The Dark Knight

[CheMateo]

So who's seen it yet? Thoughts, opinions. I just got back from watching it. I managed to steer clear of spoilers, speculation or media hype. I have to say I really enjoyed. TDK my new favorite super hero movie. I also really liked Heath as the Joker. He easily beat Nicholson's performance. I think I liked Ledger's performance better than Hamill's.


Spoiler alert...............................................................We had been bouncing around info on the board. So I had unfairly went in the movie expecting one thing. I did not expect Two Face Harvey to die. I really thought Two Face was going to play a fairly prominent role in the next film. I was also shocked and happy to see them kill off Rachel Dawes.

[WannaB]

I probably wouldn't have stopped talking about TDK in the Upcoming Movies thread if I hadn't been so busy these past few months.

I absolutely loved the film. I thought it was more than just a great Batman, or Comic-book film - it's a great, great Crime-Drama as well. Kevin Smith was right to call it the Godfather 2 of Comic-book movies.

I'm right there with you Che on your spoiler related sentiments. Originally, the brothers Nolan had stated from the get-go that that was how the villains would be structured over the 2nd and 3rd films. I suppose that was their way of throwing us off guard, so we could be shocked. Say a lie long enough & often enough...

Jonah Nolan did recently however say that him & Chris already have a villain and a theme nailed down for the 3rd movie. I liked how the first film was given the theme of "fear," and how this film was given the theme of "anarchy" and "the human condition" (i.e. anyone can be capable of evil).

And apparently Zach Snyder (Dawn of the Dead '04, 300, Watchmen) mentioned at Comic-Con this weekend that he would love to adapt Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns." Frank Miller said Snyder could do it anytime. While I was never a fan of Frank Miller's Batman material, I am fond of his film adaptations, and Snyder's work on comic adaptations. I would actually like to see Snyder do TDK Returns... but only after the Nolan/Bale Batman universe has been put to bed with a third film. Like that G*d-awful Justice League movie which Warner Bros. tried to get off the ground for the past year, it would be stupid, and just bad business to have two seperate Batman's/Batman Universes coexisting in the film industry at the same time. It would be like if Schumacher was still making Batman movies at the moment.

As a huge Batman fan, I'm absolutely overjoyed to see all the records that TDK is breaking.

Most presold tickets ever

Largest midnight opening ever...18.5 million (beating Episode III)
Largest opening day ever...66.4 million (beating Pirates 2)
Largest opening weekend ever...158.411 million (beating Spider-man 3)
Largest second weekend ever...75.6 million (beating Shrek 2)

Fastest to reach 200 million
1st to ever reach 200 million in 5 days
Fastest to reach 300 million (beating Pirates 2)
1st to ever reach 300 million in 10 days

Plus, by the end of the day TDK will be neck & neck with Iron Man as the biggest film of the year (315 million).

The next record in sight is Fastest to reach 400 million which is 43 days and it was set by Shrek 2. At the geometric rate that the numbers are coming in, TDK could very well steal that record at around 30 days if not less.

*crosses fingers* Hoping that it dethrones Titanic.

I think I'll go see it a few more times this week since I have a couple of days off.

[Leighsus]

The first movie I've seen that I've wanted to go back and see while it was still in cinemas.

I don't know enough about movies and acting to jump on the "HEATH 4 OSCAR!" bandwagon, but he certainly tells you more about the character of the Joker than the screenplay alone.

My only complaint about the film is the real lack of violence. The film needed more blatent, outright violence to really reflect its darkness rather than the implied violence that it has. There are some weird cuts which seem to curb the violence - obviously because they wanted kids to see the movie because there's money to be made.

Hopefully that would be corrected on the DVD.

All in all, worth watching if only to say in ten years time that you saw it when it first came out.

[Dr.Gonzo]

I don't know enough about movies and acting to jump on the "HEATH 4 OSCAR!" bandwagon, but he certainly tells you more about the character of the Joker than the screenplay alone.

The Oscars don't really mean shit but enough people buy into it that it carries weight. Worse actors have received the award, so I don't think it would be ridiculous for Ledger to win.

My only complaint about the film is the real lack of violence. The film needed more blatent, outright violence to really reflect its darkness rather than the implied violence that it has. There are some weird cuts which seem to curb the violence - obviously because they wanted kids to see the movie because there's money to be made.

I do agree on the odd cuts. I found the cut when Joker had that mobster in the pool hall with a knife to his mouth a bit awkward.

