The Dark Knight

[The Top Crusader]

I wish Harley had been in it. But realistically since it was the Joker's first big outing he wouldn't have picked her up from the asylum yet.

[darcie]

I do love that character in the (fairly) recent cartoon series... she's fun.

I wonder if Harvey Dent's death is real... I thought his story line was totally cut short. I do hope they bring back Aaron Eckhart since Heath Ledger is not available.

[Tehswift]

I'm wondering that too. Because I thought that Two-face and the Riddler teamed up later... I'm excited to see what they have next.

[Jonathan]

Sorry for bumping an old topic, but I never got to throw in my two cents.

I saw it a few days after it came out and a few days after that--both times the theater was packed, which doesn't happen to me often.

I was impressed, and it had a lot of expectations to live up to. I was looking forward to this movie as soon as I saw the last scene in the first one, simply because we knew who the villain was going to be.

Heath Ledger was fantastic. The Joker has always been one of my favorite villains, simply because you can't get in his head. Psychologically speaking, he's a mystery, and Heath Ledger did a good job portraying him.

The rest of the movie was good too--the script, the acting (special props go to Gary Oldman and Michael Caine). Yep, enjoyed it.

[American Eagle]

The Dark Knight. I have not seen the movie, Batman Begins, or any other Batman movie. I'm sure it's a well-made movie, that's why it's made $512,198,000. But most people who've watched this movie have said The Joker is the favorite character. Especially with it being Ledger and him dying before. He is pure evil. But is loved. That is praising evil, in a way. So I hate that. I don't know everything about it, so I can't give a full review. I may or may not watch the movie, but I'm sure it has good and bad.

[Danielle Abigail Maxwell]

I watched it this movie today.
I want to see it again and again.
'cause it is great.

I think there have been better movies, but it's at the top of its genre.

I thought it was the best movie ever... but, here's my take on the movie I saw about an hour ago...

For me (having seen it earlier tonight..)

I LOVED IT! THE ABSOLUTE BEST MOVIE EVER!!!!!!!!!

So, I now have a crush on Christian Bale and Heath Ledger... funny thing is, Heath Ledger is dead, and Christian Bale.... is weird. I love my crushes for no apparent reason...

I loved the story line. The Joker was absolutely crazy, nuts, and HILARIOUS! THough you could pinpoint what was about to happen most every second, you still got enjoyment out of it.... And I loved how The Joker just happened to pop out of nowhere... in every instance.

"Is that a bazooka?" - Um.... unknown mystery character.
"Why so serious?" - The Joker
"Dark is before the Dawn." - Harvey Dent

I loved how in the very beginning where everyone was talking about the Joker, and he was the one himself hacking into the bank, and then shooting everyone of his help, and then taking the bus after shooting the bus driver.. man, that was funny! Just the way it played out... then the bus drove out into a line of buses looking exactly like the ran-into-a-building bus, and the cops didn't suspect a thing...

Then there was Batman. W00t! This being my first Batman movie, I'm in love! I'm going to seriously buy it when it comes out. Batman was awesome.... though, there were instances when I would have literally strangled both Christian Bale and Heath Ledger without a second glance.

Even though, at the untimely death of Heath Ledger, that movie was well put together. No doubt about it. Though, at about two times during the movie I said to myself "They could have redone that", knowing full well that's what they might have done had Heath not died. Even so, I'm totally in love with the movie now...

And I made no money for this lengthy post and review of "The Dark Knight". Okay, time for a Dark Knight signature!

Okay, so, yeah, that's what I would pretyt much sum it up as... AWESOME!!!!

Oh, and American Eagle, we are all sinners. Everyone is, including you. I don't think saying that the best character out of TDK is The Joker/Heath Ledger, and saying we are praising evil. He was just good at the character. And the character was a crack up. It was just HILARIOUS. You cound anticipate his next move, but at the same time, couldn't. You didn't see what was coming, but all at the same time, you could. An oxymoron in both instances, but the truth! WOW! Fast paced, but I could keep up.... I'm still in awe.... wow! Crushes have formed... and that happens sometimes...

