Tuesday, December 21, 2010

The Dark Knight Rises pt.1

For what is intended to be the final chapter (like that's ever true for any film series), Christopher Nolan's given his third Batman film an odd title. One might think he may have changed his mind, since he had originally stated not only would it be his last Batman film, it would also be the end of the character's story. I guessing he must have decided to do the smart thing and let it have an open-ending.

Now for characters:
No Joker (the TDK version sucked anyway)
No Riddler (Considering how many people wanted an Ledgeresque effeminate actor [cough Depp cough] that's for the best)
Catwoman has been rumored and allegedly is being cast. Personally I hope they giver black hair, so Kate Beckinsale, Sienna Guillory, or Bianca Beauchamp would all look great with black hair and look beautiful and ferocious as Catwoman. But please no Halle Berry that Batman Returns Catwoman spin-off was god awful.

I've also seen numerous fake posters for Harley Quinn, so to every who keeps making those: Stop. Not only is the character overrated, she's not even a main villain character. She's a lackey, Joker's punching bag or Poison Ivy's little pal or occasional bitch for when she's feeling horny (any one slightly as creeped out as I am) and can't get the the only other human being she cares about or loves in her own, Batman. And Ivy would probably not be in the film.

I've also posters for Talia Al Ghul, she is mentioned in Dennis O'Neil's Batman Begins novelization, but I doubt it, the story's been too fucked up for her to show. Wouldn't count on her dear old dad to reappear either, though it would a nice if they both showed up.

Bane; very unlikely, especially with Nolan's alleged "realistic" Batman.
Mr. Freeze was also ruled out. And I wouldn't count on Killer Croc, even though he appeared in Gotham Knight.

The Dark Knight...overrated.

When I heard of a sequel finally happening for the epic Batman Begins, I was ecstatic and while during initial viewing I was too glad about another Batman movie to care the film has multiple problems yet it is as highly overrated as Avatar, The Princess Brides (the most annoying piece of shit I've ever seen), or Titanic.

