In This Section
Content Types:
Message Boards
Community Blogs
Videos
TV Guide Spotlight
Also on TVGuide.com
|
« Šarclyte's Blog
The Dark Knight
So, about a month go I found out that they were selling tickets for a 12:01am showing of TDK in IMAX theaters for last night/this morning. I went online and bought a ticket. About a week later, I went back to see if they had any tickets left for a friend who was curious. Nope, sold out. I haven't been to a midnight premiere in a long time, so yesterday I went to the theater's website to see if there was any information. Turns out that they also had a 3:30am showing in the IMAX that also was sold out. But the bigger news was that they also were showing TDK in all of the other 29 theaters at 12:01...and ALL of them were sold out! Holy Moola, Batman! There also was a 3:30am showing in one of the regular theaters, but it wasn't sold out as of yet. When I left the theater last night, there were so many people and cars there, that maybe they were showing it at 3:30 in ALL theaters. Wow!
Ok, so I got to the movieplex at 10:30. When I walked into the IMAX, it was 80-90% full already. Oh joy. It took me some time to find a seat, but I eventually found 1. How hard is it to find one seat, right? The time really dragged, and the people around me and I began making fun of the repetitive ads up on the screen and stuff. At 12:02, the previews started. There was a very brief teaser for the next Harry Potter...essentially just the title, the theme music, and a line of dialogue. It got great applause. Then they had the trailer for The Watchmen, which is a movie based upon the most acclaimed graphic novel of all time, written by Alan Moore. It's being made by the director of 300, and looks awesome. Then, TDK began.
Wow.
Just...wow.
There are at least 5 "Holy Crap" moments in this movie where you think to yourself, "Holy crap, what the Hell am I watching?" I mean that in a good way.
The movie starts, and it's relentless up until the end. I've never noticed a score that seemed so omnipresent and driving as in this movie. Even when it seems like maybe not much is happening, the score is driving, pushing you on, letting you know that, nope, it may not be time to take a breathe.
The writing is good, the acting is superb, and the directing was great.
And then there's the Joker.
What The Joker does in this movie is unlike anything I've ever seen. There are things that he does that are just mind boggling. The Joker is not just an "agent of chaos," he IS chaos. You have to wonder, why the heck would anyone live in Gotham City?
As for Heath... I was very affected by his passing. I didn't know him and had never met him, but I really enjoyed so many of his movies and I knew that his untimely passing would be a loss to fans of great movies and fans of this franchise. I also felt for his young daughter and loved ones. What he does in this movie is take what was written and portrays the character in such an interesting and truly unique way. This isn't Cesar Romero. This isn't Jack Nicholson. This isn't The Joker from Batman: The Animated Series/Justice League: Unlimited. This isn't even The Joker from the animated series, "The Batman" cartoon of the past few years. Nope, this is Hannibal Lecter if instead of becoming a doctor he had decided to become a criminal, and dropped acid everyday for 10 years while learning how to be the best there is. They say that genius and insanity are flipsides to the same coin in many cases. Well this Joker is the result of that coin being melted down and then recast into a knife blade.
There is some hype about Heath getting an Oscar nomination. Traditionally, actors who have died haven't done well with Oscar noms. Movies like TDK aren't taken seriously, either. I hope that this one changes all of that.
This movie is to comic book movies as The Godfather was to gangster movies. It is something so very different, and takes it to such a whole different level that it would be a shame if the writer, director, movie, and Heath weren't all given Oscar nominations. I'm not saying they should win, but at least recognize how truly amazing this film and Heath's role in it were.
I will say that the ending is a little bit of a let down in a way, because while I see why things go down the way they do, it doesn't mean that I have to like or agree with it. But even with that one small caveat, this movie is mind blowing.
Even if you're not a fan of "comic book" movies I would recommend this. Iron Man was great entertainment, and one of the best "comic book" movies ever made. The Dark Knight may be one of the best MOVIES ever made. Yes, it's based on comic book characters, and yes people are running around in masks and all of that. But, aren't ALL movies just actors "running around in masks" of one kind or another?
If you can see it in an IMAX, please do so. There are 20 minutes or so that were filmed with IMAX cameras, and seeing those scenes on an IMAX screen are awesome. You'll be glad you saw it, no matter where you see it.
|
|
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 9:53 AM
|
Great recap Darclyte - glad you enjoyed the movie! I don't do opening day premiers and in fact I may wait on this one until it goes out on Blu-Ray but I am very interested in the movie and what everyone thinks about it!
