Just got back from seeing it. All I have to say is Heath Ledger was incredible. He went out on top! He made the Joker menacing, crazy, but also likeable. The nurse scene is great. BTW - LOVE the pencil magic act!!!!!
Saw it last night... after reading all these reviews, I don't know I guess I wasn't blow away from it like everyone else. Even my gf slept through half of the movie. It's a good movie but definitely not one of my top 10 movies I've seen. I thought Batman Begins was better because it actually had a lot more scenes of Bruce Wayne and Batman. This film was basically Joker's show, they should have called this movie The Joker because Bruce Wayne/Batman was hardly in it. 10 reasons why it didn't blow me away: Spoiler 1) The movie was very long. 2.5 hours (3 hours with previews and waiting) 2) Maggie's acting was disappointing, like someone said earlier holmes was better. Why couldn't they get a better actress for this role? Is Rachel Dawes dead? I saw a clip with her eyes open with an oxygen mask to her mouth. 3) Why did Scarecrow have a small scene in this movie? Whats the point of this? He basically got thrown around for 10 seconds and got tied up. What happened to him? Anyone know? 4) What happens to the Joker now? Is he captured? Did he die? A movie this long should have at least mentioned what happened to him. What happened to his bomb detonator for those ships it vanished into thin air or I must've missed it getting thrown. 5) Did Dent die? Again the movie don't mention what happened to him. Isn't he going to be in part 3? Another hole I felt was left out. 6) Why did Bruce Wayne's servant burn that letter? I didn't get the meaning of this.... why let Bruce forever wonder that Rachel was the one for him. It's going to torment his mind, and he will forever be a bachelor because of this. 7) Why wasn't this rated R? It would have been a lot better if it was. I know they needed it to be PG-13 for little kids but seriously if you wanted this show to be the "dark" theme it had to be rated R. No blood no gore just cut scenes when it starts to get gruesome. 8) The batmobile was barely used in this movie. When it was used all it did was shoot a couple of missles and fired couple rounds of bullet. Couldn't they have upgraded it or given it more technology? Hell it doesn't even look like a batmobile. He spent more time on the batmobile motorcycle, which didn't look all that cool, it looked like Batman was floating between two huge wheels. 9) Batman's weapons, again barely used. No new technology basically boring stuff. In Batman begins he had a lot more weapons that had character to it. This movie show batman firing a sticky bomb out of what looks to be a weapon that was reminded me of that kid's halo cardboard gun project. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e45J0SCXO5s 10) Last but not least, I didn't even get the very last scene. Gordon basically babbled some words while Batman rode off into the night. I couldn't hear or didn't remember any of it, but caught his last line where he said he's "the dark knight". Whats the point of that? Couldn't they come with something more powerful? Or let it be known there will be a 3rd movie? Again this movie leaves soo many open holes its irritating. It left me more frustrated then blown away.
Umm, this is going to be harsh, but your reasons just mean the movie wasn't dumbed down enough for you (you personally). As to the R rating, studios avoid that like the plague since it handicaps the box office. They might/should release an unrated version on DVD.
Spoiler well if the whole dent lying motionless on the ground after a long fall thing didn't give a hint as to what happened him, the whole commissioner speaking at his funeral (or some sort of service) thing should've made it clear (unless they just decide he isn't dead for no particular reason, which seems unlikely) and how could the last scene have been any better? the gladiator-esque sounding music rising, on the motorcycle, cape flying out the back, the symbol of what is right in gotham speeding into the night to flee from the very people he's done so much for and given so much to protect as gordon says he's the hero they deserve, but not the hero they need (in contrast to saying dent was the hero they needed, not the hero they deserved), the silent guardian, the dark knight, and then the quick cut to black. that was perfect. i had to go see this again today and it was every bit as good the second time. such a damn good movie. not since V for Vendetta have i been this blown away by a movie. kind of similar movies i guess. action/comic book/hero type movies that didn't really have all that much action, but were largely about the story and the struggle of one guy, who was more than just a guy but an idea, to overcome all the bad in the world. loved them both.