Don't be too hard on others who go nuts over some weird actor... it happens A LOT. I do it... a lot. I'm evening going nuts of Heath Ledger right now. Though, Christian Bale as Batman... WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I didn't even know it was CHristian Bale until the very end, when the credits roled... NO ONE COULD TELL ME! Though.... I think I know get what happend in what, London was it? I dont' remember were the premiere was at... I'm also happy I supoprted that money in racking in more money. It was good, no doubt. I laughed, and was amazed....
I'm not saying I believe in anything that happened. It was good acting, a good story line, and a movie I will want to see again... and then buy when it comes out. Hmm.... Christmas? Or... daddy!

Okay, I'm so good now...

[LizzieG]

I had the chance to see TDK on IMAX a few weeks ago - very impressive. I liked it just as much, if not more, on this second viewing, which says a lot.

[Arwen]

It's funny. I've never wanted to see a movie in theaters a second time more than this one...and yet I haven't had the chance yet, and I'm guessing that I won't...the joys of being without a job.

[Danielle Abigail Maxwell]

It's funny. I've never wanted to see a movie in theaters a second time more than this one...and yet I haven't had the chance yet, and I'm guessing that I won't...the joys of being without a job.

I'd gladly give you the money! BUt, well, I gotta pay for my PSAT test on Monday...

I saw it for the second time today. In less than a week I see it twice.. oh what wonders I entailed! So, seeing it the second time was half boring, because all I wanted was the Joker scenes, and there aren't a whole lot, but enough to satisfy me. I enjoyed it, of course. I laughed a lot because I knew what was going to happen, but then again, I had a friend who was scared, wanting to cry because she is such a HUGE fan of Heath Ledger (I seriously just became one.. hehe... *evil grin*), and laughing most of the time.

It was a lot of fun. I do say, a second time is the charm. Seeing it a third... I'm not Maressa... I will give you that one! When it comes out on video, it'll be in my position at one point, no doubt about that!

Great acting, and I'm glad I finally have background info on Heath Ledger... I didn't understand the whole hubub when he died... I'm now getting it all in about one instance... gotta love Wiki!

Amor, Danielle.

[IamConnie]

This may be the wrong thread to post this in, but I do love the Dark Knight. It was a fantastic movie, and the newer Batman movies are much more lined up with the comics. Heath Ledger's performance was fantastic, but alas, it was also indirectly the cause of his death (he was taking sleep meds because he couldn't sleep. He couldn't sleep because his portrayal of the Joker haunted him. Playing a dark character like that really pulls you down and taints you in a small way.) I love Christian Bale as the Batman. It was a great movie, much like the first one. What I find is interesting are the different worldviews in the Dark Knight. Batman hold the worldview that everyone is essentially bad, which Christians believe. He is the moral upholder of the law. The Joker believes that the means justify the end. He hold the worldview that chaos rules the world, not order, and therefore, anything goes. He is the insane version of postmodernism. Two-Face, on the other hand, represents the worldview of fate, and controlling fate through chance. The whole idea of "chance will determine my life" not only is illogical, but full of inconsistencies. As a worldview movie, it is fantastic to watch, seeing everyone's worldview played out in reality. And the Batmobile so rocks. Anyway, that's my opininon of the Dark Knight.

[bookworm]

I was somewhat let down by this movie after years of hearing all the rave reviews. It did not live up to expectations. It was fine, I didn't dislike it, but I didn't find it amazing.

It was strange they didn't give the Joker's origin, even briefly in passing. I assume he was one of the escapees from Arkham after the fist movie? They didn't even explain his motivation. Why is he suddenly here with a vendetta against the Batman? There is clearly backstory to this that was left out.

