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- First reviewJuly 21, 2008
- Last reviewJuly 21, 2008
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OdiiGis's Reviews
Overall rating
5
/
5
Probably bought more into the hype but it's good
PostedJuly 21, 2008
OdiiGis
from Renton, WA
First of all, this latest venture is NOt like the first one (in these latest entries). My guess is that the first one was based upon an actual Frank Miller comic. This one, while it has the Joker in it, is not and, more or less, a completely original story.
With that being said, I can say that this Batman movies really was not a comic book movie at all. You really have to get that out of your mindset even though when you hear the words "Batman" you might automatically think of the comic you see on TV, comic books, or earlier Batman movies.
What you have here is a complex and sometimes confusing crime detective storyline more akin to the film noir of the Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, LA Confidential, Chinatown, French Connection, Serpico, and In the Line of Fire type.
So in a sense, it is a throwback to crime detective movies of old mixed in together with a bit of Bourne Identity and the newer James Bond. Instead of a ski mask, the protagonist dons a mask looking like the Batman.
Heath Ledger's performance is one for the books but really, he was probably in about a third of the whole movie. A majority of his lines where unintelligible and his portrayal of the Joker was mostly based on a conglomerate of past characterizations (like the Nicholson's Joker, Sid Vicious, Jack Sparrow, NIcholson's character from The Shining, James Cagney in White Heat, etc.). Don't get me wrong, it's still good. But as for all the hype on whether it was Oscar worthy, I'm not sure about that. I just didn't think it was not enough screen time.
In my opinion, who really steals the show is Gary Oldman. He is so immersed in his role that you almost don't even recognize that he is there. He is so believable. For one scene, I thought that the Ledger's Joker had a bit of an homage to Oldman's Sid Vicious from Sid and Nancy. And now, Oldman's the calm person. Great irony there!
The one thing I felt was different about the movie for me was that it felt like the movie was rewritten probably in part to Ledger's death.
[SPOILER ALERT, if you don't wanna know then don't read it past here!!] I thought the whole setup of the movie was for the demise of the Joker in which case certain truths would come out. I thought that was the Joker's whole point. That to me explained why Nolan did not waste a lot of time with the origins of this Joker because Nolan was allowing this Joker to manufacture a "Dark Knight" to the Batman's White Knight persona of Gotham. In doing so, Nolan would take the Joker's life in addition to someone else dear to Batman and another. After which, the NEW villain would emerge even more nasty than the Joker. BUT, instead the the storyline seemed to be rewritten so that the Joker lives (in tribute to Ledger who died). And a whole story setup (or half the movie) to watch the creation of and introduction of this new villain was wasted when he was killed at the end of the movie. And YES folks, he is dead...........................................................[SPOILER OVER]
There might have been an open ended storyline in this movie but to me it felt like this was it. No more Batman movies until someone else resurrects the franchise some years down the road. Perhaps, Batman Beyond??
It's great acting. Definitely more action than the first. I like the look of this Gotham better than ALL the Batman movies (even though it looked too much like Chicago, where it was filmed.) No matter, the performances and action is what makes this movie. The storyline, meh, it's ok.
With that being said, I can say that this Batman movies really was not a comic book movie at all. You really have to get that out of your mindset even though when you hear the words "Batman" you might automatically think of the comic you see on TV, comic books, or earlier Batman movies.
What you have here is a complex and sometimes confusing crime detective storyline more akin to the film noir of the Maltese Falcon, Double Indemnity, LA Confidential, Chinatown, French Connection, Serpico, and In the Line of Fire type.
So in a sense, it is a throwback to crime detective movies of old mixed in together with a bit of Bourne Identity and the newer James Bond. Instead of a ski mask, the protagonist dons a mask looking like the Batman.
Heath Ledger's performance is one for the books but really, he was probably in about a third of the whole movie. A majority of his lines where unintelligible and his portrayal of the Joker was mostly based on a conglomerate of past characterizations (like the Nicholson's Joker, Sid Vicious, Jack Sparrow, NIcholson's character from The Shining, James Cagney in White Heat, etc.). Don't get me wrong, it's still good. But as for all the hype on whether it was Oscar worthy, I'm not sure about that. I just didn't think it was not enough screen time.
In my opinion, who really steals the show is Gary Oldman. He is so immersed in his role that you almost don't even recognize that he is there. He is so believable. For one scene, I thought that the Ledger's Joker had a bit of an homage to Oldman's Sid Vicious from Sid and Nancy. And now, Oldman's the calm person. Great irony there!
The one thing I felt was different about the movie for me was that it felt like the movie was rewritten probably in part to Ledger's death.
[SPOILER ALERT, if you don't wanna know then don't read it past here!!] I thought the whole setup of the movie was for the demise of the Joker in which case certain truths would come out. I thought that was the Joker's whole point. That to me explained why Nolan did not waste a lot of time with the origins of this Joker because Nolan was allowing this Joker to manufacture a "Dark Knight" to the Batman's White Knight persona of Gotham. In doing so, Nolan would take the Joker's life in addition to someone else dear to Batman and another. After which, the NEW villain would emerge even more nasty than the Joker. BUT, instead the the storyline seemed to be rewritten so that the Joker lives (in tribute to Ledger who died). And a whole story setup (or half the movie) to watch the creation of and introduction of this new villain was wasted when he was killed at the end of the movie. And YES folks, he is dead...........................................................[SPOILER OVER]
There might have been an open ended storyline in this movie but to me it felt like this was it. No more Batman movies until someone else resurrects the franchise some years down the road. Perhaps, Batman Beyond??
It's great acting. Definitely more action than the first. I like the look of this Gotham better than ALL the Batman movies (even though it looked too much like Chicago, where it was filmed.) No matter, the performances and action is what makes this movie. The storyline, meh, it's ok.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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