Otherwise a terrific movie that I also want to see again. I have wanted anything to dethrone Titanic from it's slot, I hope The Dark Knight is the movie to get the job done.

I've been reading on various message boards about different theories. I kind of like how people are keeping hope that Two face is still alive. That Gordon has him locked away somewhere in Arkham on life support. I'm kind of somewhere in between in whether or not Two face is dead. We never saw a coffin or urn so who knows?

[RoaringElbow]

ledger as joker is unlike anything youve seen. Its almost as if he is the main character of the movie. hes the hrrible murderous villian, and youre laughing right along with him.

[bford24]

Dark Knight was an amazing movie. Heath's Joker will probably go down as one of the best movie villians ever, its just a shame he isn't around to take in all the accolades he deserves. I do hope he gets nominated but in the past only 1 time has someone won the award after passing away. No matter what he will always be remembered for this role. I liked the movie in the fact that every character was an equal as far as screen time goes. It is definitely a Batman movie but it was good he wasn't the main focus.

My co-worker was funny in saying the only part he didn't like was Maggie Gylenhall playing Rachel, he said it would have been the perfect movie if they had put Jake in drag to play the character. She isn't bad but I guess she got a good recommendation from her brother.

I am not sure about Two-face being alive still, but I do know Aaron Eckhart was a better Two-face than Tommy Lee Jones was. Not that you can compare anything in this movie with those cartoonish ones from the late 80s/early 90s. I think my company will do the movie for the airlines so I'll see it about 25 more times but I think even then I'd see it in the theater again.

[RoaringElbow]

Maggie sure isnt as nice to look at as katie holms(Glass city represent!) but Maggie is def a better actor.

I think if they were gonna do a third(which I may not be for anyways, the 2nd movie is almost always the best in the trilogy. spiderman, xmen, starwars, etc.) they orifinal plan was to bring back the joker, who quite clearly was only arrested. But with ledger now gone it would be a crime to think someone could replace him in that role. and so far the batman begins/dark knight movies have really been everything that is great about superhero movies and movies in general. that leads me to believe that they would scratch the joker frm the 3rd movie and find a way to use two-face again. Becauase alot of those other villians are too cartoony

[CheMateo]

I also hope that TDK beats Titanic's record. I cannot believe that the record has practically been in a lock box for the last eleven years. I have always carried a grudge against Titanic since it was clearly inferior than L.A. Confidential (which was my favorite movie that year) and yet it stole America's heart and hogged all the attention.

I am amazed at the gangbusters like business TDK is doing and I hope it doesn't stop. TDK is the first movie in a very long time that I really want to give a second go around in theaters. I cannot stop thinking about how well rounded the movie was. Just about the entire cast was spot on great.

I also like how Batman is now on the lam. It sort of reminds me a bit of the Cult and Knightfall, in that Batman is going to be constantly on the run with the odds stacked against him.

I'm also finding it funny how people are speculating about the next foe. Some people are saying that it will be the Riddler. Their basis for this is, the accountant who tried to out Batman-Mr. Reese, his name ends up sounding like Mysteries. Voila, you have the Riddler. Honestly, I really hope they go with The Black Mask. I was skeptical whether or not Nolan would get the greenlight with that villain, since Black Mask is not well known to the mainstream audience. With TDK crushing everything you have to imagine that Nolan has been given total carte blanche. I also dream of one day seeing Bane done properly. Not the dumbbell from Batman & Robin. I want to see the cold and calculating Bane who actually breaks the Batman. Breaking Batman's back would be an awesome way to end one of the films.

Did anybody else notice the difference in Bale's Batman voice? I found it to be a bit grating at times. Not really a big thing but I was just guessing it was supposed to reflect his growth in confidence as Batman.

Oh, I had not spoiled the opening bank heist for myself. It had shades of Kubrick's The Killing. Especially the masks. I really liked it and saw it as nod to the Killing since I read that was one of Nolan's favorite movies.

I also liked how Ledger balanced the dark humor with The Joker. The pencil scene was funny to me and a few others but still managed to reflect his violent side. I was surprised to find my fellow movie goers laughing at some of the Joker's scenes. Although it was never forced laughter you could tell that it was genuinely elicited.

[WannaB]

Oh no he didn't...!?

This spam account did not just post garbage advertising in the Batman thread!?

As a life-long Batman fan I am deeply offended, and I will hunt this person down and kill them.