The Dark Knight sold out, all right.
Disclaimer: I haven’t seen it yet, so I have drunk neither Kool-Aid nor Haterade. My feelings on the as yet unseen movie aren’t so optimistic though, mainly because everyone that’s seen it sounds like they had liberal sips of the Kool-Aid. I trust reviews from friends more than professional critics, but I haven’t seen any comprehensive reviews yet, just more fanboygasms. I can’t help but relate to the Diesel Sweeties strip, however.
I just wish that comic books and movies, etc. didn’t have to keep going quite so dark, as if that’s all that sells these days. Yes, it’s acceptable for the “psycho I miss my mommy and daddy” Batman, but not so much for these other titles. I was telling a friend the other day that I miss the fun and zany comics of the 80’s and 90’s era. They had emotional spots, but were more colorful and fun and silly and people smiled more. Now it seems all emo and killing and depowering and tracing the same film star’s face/pose for every character that artist draws.
Oddly enough my biggest fanboy friend for “The Dark Knight” (he would take me to task for not being excited about it) just this morning commented that it was… *meh. And I find myself agreeing with the sentiment that without Ledger’s death, there would be no Oscar buzz about this film. Not that I wouldn’t like to see a superhero movie earn its Oscar props, but not like this.
Once all the fervor calms down, I’ll get out to see it and pass judgment for myself.
I still want to see Hellboy. I definitely want to see Dark Knight (I heard good things). And I will see The X-Files. (Been drinking that koolaid for too long to stop now.)
What are you doing this Saturday?
I saw Hellboy yesterday afternoon. I thought that the theater would be deserted, because of TDK.
No such luck.
The theater with Hellboy, me, and my popcorn and soda and Milk Duds was crammed full of people who couldn’t get TDK tickets, whom I guess figured that this comic book movie was better than no comic book movie at all.
Hellboy 2 is VERY good.
Perfect set up for a third movie.
The Dark Knight was a great movie. It had a strong story and the acting backed it up. It wasn’t the perfect movie, parts of the plot felt a little rushed in regards to Two-Face, but it was very enjoyable none the less.
I do think that Heath Ledger’s death did give added buzz to the movie, but his performance of The Joker really was amazing. If he were alive I think there would still be a lot of talk about how great his performance was.
I don’t think you are going to like the movie though. You tend to go against the crowd when it comes to big franchise movies that everyone else loves.
@kyle: This Saturday? Sounds like I might be seeing at least one movie!
@Norman: As I’ve said before, the level of hype needs to match the product and frankly the more something is hyped, the more it needs it. I see the big franchise films, and they’re good, but not always great. Plus it can be very hard to shake the thought of, “I paid (up to) $15 for this?!”
Ack! Just got drafted by the A&P unit to help them on Saturday. How’s Sunday?
I just saw the Batman movie, and I also was less than impressed. You’re right, it was very dark, and it wasn’t what I’d call “fun”
I enjoyed Iron Man a lot more.
Time to throw my two cents in the ring. Granted I’m a comic nerd, but given that the source material is derived from Frank Miller, the darkness of this film should not be all that surprising.
It depends whether you’re going to see this movie to have fun, or are open to a dark Batman movie.
As a dark movie, it is very good. Even the parts where you find yourself laughing, it’s mostly because if you didn’t laugh you’d cry.
I do have my beefs with the film. (Seriously, Christian Bale, quit it with the gravely voice you adopt when you wear the Batsuit. And was the Casting Director on crack the day they cast Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel?) Overall, though it is a singular film.
I think some of the negative reaction comes from the fact that up until the past five or six years, comic movies have been just that: comic-y. They’re poppy and flashy. Lots of bright colors and a sense of safe surreality to it all. It’s a diversion from the standard.
I would classify it more as a psychological thriller/suspense, or at least part of me would. This is why I really tried to go into this movie with no expectations. Instead of waiting for a certain kind of movie, I just wanted to absorb what the filmmakers were trying to present.
What they did present was simply stunning.
This is not your mama’s Batman, for sure. Is that really a bad thing, though?
at times i thought the Joker was excessively smart, borderline clairvoyant, but i guess that made him a good foe…