Spoiler The movie didn't feel like 2.5 hours and honestly it could have gone 3 and I wouldn't have minded just a bit. Rachel Dawes is dead...I'm not sure where you saw that clip but she was surrounded by barrels of gasoline when the building exploded. I think that was the point of the Scarecrow scene; he used fear as a weapon in the first movie against Batman; you take that away he's just a feeble guy in a mask. We don't need to know what happened to the Joker. All we need to know is that he lived. He'll be locked up until he has the opportunity to reign havoc on Gotham again. The detonator probably busted into tiny little pieces on the ground below; it would be an unnecessary shot to show that. This isn't as clear but I can't see how Dent could have lived for the martyr angle of him to work. So he's probably dead....I guess there is a possibility that he was taken to a secret location and imprisoned. But for that to make sense you would have to believe that all those officers that arrived on the scene would keep quiet; doubtful. Go watch the scene again and listen to the voice over; that should make it clear. The movie was plenty intense; It didn't need to be rated R and it didn't need to have blood and gore for it to be good; there are plenty of movies that have those elements and don't come even close to the level of intensity Dark Knight had. This movie wasn't about the Batmobile, wasn't about his gadgets...hell it wasn't even completely centered around Batman. It was more of an ensemble piece with the Joker pulling the strings till the end. Bat cylce wasn't so much a cycle as it was an escape vehicle for a trashed Tumbler. I guess if you want tons of over-the-top gadgetry go watch some of the older Bonds or the Schumacher Batman; To me the sonar system was pretty damn cool and used really effectively...as well as the sticky bombs. You didn't get the last scene because you weren't paying attention to what Gordon was saying...if you had payed attention it would have been plenty powerful.
best movie i've seen in the theatre since Matrix and Fargo. That doesn't say exactly how much I loved this movie, since I rent more than go. I was just floored how much I loved this. I loved Sin City, too. la la la this movie rox.
Just watched it...ehhhhh. don't see what exactly all the hoopla is for. ledger was really good in it but overall...ehhh I just don't get why there is 10 threads on the subject. To each is own.
A minor complaint...but anyone else have problems with the way Gotham looked? It was different from the first movie. What I liked about the Gotham in Batman Begins was that it had this grandeur to it but still felt like it could be a real city. The completely elevated subway system built by his father, Wanye Tower that also seemed like beacon of hope in the center of the city...am I wrong that Wayne Enterprises was a different building this time? Does the Narrows not exist anymore? Where were these trademarks of Gotham from Begins? I would have thought they would have kept them for continuity purposes.
After reading your list of questions I'm wondering how you manage to get dressed in the morning Seriously though, some of the best movies don't spoon feed and connect every dot for you - they let your mind fill in some of the blanks.
It's been awhile since I was blown away by a movie. I've been trying to think. I enjoyed Ironman for what is was. Recently I would have to say Grandma's boy was an excellent movie but that's not the same type of movie. Memento was excellent. I just watch the Wackness and enjoyed it. Super Troopers is an all time favorite. I have over 200 DVDs so I enjoy movies. I will end up buying The Dark Knight but maybe it's the whole build up by other people proclaiming it a "masterpiece" I don't enjoy. Very Bad Things is underrated. City of God was a very pleasant surprise. Now that I think about the movie some more I would have liked to have seen more Bruce Wane in the movie. I feel Bale wasn't in the movie all that much.
Too bad half of the superhero movie crowd will come out unimpressed (as already amply illustrated in this thread), and a lot of the mature audience who will appreciate the depth of this movie will never set foot in the theater just because it's a "comic book" movie. Let's hope word of mouth and reviews will expose TDK to the audience it deserves. Movie of the decade would not be a hyperbole -- at the very least one can seriously debate this without looking silly. I don't see how TDK can't win best movie Oscar if LotR and The Departed won it (and TDK surpasses both IMHO). And I predict the shot of The Joker standing in front of the hospital will now forever be an icon of American cinema much like Nicholson's head through the chopped down door.
^^^ I don't think this movie needs to be exposed to anyone. It already has and probably will break box office records this weekend alone. And the general consensus seems to be overwhelming praise for the film.
