Whilst I really like Christopher Nolan's work, and appreciate The Dark Knight as a very, very good crime thriller, the uber-realism of his trilogy doesn't really work for me as a "Batman" franchise. I think the two Michael Keaton movies and their gothic aesthetic were better. It's a matter of personal taste though.
Batman Begins nailed it with the interpretation of Gotham, what with The Narrows, murky alleyways, rain sodden streets etc. Good though The Dark Knight was, it was a shame that all we saw was just another typical modern cityscape.
I agree with everyone else, Barman Begins nails it completely with every aspect. The Dark Knight has far too many flaws for me to overlook and I never got the whole 'masterpiece' tag it gets labelled with by some people. To me it is a very, very good film, but Batman Begins made much more of an impact with me.
It is one of the best superhero films , Ledger's Joker is a brilliant performance , but they did put a bit too much story into it ( rare to say that ! ) , I really think they should have held off killing him and developed his story more in part 3 .
It is one of the best superhero films , Ledger's Joker is a brilliant performance , but they did put a bit too much story into it ( rare to say that ! ), I really think they should have held off killing him and developed his story more in part 3 .
Batman Begins nailed it with the interpretation of Gotham, what with The Narrows, murky alleyways, rain sodden streets etc. Good though The Dark Knight was, it was a shame that all we saw was just another typical modern cityscape.
I agree. I loved the style they made for Gotham in BB. It was realistic, but distinct. You couldn't confuse it with any other city. Conversely, Gotham in TDK just looked like Chicago. It lost all its distinctiveness.
I like the way they don't explain how the Joker became the Joker, but keep giving different reasons, keeping an air of mystery about him.
Usually I hate having a villain with no backstory, as it tends to make them generic, one-dimensional baddies. But in this case, it really worked. Not knowing who the Joker was, where he came from or why he was doing anything helped to make him this terrifying menace. Even the other villains couldn't understand his motivations.
It fits with the idea of him being more a force of nature than a man with a mission. He blows in and causes chaos for reasons we cannot understand. Its how the rest of the characters (and Gotham in general) deal with his chaos that is the important,
It is one of the best superhero films , Ledger's Joker is a brilliant performance , but they did put a bit too much story into it ( rare to say that ! ) , I really think they should have held off killing him and developed his story more in part 3 .
I assume you were referring to Harvey Dent in that last sentence, as they didn't kill off the Joker in TDK. He was left alive and hanging by his shoelaces the last we saw of him. Obviously Heath died, which precluded bringing him back without a recast (and let's face it, after the reception Heath got in the part, no-one was going to recast!), but the Joker was very much alive and probably sitting in a cell in Arkham.
I agree. I loved the style they made for Gotham in BB. It was realistic, but distinct. You couldn't confuse it with any other city. Conversely, Gotham in TDK just looked like Chicago. It lost all its distinctiveness.
Usually I hate having a villain with no backstory, as it tends to make them generic, one-dimensional baddies. But in this case, it really worked. Not knowing who the Joker was, where he came from or why he was doing anything helped to make him this terrifying menace. Even the other villains couldn't understand his motivations.
It fits with the idea of him being more a force of nature than a man with a mission. He blows in and causes chaos for reasons we cannot understand. Its how the rest of the characters (and Gotham in general) deal with his chaos that is the important,
I assume you were referring to Harvey Dent in that last sentence, as they didn't kill off the Joker in TDK. He was left alive and hanging by his shoelaces the last we saw of him. Obviously Heath died, which precluded bringing him back without a recast (and let's face it, after the reception Heath got in the part, no-one was going to recast!), but the Joker was very much alive and probably sitting in a cell in Arkham.
whoops , yeah I was talking about Harvey , it just felt like too much , plus it's such a great character . I assumed he might not be dead , but they never brought him back in 3 .
Like others, totally agree that the Harvey Dent / Two Face story should have been held over Part 3. Even more galling, considering the direction Nolan went with in the end ie, Bane and the Ras Al Ghul story. Such a missed opportunity.
My fave shot in Begins, was Batman simply hanging off the fire escape (?) in the Narrows, with cape fluttering in the wind - just like in the comics. The whole movie just had the right look / feel about it and portrayed a world the Batman could exist in.
The Dark Knight just got more convoluted as it went along, culminating in the ridiculous boat sequence and then the Two Face rushed ending. But it still stands up to repeated viewings, due to the Bats / Joker face offs.
Batman Begins is a great movie about Batman/Bruce which is how I think it should be for the first film. How the character starts and develops to the point of being the Batman we know who runs around Gotham is interesting but once he is established there's not loads to do with him its the villains that are more interesting and imo the Dark Knight gets it right by focusing more on the Joker, Harvey Dent/Two Face and the gangs and Gotham.
