"The Dark Knight" - Sort of less impressed!

[JonOfTheShred]

I actually watched a fan edit of Dawn this morning, the longest cut I've seen so far. (2 hours and 34 minutes) Its called the "Extended Mall Hours" cut. Probably the best version I've seen thus far; it flows much better with more insight into the characters. But I agree its still flawed and aged terribly. Still one of my favorites, but if only it had the gore effects and zombie makeup of its sequel Day. One thing that bugged me on this re-viewing was Rogers 'mental breakdown' when they were moving the trucks. It was just bad. Hell, I even feel like Goblins amazing soundtrack could use some upgrading, as well as some of the 'hokier' music they went with. So I can agree its overrated, but when in the right mood, it can still be an epic experience. The biker fight in particular is much better extended, or better than I remember it, and more intense.

[Doc]

Is that extended version the one that combines all 3 previous cuts together? As, for Dawn. The only problem I have with it is the zombies. Not a threat AT ALL! Alone, or in a group they all go down pretty easy. It's the only problem I have with the film. They just weren't a believable world-wide threat too me. The Walking Dead, and Day of the Dead zombies are more to my kind. Oh, and I agree with you Bass. Dark Knight is also my favorite Batman film. And I grew up with both Burton, and that other guy's Batman films.....What's his name?

[shootemindehead]

The batman films leave me cold to be honest and out of all the superheros, Batman is probably the best. They're ok films, but JUST ok. Nothing special in my honest opinion. However, when Bale starts talking all Batman-like, it just cracks me up. It's fecking terrible. I laughed out loud in the cinema when he did it first in 'Batman Begins'. It's a dreadful idea.

[Neil]

The batman films leave me cold to be honest and out of all the superheros, Batman is probably the best. They're ok films, but JUST ok. Nothing special in my honest opinion. However, when Bale starts talking all Batman-like, it just cracks me up. It's fecking terrible. I laughed out loud in the cinema when he did it first in 'Batman Begins'. It's a dreadful idea. Odd! I find Batman Begins very moving, especially the father son relationship etc...

[shootemindehead]

Aye, some elements are ok. But overall, I was just "meh" about it. No film version has worked that well for me yet.

[Neil]

Aye, some elements are ok. But overall, I was just "meh" about it. No film version has worked that well for me yet. That's a shame... I still can't believe we've had nonsense like Clooney playing Batman But I do recon the two most recent films have been huge steps in the right direction!

[bassman]

I still can't believe we've had nonsense like Clooney playing Batman I don't see how some think the current batman voice can be so bad when you think back to that.

[shootemindehead]

That's a shame... I still can't believe we've had nonsense like Clooney playing Batman But I do recon the two most recent films have been huge steps in the right direction! True. They're definitely going in the right direction. I actually saw the Clooney one in the cinema...back in the days when I used to go to the pictures a couple of times a week. now, there has to be something really good on before I'll move. Sad that. I'd like to see a Batman that presents Gotham in the way that Se7en presented New York. And a story that's really gritty and dirty, with some real screwed up Batman/Bruce Wayne mental crap. I want Batman to be a nutter and one step away from the goons he's chasing.

[JonOfTheShred]

Aye, some elements are ok. But overall, I was just "meh" about it. No film version has worked that well for me yet. I agree with this, although I think Batman Begins is the best film adaptation so far. That's a shame... I still can't believe we've had nonsense like Clooney playing Batman But I do recon the two most recent films have been huge steps in the right direction! I also agree that aspects of the two newest films are a step in the right direction, especially Batman Begins which was a great reboot and springboard to go off of. But I also think the execution of these ideas (particularly in TDK) was very poor. Hopefully with the latest development of Bane and Catwoman it'll feel more like a Batman movie and less like a melodramatic crime drama. ---------- Post added at 02:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:23 PM ---------- Is that extended version the one that combines all 3 previous cuts together? As, for Dawn. The only problem I have with it is the zombies. Not a threat AT ALL! Alone, or in a group they all go down pretty easy. It's the only problem I have with the film. They just weren't a believable world-wide threat too me. The Walking Dead, and Day of the Dead zombies are more to my kind. Oh, and I agree with you Bass. Dark Knight is also my favorite Batman film. And I grew up with both Burton, and that other guy's Batman films.....What's his name? The description stated it was the 139 minute cut with all the missing footage from Argentos cut also thrown in. I've never been more drawn into the biker battle as this version, but it might be because I haven't watched this movie in YEARS. I do believe the extra footage adds to the movie though.