My first point is the plot, for the majority it's like Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, only not so campy and no enlarged cod-pieces or nippled costumes. The antagonists get more screen time than protagonists like in Forever and Batman & Robin (and to a degree Batman Returns) and there's very little plot development. Meaning if you came to see Batman, you wasted half or more of the cash you spent on the ticket, DVD, or Blu-Ray. It's called THE DARK KNIGHT, not THE CLOWN PRINCE OF CRIME, or THE SCUM OF GOTHAM; The Dark Knight is BATMAN! Batman hero/anti-hero, a dark and brutal yet also occassionally compassionate crusader of justice. It's supposed to be about Batman and his battle against crime; with The Dark Knight however you get 2 hours minimum of gender challanged wannabe 'Pogo the killer clown' with an-okay Two-Face and Scarecrow also starring Batman, Gordon, an A.D.A., Alfred and others.
Another point is the Joker, an already overrated character. More like a gender-challenged homeless male version of Harley Quinn (another overrated character). All over the internet you read how people think it's such an original or comic accurate depiction. To both, bullshit. For starters most his acting appears to be a pale imitation of Judd Nelson as 'Quitz' in "Dark Asylum". Second, I've read back to early Batman comics (which is when Heath Ledger's mindless followers insist his 'Joker' is derived from) and they are nothing alike. I've also read people stating that his mannerisms are like those of real psychotic killers. Psychotic killers like anyone else are different from each other, meaning they don't all lick their lips or twitch uncontrollably. Now while there are defining behavioral or life characteristics that several have shared, it doesn't mean they all do.
For the record, while Jack Nicholson was not the best Joker, he's a hell of lot better than Ledger was, even Cesar Romero was and he didn't shave his damn mustache when he played the part. Andrew Koenig is the best Joker I've seen, look up 'Batman: Dead End'. While we're on the subject of the villains, Harvey Dent isn't show to have any real mental problems and just becomes Two-Face from disfigurement. Allow me to educate you readers on the source version of Harvey Dent: 1) Prior to becoming to Two-Face, Dent also had multiple personality disorder, his darker other-self led him to becoming one of three 'Holiday' serial killers in The Long Halloween and is the lead personality when he is Two-Face. 2) Prior to becoming Two-Face, Harvey was obsessed with the number 2, in the film he doesn't give a shit about it. 3) Dent's coin is shown to be an apparently run of the mill silver dollar in TDK that got burned; in the comics it's a counterfeit silver dollar with two heads, one of them being scraped/scratched. 4) In the comics and any other form of appearance Two-Face has had, the coin dictates his every move; in TDK it is just for show, he flips only out of habit.
Another problem is TDK is referred to as such an original film and gripping film. Hmm... really let's look at somethings. The Batmobile breaking into another vehicle, fantastic! OH, wait they did that in Batman Returns! Or the fact someone disabled the Batmobile and most of it exploed: Genius! Oh, no it was in Batman: Forever! Batman changing changing batsuits made into a plot point hmm.... Batman Forever and Batman & Robin sound familiar? Batman eluding police for a crime he didn't commit; Batman Returns. Bruce Wayne considering giving up being Batman for the love of his life and believing he's done as Batman; Batman Forever. Two-Face dying in his first onscreen appearance in the continuity, supposedly he did so in Batman Forever. Batman pushing "Joker" off of a tall building, Batman (1989). Batman and "Joker" both pinning over the same girl, Batman (1989). Batman using a sonar system, Batman Forever. A lot of the plot points seem to involve Batman Forever and incidentally Christopher Nolan had both Christian Bale and Cillian Murphy audition for the role of Batman (in Begins) in the first suit from Batman Forever or an exact duplicate of it.
Speaking of Nolan it seems with every film he changes what the series is supposed to be. In Batman Begins he stated it was intended at first to be a prequel and then instead a reboot. Months later he signed on to make five or six of em (including Begins), stating his Batman films were the hero/anti-hero's early years. During The Dark Knight he stated the film series was of his Batman (how very Schumacher) and then how it was a realistic interpretation of Batman (feh, no more realistic than All-Star Batman & Robin). Now he's quitting with entry number 3, stating he's ending the story of Batman. Huh, considering it wouldn't make since for Batman to just up and quick from Batman Begins and The Dark Knight I'm guessing he's not going to just give up and I'm doubting killing off one the most (if not the most) popular fictional character who ever made their debut would be a critical success (more bullshit perhaps?).
A friend of mine who liked the film felt it was too long, personally I feel they have to add an extra hour of plot with the protagonists and actual plot development.
I've heard many a-people complaining about Bale's Batman voice, yet they seem to imitate it (or Jackie Earle Haley's Rorschach voice). Batman does this in the comics and even did as far back as the 70s, Michael Keaton (most people tend to ignore this and credit Conroy) did it, Kevin Conroy did it, and to a degree Bruce Greenwood did it. Here allow to put it in a perspective for you: Batman's voice is low and almost devoid of any emotion, except anger, fury, rage; otherwise people would go, "Hey..you're Bruce Wayne!"
There are a few plus sides to this film, Christian Bale is excellent Batman, definitely in my top four of live action Bats. Gary Oldman's performance as Gordon is still as impressive as last time. Colin McFarlane continues (or rather continued) to provide an interesting view at a competent and uncorrupted Gillian Loeb. I feel Maggie Gyllenhal actually looked alright, not deserving of the harsh criticism it seems most of the legions of Heath Ledger gave her (ironically I think it was because they'd rather see Ledger fuck her brother again). It was nice to see Batman with white lenses in his mask again (Batman: Dead End). I wish we got to see more of Alfred, Michael Caine surprised me in Batman Begins as I thought he looked nothing like the renditions of the faithful man. But it turns out he was pretty good, as good as Michael Gough. 3 out 5 is my rating of "The Dark Knight" and for the record Batman is the best at what he does.