for the film.

Excellent. Nolan not only built upon Batman Begins but made a far, far better movie, resulting in one of the most intense and riveting films this year, and it is certainly no exaggeration that the film transcends it comic book origins and, as Begins certainly attempted, there is such verisimilitude Nolan brings to Batman's world that you certainly feel as though it could actually take place in the real world. Christian Bale certainly improves (although his Batman voice still sounds like a bad Henry Rollins impersonation) and chops also go to Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman for their portrayals of Alfred, Gordon, and Lucius from the last film (one the best and funniest deliveries Freeman did was when he explained to the accountant just how futile his blackmail scheme was). And thank God Maggie Glyannthal replaced Katie Holmes because I doubt Mrs. Tom Cruise could have pulled of Rachel's strapped to the bomb scene.

Of course, since all the buzz has been about the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, well he certainly delivered--in spades. He so completely immersed himself into the role that he was completely unrecognizable from the "pretty boy" roles he used to play, and gave a very chilling, and sometimes comical performance (the "disappearing" pencil got one the biggest laughs, as did his "You completely me" line). And his take on the Joker is also solid; not just a mere homicidal sociopath, this Joker is a master manipulator of both people's actions and emotions, forcing otherwise rational people to cross lines out of fear and self-preservation. If anything, the film shows why the Joker is one of the most dangerous of Batman's enemies, especially since almost everybody in the film, including Batman himself, underestimates him to their determent.

But another actor who should get acclaim in Arron Eckhart's portrayal of Harvey Dent. His story was certainly the most tragic of the lot, and Eckhart carried it off really well, from the young, confident, and sometimes cocky idealist and noble "white knight" he starts off to, of course, his fall from grace into the psychotic Two-Face. Even though his being Two-Face didn't last long, it still felt like a natural progression under Eckhart's performance, one that generated both terror and sympathy.

Even so, Nolan still has a little trouble showing fight sequences, although they certainly don't look as jumbled and confusing as Begins, but nevertheless, the action and stunt sequences were excellently staged. And seriously, I didn't think anything could be cooler than the Tumbler until the Batpod made it's debut. So, overall, a solid, solid movie.

 

[nathaniel]

Im not gonna lie i REALLY think TDK is overated its a really good film but it has many flaws.

Heath Ledger is of course good as joker, he lifts the film from average to good, but despite this as a joker fan i found him very one note there are no dimensions to him he has no highs or lows like joker imo should have joker should laugh one minute and be consumed with laughter the next ledgers lip smacking hunched over act gets a bit predictable straight after the mob meeting scene and he doesnt change at all over the course of the movie.

 

[nathaniel]

Im not gonna lie i REALLY think TDK is overated its a really good film but it has many flaws.

Heath Ledger is of course good as joker, he lifts the film from average to good, but despite this as a joker fan i found him very one note. there are no dimensions to him he has no highs or lows like joker imo should have joker should laugh one minute and be consumed with laughter the next ledgers lip smacking hunched over act gets a bit predictable straight after the mob meeting scene and he doesnt change at all over the course of the movie.

I was never a fan of eckhart and TDK only cemented this he is a journyman actor with no real bite to his style watch black dahlia and thank you for smoking mix it together and you get harvey dent in TDK. CGI has permeated cinema for the last 20 years or so when its really needed its fine but twofaces burnt side DIDNT need it, makeup techniques have leaped lightyears since batman forever they could easily have done the effect the CGI is distracting and doesnt look real in a "i could touch it" sense.

Bale looks so good as wayne but imo is so...bland he has no charisma as the character and no sense of this guy is really driven to fight crime the script words out his intentions but the acting doesnt back it up what happend to bale? his magnetic turn as bateman still hasnt been bettered.
as batman he is very nearly worse in still pictures and when he stands still he looks great brooding and angry once he moves and opens his moth it all falls apart.

