No prizes for guessing what this post is going to be about.
If you have not watched any of the earlier Batman films, I suggest you watch them first – for then the scale of Dark Knight can be better understood.
Save for 'Batman', I have watched all the earlier films and liked 'Batman Returns' the best. In 'Batman Returns', the team has got its casting (and ending) bang on. Keaton makes for an erudite Batman – he looks every inch the intelligent, suave, wealthy Bruce Wayne. Pfeiffer makes a sexy Catwoman, and Christopher Walken plays her nasty boss well. Danny Devito makes for a menacing Penguin.
The nerdy Wayne falling for the secretary Selina, Selina being ill-treated by her boss, and the dramatic story of Penguin reminded me of the Bollywood style of story telling. I particularly liked the way the death sequence of Penguin has been shot – four penguins act as pallbearers and lay his body to rest by letting it sink deep into the water.
Hollywood is not scared of making films with unhappy endings. In the end, the hero remains heroine-less.
'The Dark Knight' made me work hard. In its first week of release, I couldn’t get tickets online. In the second week, I went to the theatre and came back disappointed – all shows were booked. I recently watched a pirated version of the movie. The cinematic experience was different consequently, especially the scenes when Batman zooms past buildings, and those involving the batpod. They must have looked magnificent on the large screen.
Heath Ledger’s untimely death created an unprecedented buzz around the movie, but I think it deserved it even if this had not happened. It is different from the other Batman movies. The movie is long, the comic book characters have been blended well with reality, and setting scenes in a real place (Chicago) was a masterstroke.
It is also an intelligent film. “I don’t want to kill you. You complete me.” Remember hearing the last sentence in a different context and being mouthed by a different actor? Making the Chinese businessman a weak character, and letting Harvey Dent speak the lines, “Ceramic 29 caliber. Made in China. If you want to try to kill a public servant, I recommend you buy American.”
Ledger’s Joker is plain scary. Every word that leaves his mouth is pronounced beautifully. Joker’s wielding the small knife got me to close my eyes several times during the film, for watching him slice through faces using a knife and a smile is not what I was prepared for. What I was prepared for is to see him hog the screen time, and that did not happen. With a different story every time to explain his scars, and lines like, “If you are good with something, never do it for free” Ledger makes the Joker come alive.
Strong all-round performances from everyone ensure that there is never a dull moment in the movie. Be it the white knight Harvey Dent who transforms into Two-face, or Micheal Caine who plays Alfred. Christian Bale is getting better as Bruce Wayne, and I am looking forward to rumours of him and Johnny Depp starring in the next Batman film translating to reality.
“Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Clearly, Hollywood does not shy away from darkness.
My favourite line - “Madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.”
If you have not watched any of the earlier Batman films, I suggest you watch them first – for then the scale of Dark Knight can be better understood.
Save for 'Batman', I have watched all the earlier films and liked 'Batman Returns' the best. In 'Batman Returns', the team has got its casting (and ending) bang on. Keaton makes for an erudite Batman – he looks every inch the intelligent, suave, wealthy Bruce Wayne. Pfeiffer makes a sexy Catwoman, and Christopher Walken plays her nasty boss well. Danny Devito makes for a menacing Penguin.
The nerdy Wayne falling for the secretary Selina, Selina being ill-treated by her boss, and the dramatic story of Penguin reminded me of the Bollywood style of story telling. I particularly liked the way the death sequence of Penguin has been shot – four penguins act as pallbearers and lay his body to rest by letting it sink deep into the water.
Hollywood is not scared of making films with unhappy endings. In the end, the hero remains heroine-less.
'The Dark Knight' made me work hard. In its first week of release, I couldn’t get tickets online. In the second week, I went to the theatre and came back disappointed – all shows were booked. I recently watched a pirated version of the movie. The cinematic experience was different consequently, especially the scenes when Batman zooms past buildings, and those involving the batpod. They must have looked magnificent on the large screen.
Heath Ledger’s untimely death created an unprecedented buzz around the movie, but I think it deserved it even if this had not happened. It is different from the other Batman movies. The movie is long, the comic book characters have been blended well with reality, and setting scenes in a real place (Chicago) was a masterstroke.
It is also an intelligent film. “I don’t want to kill you. You complete me.” Remember hearing the last sentence in a different context and being mouthed by a different actor? Making the Chinese businessman a weak character, and letting Harvey Dent speak the lines, “Ceramic 29 caliber. Made in China. If you want to try to kill a public servant, I recommend you buy American.”
Ledger’s Joker is plain scary. Every word that leaves his mouth is pronounced beautifully. Joker’s wielding the small knife got me to close my eyes several times during the film, for watching him slice through faces using a knife and a smile is not what I was prepared for. What I was prepared for is to see him hog the screen time, and that did not happen. With a different story every time to explain his scars, and lines like, “If you are good with something, never do it for free” Ledger makes the Joker come alive.
Strong all-round performances from everyone ensure that there is never a dull moment in the movie. Be it the white knight Harvey Dent who transforms into Two-face, or Micheal Caine who plays Alfred. Christian Bale is getting better as Bruce Wayne, and I am looking forward to rumours of him and Johnny Depp starring in the next Batman film translating to reality.
“Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.” Clearly, Hollywood does not shy away from darkness.
My favourite line - “Madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little push.”
