The Dark Knight reaction

[aleshi14]

TDK was excellent, completely beyond any expectations I had. It was of course beyond popcorn summer fare, comic book movie fare, and everything that was mentioned in like a million reviews (metacritic, rotten tomatoes etc.) but the scope of the movie was so expansive that it actually shifted my view of what a movie could be or do. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't pay any attention to the hype around TDK pre-release, and I'm also kind of glad that Batman Begins was so forgettable that I didn't have any pre-conceptions in that regard. It gave me the opportunity to be totally blown away. I've seen it twice and I think I might just see it again. That's a revelation because I never go back to the theater for a movie, at least of my own volition. Nolan's vision of this movie is immense and to his credit he mostly succeeds, with the help of a tremendously talented cast. It's not often that every single main or major supporting character is great. Any of these actors in another movie could have owned the movie. Just the thought of it awes me. It's true that the right group of people can make anything work. But of course Batman is not just any random subject matter. It's IMO the best of the traditional comic book franchises and has the best protagonist as well as the best villains. It had the most potential. And finally that potential is being realized, and will hopefully set the stage for more to come.

It's not perfect, and I definitely felt the 2.5 hr running time but I still found myself closer and closer to the edge of my seat as it drew to a close. It was more than the sum of its parts, and something monumental for the summer blockbuster genre, but also just a great film all around for anyone who appreciates film.