[bassman]

I'd like to see a Batman that presents Gotham in the way that Se7en presented New York. And a story that's really gritty and dirty, with some real screwed up Batman/Bruce Wayne mental crap. I want Batman to be a nutter and one step away from the goons he's chasing. In this new series, Batman is one step above the goons he's chasing. He caused it all. The main theme of the two films so far is escalation. It wasn't until bruce went masquerading around in a bat costume that the freaks began to come out. As Joker says in TDK, "You'd like to think you're one of them, but your not. You're just a freak like me." Bruce brought the league of shadows to Gotham, he created Joker and Two Face, and I imagine the next film will take that even further. In an attempt to use theatricality to frighten the bad people of Gotham, Batman accidentally created a whole new breed of evil. Bruce is the true freak of this series and he just opened the door to the rest of them.

[LouCipherr]

Bruce brought the league of shadows to Gotham, he created Joker and Two Face, and I imagine the next film will take that even further. In an attempt to use theatricality to frighten the bad people of Gotham, Batman accidentally created a whole new breed of evil. Bruce is the true freak of this series and he just opened the door to the rest of them. Wow, y'know, I never realized this until I read your post (mind you, not a fan of comics to be honest, so I never followed the Batman comic story). This makes perfect sense, and sheds a whole different light on the character and the story itself. Thanks for the insight.

[JonOfTheShred]

In this new series, Batman is one step above the goons he's chasing. He caused it all. The main theme of the two films so far is escalation. It wasn't until bruce went masquerading around in a bat costume that the freaks began to come out. As Joker says in TDK, "You'd like to think you're one of them, but your not. You're just a freak like me." Bruce brought the league of shadows to Gotham, he created Joker and Two Face, and I imagine the next film will take that even further. In an attempt to use theatricality to frighten the bad people of Gotham, Batman accidentally created a whole new breed of evil. Bruce is the true freak of this series and he just opened the door to the rest of them. I like that perspective, actually. Gives me hope the Bane storyline they're using for the last film they're making is the arc I've heard about; Bane letting loose all the villians in Arkham. That'd be crazy if done right. Especially the culmination, which would be a great way to end the trilogy in a dark, realistic fashion Nolan might find suitable to leave the series with.

[Neil]

I agree with this, although I think Batman Begins is the best film adaptation so far. Ahmen!

[SymphonicX]

Dark Knight is probably 30 minutes too long. It's an over inflated, self indulgent tale that massages the egos of Nolan and Bale in equal measures. They were shown up royally by Ledger however, but his untimely death ultimiately led them to use every available frame of Ledger as the Joker and by doing so ruined the plot continuity and the tension that it was supposed to build up. It's one of the worst paced movies I've ever seen - the whole end section about the hospital was so extraneous, we didn't need it, it wasn't necessary and really served no creative purpose other than to see Ledger in a nurse's uniform, which was quite funny, but really...pointless. Batman Begins is slightly better than TDK, but at the same time, it can easily be said that it's an exceptionally poorly paced movie and it lulls unforgivably halfway through and descends into near tedium. But hey at least you could grasp what was going on without being thrown from here to there and all over the place for the sake of it. Nolan can't do much right in my eyes - Inception was a killer though, what a beautifully executed movie - but the Batman series, I'll leave well alone until its on telly.

[bassman]

the whole end section about the hospital was so extraneous, we didn't need it, it wasn't necessary and really served no creative purpose other than to see Ledger in a nurse's uniform, which was quite funny, but really...pointless. Were you and I watching the same movie? The Hospital segment is one of the most important in TDK. It's when Harvey Dent(arguably the main character of the film) fully turns into an antagonist. His last bit of good is stripped away by Joker's lecture about society's willingness to crumble when plans go awry and how it's all nothing more than chance. The movie literally couldn't exist without that scene....