Have a great weekend!
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 11:18 AM
|
|
Thanks, Darclyte! I haven't seen the last couple of Batman movies, but I definitely want to see this one. I'm so glad it's actually living up to the hype.
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 12:23 PM
|
I can't wait to see this. I am a Batman fan, a Christian Bale fan (I like his Batman the best), and a Heath Ledger fan. I know that when an actor takes on a role so completely they have to dig into a dark part of themselves to pull up something usually buried. From what I read about Heath in this role he had problems burying those things again. He was a brilliant actor. I will and do miss him.
Thanks for the review. I am so anxious to see this.
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 1:31 PM
|
Nice job on the recap, Darclyte, and thank you for no spoilers! While I'm not sure I'm going to brave opening weekend crowds, I do have TDK on my weekend movie agenda.
And Ranger99, great artwork!
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 7:20 PM
|
Hi Darclyte:
Thanks for an excellent review, which deserves a Red Star. Your review was much better than some folks, who need to retire from reviewing movies.
I also enjoyed Ranger's art work. Beautiful!!!
My husband and I hope to go to see this movie in a couple of weeks. I'm thinking that it might be very difficult to get into the movie theatre, any time soon, to see TDK. Even NBC Nightly News was talking about how the movie was selling out in NY.
Heath Ledger was a brilliant actor. I also enjoyed his work in Monster's Ball. Another dark part. I'm hoping, too, that he receives an Oscar nod. His dying too soon definitely adds a layer of sadness to this movie. No one knows what someone is going through, until it's too late. May Mr. Ledger rest in peace.
|
|
Jul 18, 2008 9:51 PM
|
I wanted to add another comment about Heath's performance, which start to finish, is amazing and he should get an Oscar nomination for it. Not a spoiler as it's a generic comment and I've seen it mentioned elsewhere, but there is one scene that should give him the win.
When he walks away from the hospital.
The way he walks, and what he does...that wasn't written in the script, that was ALL HEATH.
His performance in that scene is incredible.
And I must say that I absolutely loved his magic pencil trick.
RIP Heath. You knocked it out of the park, over the river, and over the roof of the building on the other side.
|
|
Jul 19, 2008 4:57 PM
|
|
Great review. I just have a stupid question, and please don't hit me over the head too hard. What is IMAX? What's an IMAX theatre and what are IMAX cameras? I grew up in the middle of nowhere, so please forgive my ignorance. Thanks!
|
|
Jul 19, 2008 7:41 PM
|
Excellent, excellent review Darclyte, of a simply fantastic movie.
Before I forget, Ranger, I love the drawing you included with your comments - very, very nice.
Christopher Walken would have been good in this movie also, there were so many unexpected and pleasant surprises with who was in it, I kept hoping that CW would have been too.
"Not a spoiler as it's a generic comment and I've seen it mentioned elsewhere, but there is one scene that should give him the win.
When he walks away from the hospital.
The way he walks, and what he does...that wasn't written in the script, that was ALL HEATH."
OMG - I soooooooooooo agree, that part alone, I thought to myself as I was watching it - our darling boy, deserves the Oscar for that scene alone and now that you advised that it wasn't in the script, well, Heath deserves it even more, it was simply fantastic!!!
|
|
Jul 20, 2008 10:51 PM
|
Awesome movie. I wanna see it on IMAX. I saw it saturday night and a lady behind me said she tried to get imax tickets but they're all sold out through the 21st. Which is today. I bet they sold a lot more since I saw it.
I don't see many movies more than once in the theater, but I'd see this one again. I bet there was a lot of stuff I missed.
|
|
Jul 21, 2008 10:32 AM
|
I loved it! I agree with the let down part at the end too... but there better be a third one!!!!
It's his laugh that did for me.. and his over all body movements. Wow.
It affected me too, I think I have one see 2 movies that Heath did and I loved (10 things I hate about you and Knight's Tale) him. Phenomenal actor.
I totally agree with the scene leaving the hospital. The actor playing Harvey Dent was so a perfect fit too! I am totally going to go see it again and watch it in imax!
|
|
Jul 21, 2008 6:25 PM
|
He makes the greatest entrance of all time.
When he walks into that meeting, while seemingly mocking the traditional Joker laugh...and then makes the pencil disappear...unbelievable.
|
|
Jul 22, 2008 8:21 AM
|
|
|