Agree with all those who think Batman Begins is the better movie and how Gotham was portrayed in that compared to the Dark Knight.
For me The Dark Knight was a better film because it felt more mature, more rooted in reality. As someone who isn't particularly a fan of superhero movies then the fact that Gotham felt more like a real city in TDK was a plus.
I like TDK but BB is the better 'Batman' film by far. I think when you have dudes running around in costumes the more seriously you take that the sillier it gets, and TDK created a world in which I couldn't believe that a guy would dress up as a giant Bat to fight crime. BB nailed the balance between superhero movie and respectable 'drama'.
For me though, the first Burton movie the best Batman movie. Yeah, I know it has it's flaws but I'm not as precious over the Batman character as some
Batman Begins nailed it with the interpretation of Gotham, what with The Narrows, murky alleyways, rain sodden streets etc. Good though The Dark Knight was, it was a shame that all we saw was just another typical modern cityscape.
I like TDK but BB is the better 'Batman' film by far. I think when you have dudes running around in costumes the more seriously you take that the sillier it gets, and TDK created a world in which I couldn't believe that a guy would dress up as a giant Bat to fight crime. BB nailed the balance between superhero movie and respectable 'drama'.
For me though, the first Burton movie the best Batman movie. Yeah, I know it has it's flaws but I'm not as precious over the Batman character as some
I honestly find parts of TDK funny because of how serious it takes itself at times. You're right, BB got the balance spot on.
That's the thing with fantasy, if you try to make it appear more realistic on a superficial level then it doesn't automatically make it a better film.
The reality should come more from within the characters and the thought behind the story.
I think I prefer The Dark Knight. I think Heath Ledger's Joker added so much to the film, and for whatever reason Batman Begins didn't quite engage me as much. Although I think that they're both good films.
Comments
TDK has some decent segments but it's rather messily put together IMO.
I keep thinking what a mate said after seeing it at the cinema "It's just Heat in fancy dress."
I agree I would go even further by saying its one of the best films ever made and Heath Ledger performance is breathtaking.
But I did also like the way he became the Joker in the Tim Burton film, especially Jack Napier's backstory with kid Bruce.
That was the plan wasn't it?
I agree. I loved the style they made for Gotham in BB. It was realistic, but distinct. You couldn't confuse it with any other city. Conversely, Gotham in TDK just looked like Chicago. It lost all its distinctiveness.
Usually I hate having a villain with no backstory, as it tends to make them generic, one-dimensional baddies. But in this case, it really worked. Not knowing who the Joker was, where he came from or why he was doing anything helped to make him this terrifying menace. Even the other villains couldn't understand his motivations.
It fits with the idea of him being more a force of nature than a man with a mission. He blows in and causes chaos for reasons we cannot understand. Its how the rest of the characters (and Gotham in general) deal with his chaos that is the important,
I assume you were referring to Harvey Dent in that last sentence, as they didn't kill off the Joker in TDK. He was left alive and hanging by his shoelaces the last we saw of him. Obviously Heath died, which precluded bringing him back without a recast (and let's face it, after the reception Heath got in the part, no-one was going to recast!), but the Joker was very much alive and probably sitting in a cell in Arkham.
whoops , yeah I was talking about Harvey , it just felt like too much , plus it's such a great character . I assumed he might not be dead , but they never brought him back in 3 .
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My fave shot in Begins, was Batman simply hanging off the fire escape (?) in the Narrows, with cape fluttering in the wind - just like in the comics. The whole movie just had the right look / feel about it and portrayed a world the Batman could exist in.
The Dark Knight just got more convoluted as it went along, culminating in the ridiculous boat sequence and then the Two Face rushed ending. But it still stands up to repeated viewings, due to the Bats / Joker face offs.
Agree with all those who think Batman Begins is the better movie and how Gotham was portrayed in that compared to the Dark Knight.
For me though, the first Burton movie the best Batman movie. Yeah, I know it has it's flaws but I'm not as precious over the Batman character as some
Batman shouldn't be realistic. If you consider the characters and events that inhabit his world.
Batman Begins is better anyway.
Agree with these. I can watch Begins over and over but not TDK or TDKR.
I honestly find parts of TDK funny because of how serious it takes itself at times. You're right, BB got the balance spot on.
The reality should come more from within the characters and the thought behind the story.
I think I prefer The Dark Knight. I think Heath Ledger's Joker added so much to the film, and for whatever reason Batman Begins didn't quite engage me as much. Although I think that they're both good films.
Why not? Why does an adaptation of a comic book character need to stick to the absurdity and fantasy that was present in the comics?