I liked the Two Face story, that was a good arc. I did not get the ending though. I understood why they couldn't let Gotham find out what really happened to Dent, but how exactly does that necessitate putting the blame on Batman? Making him into a villain made no sense.

[Wakko]

It was strange they didn't give the Joker's origin, even briefly in passing. I assume he was one of the escapees from Arkham after the fist movie? They didn't even explain his motivation. Why is he suddenly here with a vendetta against the Batman? There is clearly backstory to this that was left out.

Nope, nope, nope. Back story would've ruined the whole thing. There's an interview with Christopher Nolan that talks about it.

Heath's interpretation of The Joker has always been the absolute extreme of anarchy and chaos, effectively - he's pure evil through pure anarchy. And what makes him terrifying is to not humanise him in narrative terms. Heath found all kinds of fantastic ways to humanise him in terms of simply being real and being a real person, but in narrative terms we didn't want to humanise him, we didn't want to show his origins, show what made him do the things he's doing because then he becomes less threatening.

[bookworm]

I don’t mean backstory as in the full origin of who is he, what made him crazy, and all that. I mean where did he come from, physically, just now. He showed up out of nowhere and for no apparent reason.

For the other part, yes we did need to know his motivation. Not the ‘why is he doing this in general’ that the quote is referring to, but the motivation of his particular actions in this movie. He’s not just doing it to do it, it was clear, I believe even alluded to, that he had a plan he was working from behind everything, we just never got what it was. It wasn’t to help the mobsters, that’s just what he said at the beginning, but it wasn’t for a personal reason either because he wasn’t after the money or even the destruction. But he had some reason for it.

[Wakko]

I don’t mean backstory as in the full origin of who is he, what made him crazy, and all that. I mean where did he come from, physically, just now. He showed up out of nowhere and for no apparent reason.

For the other part, yes we did need to know his motivation. Not the ‘why is he doing this in general’ that the quote is referring to, but the motivation of his particular actions in this movie. He’s not just doing it to do it, it was clear, I believe even alluded to, that he had a plan he was working from behind everything, we just never got what it was. It wasn’t to help the mobsters, that’s just what he said at the beginning, but it wasn’t for a personal reason either because he wasn’t after the money or even the destruction. But he had some reason for it.

Ah, I see what you mean now.
I really don't think that a motivation would've helped the the movie, The Joker has always been a crazy lunatic with no real reason to do anything. Or it could be as Alfred said, "Some people just like to watch the world burn."

[bookworm]

Or it could be as Alfred said, "Some people just like to watch the world burn."

But he didn’t just want to watch it burn, that’s the problem. If he had that would have been fine, he’s just destroying the city for the sake of the destruction. But as I said it was clear that he had some distinct plot he was unfolding to bring about some distinct end, so there was definitely a motivation somewhere. Because we were aware of that, it’s distracting to not explain it. They should have gone ahead and made him just anarchy for its own sake if that’s what they wanted.

[The Top Crusader]

I assume I've rambled in this thread in years past, but I maintain... okay movie, bad Joker. Definitely not THE GREATEST COMIC BASED MOVIE OF ALL TIME, etc.

I believe the original plan was to have the Joker back in the third movie, which may have explained some things. With Ledger's death I think they may have briefly considered recasting, but ultimately not only wrote out the Joker but ended up with a considerably different film than originally intended. I don't know, my memory on that is a bit fuzzy. It's DC, not Marvel, so I don't really care too much.

[Caswin]

I believe the original plan was to have the Joker back in the third movie, which may have explained some things. With Ledger's death I think they may have briefly considered recasting, but ultimately not only wrote out the Joker but ended up with a considerably different film than originally intended. I don't know, my memory on that is a bit fuzzy.

For a given value of "original", I believe Two-Face was supposed to be the villain of the third movie, after being burned in the second and introduced in the first.

[The Top Crusader]

Yeah, killing Dent off like they did was anticlimactic and kind of a waste.