The Dark Knight
OK. I gave all of you a few days to see this film. (Translation: I actually waited myself so I could see it in IMAX, but I'm trying to pretend I'm being nice here.)
Now it's time to discuss.
Awesomeness:
1. That is unquestionably the first time I've ever seen an actual sitting senator assaulted in a superhero movie. Awesome. We need to see more politicians beaten up and intimidated on screen. (And yet further proof that some of my predictions are just flat, flat out wrong - I'd anticipated that the next cameo appearance by any politician in a superhero movie would have been from the California Terminator.)
2. The magic trick with the disappearing pencil. Ok. Disgusting awesomeness, I admit (although I guess kudos on the lack of gore there) but talk about character establishment - that moment did it.
3. The Batcycle. Cool enough on its own. Getting created out of the Batmobile? Oh yes.
4. Admittedly, it's not the kinda thing I'd want to do for fun, but jumping from Hong Kong buildings and soaring through the sky? Kinda cool. (Although I do have to question how the hell he timed the arrival of the plane shortly after this that well - Hong Kong airspace isn't empty, and it takes time to turn a plane around in the sky, so even given the balloon signal, you'd still have to give the plane a few more minutes and - yes, I'm nitpicking about an aweome bit. It's me.
5. Loved the sly bit about the armor not necessarily protecting against dogs - "But you should be safe from cats." Hi, Catwoman! Welcome to the next film!
6. Ok. That cellphone in the stomach? My new definition for Way Too Much. In the "Awesome" column for sheer ingenuity, but, um, I think I speak for everybody when I say, ugh, (at least, I hope I speak for everybody), and man, I seriously hope that doesn't give anyone any ideas.
7. And yay, that the fish in the Hong Kong scene made it! (Yes, I was watching.) So often tropical fish are among the first victims in this sort of film, and it's delightful to see a film willing to go in the opposite direction - sure, they, um, stuck a few pencils in uncomfortable places, but at least they saved the fish.
8. Heath Ledger. Yeah, this is the part everyone's talking about, and I could see why: his Joker is hands down the most convincing psychopath since Hannibal Lector, and the single most convincing terrorist I've seen yet on screen. And anyone that can pull of that level of terror, project that much insanity on the screen - and still manage to get a laugh - astonishing. This, combined with his work in Brokeback Mountain and Casanova, just makes his death all that more tragic: as we left, we asked, god, can you imagine what else he might have done?
Thoughtful stuff:
1. I'm fascinated, as always, by how films like this present a flawed mirror of the political periods they are created in: so the Adam West Batman lives in brightness and knows his high tech toys can always solve the day; the Michael Keaton Batman explores the darkness of the solitary vigilante and the edge of madness that can come with power; and this Batman focuses on terrorism, and the slippery slope it can create. (One of the best and most thoughtful scenes, I thought, was the one where Lucius Fox looks at Batman's spy system, and immediately announces that it's unethical and wrong.) What would you do when pushed to the edge - and why can people vote to do something that will kill someone else, but save their own skins, but not, when pressed, do the deed?
(I figured the criminal guy who threw the detonator overboard either genuinely felt that the other boat deserved life more or just wasn't going to be fucked over by a terrorist, either way.)
But that mirroring is precisely what makes the portrayal of Rachel here so troubling. More in a later post.
2. I must have a considerably lower vision of humanity than the filmmakers, because I was so expecting both ferries to get blown up.
Negativity:
1. My comments on Rachel got extensive enough to move to another post. So, here I'll just say that honestly, I wasn't particularly convinced that Rachel was in love with either Harvey or Bruce Wayne - and that she was telling Harvey "yes" just cause, you know, she was trying to be nice to a guy who was dying. Nor was I particularly convinced that either Harvey or Bruce was in love with her, because, seriously, no chemistry with either of them. (I thought the ballerina had more chemistry.) And while I'm complaining, horrific clothes in virtually every scene she had. Unnecessarily horrific clothes. She's an attorney; she makes enough to buy something decent. And what an incredibly lame character.
2. Wow, Harvey got out of bed awfully quickly for a man with burns that severe, didn't he?
3. Portions of the film are a narrative mess, although that may be part of the point - the film wants to focus on the confusion and grey lines caused by terror and our response to it. I get that. I also think that Commissioner Gordon's body wouldn't have disappeared so quickly, and that more people (like, say, his wife) would have demanded to see a body. It all led to an admittedly excellent payoff, but still.
4. Sniffle. Apparently, the general consensus is that I can't have a Batcycle since it would make me dizzy. While this is unquestionably true, I'd just like to point out that I would have no hesitation whatsoever in using the Batcycle against its clear and natural enemy: the Cigna health corporation. No, I'm not digressing. I will bet you anything that dealing with Cigna turned the Joker into a homicidal maniac in the first place, which makes it All Cigna's Fault. It's more believable than the stories the Joker told, isn't it?
Snark:
(It's me. I must have the snark.)
