DISQUS

DISQUS Hello! Pop Critics is using DISQUS, a powerful comment system, to manage its comments. Learn more.

Community Page

Pop Critics

Reviewing pop culture so you don't have to
Jump to original thread »
Author

The Dark Knight - A second viewing, spoilerific review

Started by Mike Olbinski · 11 months ago

I was lucky enough to go see The Dark Knight a second time this weekend, something that I rarely have a desire to do with most films.
In fact, I can name the few movies that I saw in theaters multiple times within a week or two of the opening: All three Lord of the Rings and Jurassic Park



Like this story? Share it!
These icons link to ... Continue reading »

11 comments

  • daddyjason

    11 months ago

    The Magic Disappearing Trick was pretty awesome, but then the movie was FULL of awesome moments. I loved the dialog most of all, I think. The line where The Joker says that he kills the bus driver was classic.

    I'm glad you brought up the film's score because that's something that I didn't really mention in my review but certainly should have. It was thrilling and haunting and beautiful. We should mention that James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer did the music together which is no small thing. Howard did the amazing music for Signs which I'm sure most of us remember and also the music for Michael Clayton last year which was also very good.

    I've only seen the movie once so far, but I wanted to let some of what I saw sink in before I went to see it again. I can't imagine what I might see the second time around. I remember when I first saw Saving Private Ryan and had a similar feeling. I purposely waited six months before going to see it again in the theater and it was well worth the wait. I'm not sure I'll wait that long this time.
    reply
  • Mike Olbinski

    11 months ago

    Yes, the dialog was fantastic...I wish I had mentioned a few of the Joker's lines in my review, because they were great.

    I loved the..."I'm like a puppy chasing a truck, I wouldn't know WHAT to do with it if I caught it!"

    Was so hilarious.
    reply
  • Triseult

    11 months ago

    I'm totally with you on the pencil trick! That was the real introduction to the Joker, and it is an act of such clean, hilarious and horrifying brutality that it sent a shockwave in the cinema. In that single instant, all other envisionings of the Joker were gone from my mind.

    Cheap plug, but I felt compelled to blog my analysis of the themes of DK after seeing it... If anyone's interested, it's here:

    http://www.alt-shift.com/blog/2008/07/21/the-da...

    I'd love to hear what you guys thought.
    reply
  • Mike Olbinski

    11 months ago

    Good stuff! No harm in shameless plugs :)
    reply
  • rodaniel

    11 months ago

    I do agree that Batman was kind of a supporting character in this moreso than the lead.

    I also wondered why Two-Face was introduced and then killed off so quickly.

    And I'm a little iffy on the whole "Batman taking the blame for the cops that Two-Face killed" thing. That seemed like an awfully contrived way to turn Gotham's police against Batman. Almost like a last-minute addition to the movie just before it hit the can.

    These are pretty minor quibbles tho.. The movie was great and Heath Ledger was captivating. I found myself wondering what they'll do with the Joker in the next movie - and then it dawned on me that Ledger is gone. I'm hopeful that they won't try to replace him.
    reply
  • Triseult

    11 months ago

    I disagree about Batman taking the blame for Harvey Dent's killings as being a last-minute thing. I actually think it was one of the central themes of the movie, and announced way ahead.

    As a matter of fact, Alfred can be credited for explaining this to Wayne...

    "Endure. You can be the outcast. You can make the choice that no one else will face - the right choice."
    reply
  • The Kid and I

    11 months ago

    I agree with you on that.
    reply
  • Mike Olbinski

    11 months ago

    Totally right on man.
    reply
  • daddyjason

    11 months ago

    Batman taking the blame for Dent's killings certainly work perfectly into the theme of The Dark Knight which I agree was completely (and wonderfully) woven throughout the film. However, I don't think that it was necessary for Batman to take the blame for those killings in order for the theme to be completed. I think what rodaniel was saying (and what I was agreeing with) is that him taking the blame seemed like a too-easy way to dismiss the killings and put Batman on the defensive. I don't think that it was contrived - I think it was planned all along. However, I don't think it was necessary for Batman to take the blame for those killings in order to fulfill his purpose or for Dent to fulfill his. Though, it did work out perfectly for the theme and the film.
    reply
  • daddyjason

    11 months ago

    I agree with the statement about the Batman taking the blame thing being a bit contrived, though, I don't know that was the case. I think it really just sets up the next film.

    I thought about The Joker and whether or not they would have used him for the next film as well. Somehow I'm almost certain they would have and I think it would have been the worst thing to do. In some ways I think, it's better for the memory of this movie that we know The Joker is gone and that he went out with a bang. It would have been a shame if they had brought him back for a sequel and it wasn't nearly as cool.
    reply
  • Mike Olbinski

    11 months ago

    Well, I disagree somewhat with the contrived "taking the blame thing." Like Triseult said above, this was something building during the entire movie, for Batman at least.

    It was all about the fact that he can make choices that others can't. And that was one that needed to be made.

    I LOVE the way they left it and what we'll get to see next time.
    reply

Add New Comment

Returning? Login