The Dark Knight

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wafflycat

New Member
Went to see it this evening. Mr W, WMnr & self.

Excellent film.

Apart from the glorious eye-candy that is Christian Bale, he can act rather well.

As for heath Ledger's performance. Have to admit, before I saw the film, all the media hype about Ledger should be nominated for an Oscar, I thought it might well be a bit of sympathy for the departed. But no. Heath Ledger's acting in the Joker role is chillingly good. He utterly stole the film. And it's a great film. The only downside - and I'm being picky - is Maggie Gyllenhaal. She's not a great actress in this role - she has no screen presence and she's not beautiful enough to make up for the lack of acting skill by being stunningly lovely in the eye-candy department.

Worth going to watch the film.
 

djb1971

Legendary Member
Location
Far Far Away
I hope it's as good as the hype.

Bale is an excellent actor. His best performance yet was in 'the machinist' so I hope he's put a bit more weight on for this role and doesn't look like Michael Rasmussen ;)
 

Melvil

Guest
djb1971 said:
I hope it's as good as the hype.

Bale is an excellent actor. His best performance yet was in 'the machinist' so I hope he's put a bit more weight on for this role and doesn't look like Michael Rasmussen ;)

I rather liked his turn in American Psycho. Completely over-the-top yet somehow restrained with it - exactly like I imagined from the book.
 

Tetedelacourse

New Member
Location
Rosyth
I'm hoping to see it on Saturday.

Last Saturday, I took my 3yrold to see Kung Fu Panda (as a treat for sleeping well last week). First time I've taken her to the pictures, 2nd time only she's ever been. Quite good I thought but after 30 mins she got bored and started asking "When can we go home" and "What's going on?" and "Why can't we just leave?". Eventually I gave in and we left. Upon exiting, she told me "that was really exciting!". When I asked if she wanted to go back in to see the end she said "nope, too boring". ;)

When I told her grandmother this, she laughed heartily, saying that was almost exactly my routine as a youngster in the cinema.

I'll be going to Batman with the Mrs!
 
Wafflycat, do you think the film would be suitable for a emotionally robust 9 year old? My son is desperate to see it but it's a 12A and whilst some 12As are just about acceptable (Star Wars III, Harry Potter) some are not (King Kong).

Wondered what you thought.
 
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wafflycat

wafflycat

New Member
Personally, I wouldn't take a nine-year-old to see it. Whilst there is no *gore* in it, there is *violence* If you want a brief description of some of the bits I remember, PM me, & I'll drop you a note and perhaps that will help you make your mind up.
 

Sh4rkyBloke

Jaffa Cake monster
Location
Manchester, UK
I'm off to see this tonight... assuming my bike gets me home in time after football to have a bath and then get out again to go to the cinema for 8pm (I had 2 punctures on the way into work today!!!;):wacko:!)

Looking forward to it!
 

yello

Guest
'fraid I found it a let down... and really rather generic. I haven't seen the previous Christopher Nolan Batman film ('Batman Begins'??) but loved the Tim Burton ones and I thought Michael Keaton was a superb 'f*cked up' Batman. This new fella is not in the same league.... and the Batman voice is just comical!

I was optimistic, given waffly's remarks, and Nolan can make a brilliant and original film ('Momento' is one of my favourite ever, and I rate 'Insomnia') but sadly I found 'The Dark Knight' just another all-action movie. I wasn't the least bit interested in Batman as a character, and found the plot line weak, simple and, at times, trite. In honesty, I was bored and wanted it to end, I had no interest in seeing the resolution of the film at all. In fact, had I been on my own, I probably would have walked out!

Plus sides; it's visually excellent and their are some excellent special effects and make up. If you like action movies then you could well enjoy this; it's pacey and might well have the tension to grip you. Heath Ledger does steal the show as The Joker, it is a superb performance (even if I was reminded somewhat, and ironically, of Michael Keaton's 'Beetlejuice' and of Jack Nicholson's Joker) but not Oscar deserving. But that's not a criticism. It's an excellent portrayal of a comic book villain, full of quirks and weirdness, and that's what was called for. I doubt the script required their to be much made of The Joker's disturbed mental and emotional state for instance.

For me, Tim Burton's Batman was fascinating because you got the real sense of the characters being messed up; Batman was just as weird as The Joker, Catwomen was positively deranged. There was a dark, psychotic edge to the characters and the films - 'The Dark Knight' doesn't have that and was, for me, just another action movie.
 
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