1. Agreeing with wolfblade: Mr. Mayor, with eyeliner like that, it's no wonder the Mob has moved in and the cameras like Harvey Dent better. If this was an attempt to make yourself look less Lost, let me advise you, that failed too. (One my way out, I realized I was thinking - Mayor - guy on Lost - hobbit on Lost - Lord of the Rings - man, I have a sad and geeky life.)
2. Batman, Batman, Batman. You're supposed to be a highly intelligent, cynical, suspicious of criminals kinda guy. Jim Gordon. You're supposed to be a highly experienced cop. Mind telling me why either of you are believing in the addresses that the Joker is so conveniently providing to you?
3. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. You left a freaking note to tell Bruce that you're marrying the other guy? A note for the guy that you think is one the verge of mania and could crack at any time? Not feeling so much sympathy for your getting blown up now. Oh, and for the record, waiting until you're about to get blown up to tell a guy you're accepting his marriage proposal when you already turned him down just when he needed his self-esteem increased at a party - ok, I just don't like you.
4. But on a related note, Harvey, she might have agreed to marry you immediately if you hadn't chosen to propose at a cocktail party where doubtless Senator Leahy was boring everyone with his Judiciary Committee tales. I'm just saying.
5. On an unrelated note, Joker, you might have done better if you'd sent multiple detonators to those ferries, instead of giving people a single detonator and enough time to, you know, think about it.
6. On a related note, cops, if you have one, and only one, reliable transportation from the city in the form of two ferry boats, 1) you have absolutely no imagination whatsoever, 2) you really need to look at encouraging more boats to come to your docks, 3) spend more time, especially in these days of high energy prices considering and lobbying for improved public transportation, and 4) and most critically, check the damn ferries for bombs before you leave shore. After all, the Joker's already lied to you about the locations of Harvey Dent and Rachel; why on earth would you think that he'd be telling the truth about booby trapping only bridges and tunnels, and not ferries?
7. Speaking of the cellphone in the stomach bit, I have to admit that when the scene originally played, like everyone else, my reaction was, "Jesus Christ. HE SEWED A CELLPHONE INTO A STOMACH?" A few hours (and trying not to think about it) later, I had to say, um, "And that was done how exactly?" I get that the Joker is not particularly concerned about whether his victims were in pain or not. I'm just saying, I've been cut, with a much smaller cut, in the stomach once, and it bled, like lots, all over the place (and I got into a lot of trouble about this and had to miss dessert for TWO WHOLE WEEKS), so you'd think that the sheer process of cutting up the guy's abdomen and shoving a cellphone and detonator in there would cause a hell of a lot more blood and bruising and leave the guy almost unable to walk. I'm just saying.
Now it's time to discuss.
Awesomeness:
1. That is unquestionably the first time I've ever seen an actual sitting senator assaulted in a superhero movie. Awesome. We need to see more politicians beaten up and intimidated on screen. (And yet further proof that some of my predictions are just flat, flat out wrong - I'd anticipated that the next cameo appearance by any politician in a superhero movie would have been from the California Terminator.)
2. The magic trick with the disappearing pencil. Ok. Disgusting awesomeness, I admit (although I guess kudos on the lack of gore there) but talk about character establishment - that moment did it.
3. The Batcycle. Cool enough on its own. Getting created out of the Batmobile? Oh yes.
4. Admittedly, it's not the kinda thing I'd want to do for fun, but jumping from Hong Kong buildings and soaring through the sky? Kinda cool. (Although I do have to question how the hell he timed the arrival of the plane shortly after this that well - Hong Kong airspace isn't empty, and it takes time to turn a plane around in the sky, so even given the balloon signal, you'd still have to give the plane a few more minutes and - yes, I'm nitpicking about an aweome bit. It's me.
5. Loved the sly bit about the armor not necessarily protecting against dogs - "But you should be safe from cats." Hi, Catwoman! Welcome to the next film!
6. Ok. That cellphone in the stomach? My new definition for Way Too Much. In the "Awesome" column for sheer ingenuity, but, um, I think I speak for everybody when I say, ugh, (at least, I hope I speak for everybody), and man, I seriously hope that doesn't give anyone any ideas.
7. And yay, that the fish in the Hong Kong scene made it! (Yes, I was watching.) So often tropical fish are among the first victims in this sort of film, and it's delightful to see a film willing to go in the opposite direction - sure, they, um, stuck a few pencils in uncomfortable places, but at least they saved the fish.
8. Heath Ledger. Yeah, this is the part everyone's talking about, and I could see why: his Joker is hands down the most convincing psychopath since Hannibal Lector, and the single most convincing terrorist I've seen yet on screen. And anyone that can pull of that level of terror, project that much insanity on the screen - and still manage to get a laugh - astonishing. This, combined with his work in Brokeback Mountain and Casanova, just makes his death all that more tragic: as we left, we asked, god, can you imagine what else he might have done?