TDK is a visually amazing film but beneath it all lies a really good but hardly groundbreaking superhero flick the dialouge is far better then in BB BUT most of the characters seem to speak in long speeches everone has a mantra they hit each other over the head with, the fight scenes are still stillted, scenes seeem to swith and turn incoherently scene starts quick dialouge and zoom out to next happens far to much, the jokers announcements should have had more meat to them "do this, or this happens" is pretty much it, Harvey dent one of batmans greatest enemies goes out with a sputter rather then a bang why kill him off anyway?, the tumbler is a complete contradiction to the batmans persona, the fear and theactricality of how villains percieve batman of BB is completely trashed in favour of cop batman.

and finally throughout all the explosions and dialouge TDK didnt excite me the joker has some great moments but at no point was i really thinking "god what a movie" like i did with,say, The incredibles or Ironman which are lesser written movies but ones that dont forget a cinema experiance is about enjoyment.

A really good film lifted because of one performance but also one i feel in a years time will bee looked at far differently then it is now.

 

[Union Jack]

I watched the dark knight last night and it is a great film,however i do think it has been way overhyped.
not to take away that the film is good...but it's it's rewatchability i'm thinking of..its quite long and there are a few boring bits in there too..ledgers joker was fantastic and what a loss he is,but i don't think it was the same rewatchability of some of the other hero movies.
but for me this isn't film of the year...i still preferred iron man and the incredible hulk.
but..if this is how good the DC films can actually be...get nolan on the man of steel and give us the greatest superhero film for the worlds greatest superhero..
i'd give this film 8/10.

 

[nathaniel]

I watched the dark knight last night and it is a great film,however i do think it has been way overhyped.
not to take away that the film is good...but it's it's rewatchability i'm thinking of..its quite long and there are a few boring bits in there too..ledgers joker was fantastic and what a loss he is,but i don't think it was the same rewatchability of some of the other hero movies.
but for me this isn't film of the year...i still preferred iron man and the incredible hulk.
but..if this is how good the DC films can actually be...get nolan on the man of steel and give us the greatest superhero film for the worlds greatest superhero..
i'd give this film 8/10.

Agreed on Iron Man TDK is far better written but Iron Man (for me) is just the far more enjoyable movie.

And on a Nolan directed supes I dont know, if Nolan tried to do to superman what he did with Batman i dont think it would work Batmans lack of powers makes for far easier movie then one with supermans many powers and though he is an intelligent writer Nolan still hasnt convinced me he can really direct a thrilling action scene which a superman film should have tons of.

 

[Union Jack]

true,i don't know who can do a great superman movie...but we need a real kick ass supes film.
where he fights gets torn up a bit and does his thing.
lets hope the new superman movie is awesome he really deserves it.
oh,and my favourite film this year so far is hulk...i thought it was brillaint and lively and exciting.
i think sometimes the downbeat of batman gets to you..i dont thi nk there was any moment where you were all..yes its batman cos its all so down trodden.
however the scene when joker blew up the hospital was hilarious!

 

[Batman jr.]

^ Hulk to me was: bad action scenes, Liv Tyler's bad dialogue & a William Hurt that sucked as Ross.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

yea i prefered ang lees hulk, i dont know why that got slaughtered. in the new one i didnt really get the sense that the hulk was outragiously powerful and he didnt get stronger the more angry he got.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

and batman is supposed to be "down-trodden", i sorta compare him to judge dredd in a way that he is trying to clean up a city that will never be cleaned up.

 

[Batman jr.]

yea i prefered ang lees hulk, i dont know why that got slaughtered. in the new one i didnt really get the sense that the hulk was outragiously powerful and he didnt get stronger the more angry he got.

This Hulk wasn't all bad

Ed Norton, Liv Tyler's beauty, more happened & Hulk looked cool!

 

[believe_batman]

Im not gonna lie i REALLY think TDK is overated its a really good film but it has many flaws.

Heath Ledger is of course good as joker, he lifts the film from average to good, but despite this as a joker fan i found him very one note. there are no dimensions to him he has no highs or lows like joker imo should have joker should laugh one minute and be consumed with laughter the next ledgers lip smacking hunched over act gets a bit predictable straight after the mob meeting scene and he doesnt change at all over the course of the movie.

I was never a fan of eckhart and TDK only cemented this he is a journyman actor with no real bite to his style watch black dahlia and thank you for smoking mix it together and you get harvey dent in TDK. CGI has permeated cinema for the last 20 years or so when its really needed its fine but twofaces burnt side DIDNT need it, makeup techniques have leaped lightyears since batman forever they could easily have done the effect the CGI is distracting and doesnt look real in a "i could touch it" sense.

Bale looks so good as wayne but imo is so...bland he has no charisma as the character and no sense of this guy is really driven to fight crime the script words out his intentions but the acting doesnt back it up what happend to bale? his magnetic turn as bateman still hasnt been bettered.
as batman he is very nearly worse in still pictures and when he stands still he looks great brooding and angry once he moves and opens his moth it all falls apart.

TDK is a visually amazing film but beneath it all lies a really good but hardly groundbreaking superhero flick the dialouge is far better then in BB BUT most of the characters seem to speak in long speeches everone has a mantra they hit each other over the head with, the fight scenes are still stillted, scenes seeem to swith and turn incoherently scene starts quick dialouge and zoom out to next happens far to much, the jokers announcements should have had more meat to them "do this, or this happens" is pretty much it, Harvey dent one of batmans greatest enemies goes out with a sputter rather then a bang why kill him off anyway?, the tumbler is a complete contradiction to the batmans persona, the fear and theactricality of how villains percieve batman of BB is completely trashed in favour of cop batman.

and finally throughout all the explosions and dialouge TDK didnt excite me the joker has some great moments but at no point was i really thinking "god what a movie" like i did with,say, The incredibles or Ironman which are lesser written movies but ones that dont forget a cinema experiance is about enjoyment.

A really good film lifted because of one performance but also one i feel in a years time will bee looked at far differently then it is now.

It's hard to take a review with this many spelling and grammar mistakes seriously.

 

[ultimatefan]

My review is up on BOF as well:

http://www.batman-on-film.com/TDK_TDK-review_a-winck_7-26-08.html

 

[nathaniel]

It's hard to take a review with this many spelling and grammar mistakes seriously.

Yawn!

either debate on the review or dont post at all.

 

[nathaniel]

My review is up on BOF as well:

http://www.batman-on-film.com/TDK_TDK-review_a-winck_7-26-08.html

Good to see your input on your viewing experiance but the best reviews outline the good and the bad was TDK completely flawless?.

 

[nathaniel]

and batman is supposed to be "down-trodden", i sorta compare him to judge dredd in a way that he is trying to clean up a city that will never be cleaned up.

I dont know though a year in as batman and he already wants to quit? it wasnt handled that great imo where was the talking at his parents grave ala Mask of the Phantasm?, where was the Bat being a REAL part of him rather then a tool that would be shed the moment Gotham didnt need him? without all this its just cops and robbers to me.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

yea i suppose your right, i would of like to see him going to his parents grave and asking them for guidence. but if theres a third i deffinatly think that'll be in there because batman has now fallen and his father used to say "why do we fall bruce, so we can get back up" maybe that speech will play a important part in him wanting to become a hero again.

 

[ultimatefan]

Good to see your input on your viewing experiance but the best reviews outline the good and the bad was TDK completely flawless?.

No, but whatever flaws it had to me were pretty minor. I´m not sure they couldn´t have worked out the mafia laundry plot without the Hong Kong thing, but it was a pretty exciting sequence. Maybe they could have cut little things to fasten the pace, but it´s not one of those two and a half hour movies where you think, "they could have cut fifteen minutes or half an hour". And no, I wasn´t bothered by Batman´s voice, I could follow the fights just fine (just the night club one was a little harder, but it was intentional) and I´m cool with the suit.

 

[Jokers_Wild]

Yawn!

either debate on the review or dont post at all.

What's there to debate? You basically have very few positive remarks concerning the movie...and that's fine. It's your opinion.

I disagree with almost every aspect of your review. For me, TDK was epic. Iron Man and Hulk are not even in the same category. They are popcorn fluff, easily forgettable and dispensable. TDK was haunting and powerful for me, transcending it's genre as a comic book movie.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

yea while i really really like ironman, it was just a action flick. TDK is soooo much more. and hulk? i was really dissapointed in that, i usually like ed norton and tim roth but neither really put in a great perfomance. and it was just boring i felt.