Thoughtful stuff:
1. I'm fascinated, as always, by how films like this present a flawed mirror of the political periods they are created in: so the Adam West Batman lives in brightness and knows his high tech toys can always solve the day; the Michael Keaton Batman explores the darkness of the solitary vigilante and the edge of madness that can come with power; and this Batman focuses on terrorism, and the slippery slope it can create. (One of the best and most thoughtful scenes, I thought, was the one where Lucius Fox looks at Batman's spy system, and immediately announces that it's unethical and wrong.) What would you do when pushed to the edge - and why can people vote to do something that will kill someone else, but save their own skins, but not, when pressed, do the deed?
(I figured the criminal guy who threw the detonator overboard either genuinely felt that the other boat deserved life more or just wasn't going to be fucked over by a terrorist, either way.)
But that mirroring is precisely what makes the portrayal of Rachel here so troubling. More in a later post.
2. I must have a considerably lower vision of humanity than the filmmakers, because I was so expecting both ferries to get blown up.
Negativity:
1. My comments on Rachel got extensive enough to move to another post. So, here I'll just say that honestly, I wasn't particularly convinced that Rachel was in love with either Harvey or Bruce Wayne - and that she was telling Harvey "yes" just cause, you know, she was trying to be nice to a guy who was dying. Nor was I particularly convinced that either Harvey or Bruce was in love with her, because, seriously, no chemistry with either of them. (I thought the ballerina had more chemistry.) And while I'm complaining, horrific clothes in virtually every scene she had. Unnecessarily horrific clothes. She's an attorney; she makes enough to buy something decent. And what an incredibly lame character.
2. Wow, Harvey got out of bed awfully quickly for a man with burns that severe, didn't he?
3. Portions of the film are a narrative mess, although that may be part of the point - the film wants to focus on the confusion and grey lines caused by terror and our response to it. I get that. I also think that Commissioner Gordon's body wouldn't have disappeared so quickly, and that more people (like, say, his wife) would have demanded to see a body. It all led to an admittedly excellent payoff, but still.
4. Sniffle. Apparently, the general consensus is that I can't have a Batcycle since it would make me dizzy. While this is unquestionably true, I'd just like to point out that I would have no hesitation whatsoever in using the Batcycle against its clear and natural enemy: the Cigna health corporation. No, I'm not digressing. I will bet you anything that dealing with Cigna turned the Joker into a homicidal maniac in the first place, which makes it All Cigna's Fault. It's more believable than the stories the Joker told, isn't it?
Snark:
(It's me. I must have the snark.)
1. Agreeing with wolfblade: Mr. Mayor, with eyeliner like that, it's no wonder the Mob has moved in and the cameras like Harvey Dent better. If this was an attempt to make yourself look less Lost, let me advise you, that failed too. (One my way out, I realized I was thinking - Mayor - guy on Lost - hobbit on Lost - Lord of the Rings - man, I have a sad and geeky life.)
2. Batman, Batman, Batman. You're supposed to be a highly intelligent, cynical, suspicious of criminals kinda guy. Jim Gordon. You're supposed to be a highly experienced cop. Mind telling me why either of you are believing in the addresses that the Joker is so conveniently providing to you?
3. Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. You left a freaking note to tell Bruce that you're marrying the other guy? A note for the guy that you think is one the verge of mania and could crack at any time? Not feeling so much sympathy for your getting blown up now. Oh, and for the record, waiting until you're about to get blown up to tell a guy you're accepting his marriage proposal when you already turned him down just when he needed his self-esteem increased at a party - ok, I just don't like you.
4. But on a related note, Harvey, she might have agreed to marry you immediately if you hadn't chosen to propose at a cocktail party where doubtless Senator Leahy was boring everyone with his Judiciary Committee tales. I'm just saying.
5. On an unrelated note, Joker, you might have done better if you'd sent multiple detonators to those ferries, instead of giving people a single detonator and enough time to, you know, think about it.
6. On a related note, cops, if you have one, and only one, reliable transportation from the city in the form of two ferry boats, 1) you have absolutely no imagination whatsoever, 2) you really need to look at encouraging more boats to come to your docks, 3) spend more time, especially in these days of high energy prices considering and lobbying for improved public transportation, and 4) and most critically, check the damn ferries for bombs before you leave shore. After all, the Joker's already lied to you about the locations of Harvey Dent and Rachel; why on earth would you think that he'd be telling the truth about booby trapping only bridges and tunnels, and not ferries?
7. Speaking of the cellphone in the stomach bit, I have to admit that when the scene originally played, like everyone else, my reaction was, "Jesus Christ. HE SEWED A CELLPHONE INTO A STOMACH?" A few hours (and trying not to think about it) later, I had to say, um, "And that was done how exactly?" I get that the Joker is not particularly concerned about whether his victims were in pain or not. I'm just saying, I've been cut, with a much smaller cut, in the stomach once, and it bled, like lots, all over the place (and I got into a lot of trouble about this and had to miss dessert for TWO WHOLE WEEKS), so you'd think that the sheer process of cutting up the guy's abdomen and shoving a cellphone and detonator in there would cause a hell of a lot more blood and bruising and leave the guy almost unable to walk. I'm just saying.