 

[baronghede]

I work for a paper as a critic.
Here was my review as it appeared in print...

Agent of Change
The Dark Knight has changed things, forever

By now you have been told, comic enthusiast or not, to drop everything and see The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan’s sequel to his 2005 franchise-reviving Batman Begins. Early excitement for this film was forged not only by a brilliant viral marketing campaign but also by the tragic loss of Heath Ledger, who died in January of this year from an accidental prescription drug overdose. A week before the release, reviews started to trickle in, and the word was one of almost unanimous praise, touting the film as this generation’s Godfather II or Empire Strikes Back.

Although the comparison to the aforementioned films is a hyperbole-fueled stretch, that is not to take anything away from The Dark Knight. To be fair, if one reflects honestly, Coppola’s pacing issues and Lucas’ wooden dialogue reminds us that even Godfather II wasn’t GODFATHER II, nor was Empire the glorious second act that geeks around the globe would have you believe.

Picking up right after its vastly inferior predecessor left off, The Dark Knight shows us a Gotham that is down but not out, hoisting itself up after the wallop it received in the first film with the help of the Batman (Christian Bale). Aligned with Lieutenant Gordon (Gary Oldman) and new district attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman now sets his sites on eradicating the mob. The crime-fighting trinity enjoys a modest win, even as they continue to feel one another out. Can a two-faced goody-goody from Internal Affairs really be as clean as Dent appears? Can a Lieutenant who hand-picked a questionable assortment of cops to fill his Major Crimes Unit truly be that blissfully ignorant of their past charges? Can a man dressed as a bat be anything other than absolutely out of his mind? Their friendship is a gamble that nearly pays off until the mob turns to a mysterious figure known as The Joker (Ledger).

Once unleashed, the Joker goes on a killing-spree of epic proportions, and the film’s remaining second and third acts jump ship from the sinking comic vessel. There is no microwave emitter that could destroy the city; no mind-altering machines need to be smashed. In fact, The Joker has no master plan. Plans are for schemers. “You had plans,” the Joker quips to a fallen foe. “Look where that got you.” Indeed, the film’s protagonists spend the remainder of the film trying to keep one another from being murdered. This isn’t so much Empire Strikes Back as it is Magnolia with the shark from Jaws unleashed in a melodramatic, self-obsessed world. This is a disaster movie leaps and bounds above The Day After Tomorrow or Armageddon, and Ledger’s Joker is the unparalleled wave of destruction. “This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object,” he laments to Batman.

Near dissertations are being frantically scribbled about Ledger’s performance as the “agent of chaos,” and deservedly so. It is the performance of a lifetime: a sick and vile psychopath more gripping, more terrifying and perversely more real than Jack Nicholson’s infamous take on the iconic villain. There is only one moment in the entire picture that Nolan lets you remember that you are watching a fallen star. “We’re destined to do this forever,” Ledger says to Bale’s Batman, finally delivering to rabid fans that clear distinction of codependency so celebrated between the two in the comic books. It is impossible, however, to let this settle without thinking that this is the final Ledger-tackled Joker we will see.

Unfortunately, due to the tragedy, Ledger is the only one grabbing headlines, despite impressive turns from the supporting cast (Oldman particularly gives a knock-out performance as the very real Gordon) and Nolan’s impeccable vision. Far removed from Nolan’s own previous styling, this new Gotham is glass-covered, towering, magic-hour lit and heartbreakingly authentic. There is no falsely defaced architecture taking up space on a back lot somewhere in Burbank. This is Bale and Ledger pounding one another to a pulp on Chicago’s cleverly disguised pavements. This is as down and dirty as any episode of “The Wire.”

What has arrived is not the best film ever made, although I thought so moments after seeing the film. Nolan still has yet to master the ability to reel in an actor who is off the mark (such as Eric Roberts as Salvatore Maroni), and Bale’s Batman voice has gotten worse. But these minor infractions are nit-picks in the grand scheme of the unsettling morality play Nolan and company have crafted about the modern fear of terrorism. This is not a film to be easily shaken off. With its thematic struggle for the soul of a populous tittering on insanity and Ledger’s legendary performance, this is truly an experience that will haunt you for days to come.

Grade - A