The Dark Knight Movie Review (*semi*spoiler*)

Never before, have I experienced a more powerful & moving story on the silver screen. This IS thee best movie I have ever seen in movie theaters. This is a milestone in movies filled with legendary roles. I couldn’t have enjoyed this movie more.

It’s everything I thought & knew it was going to be, the movie to finally create an entire new feel of both superhero action & crime thrillers; it was so successful as a crime epic, that it did become that 1st, with “a superhero movie” being 2nd. Many people even regret it being noticed as a comic-book based film, so it could just be counted as a crime classic completely. Christopher Nolan has not only created perhaps the most amazing & remarkable sequels ever made (as not only a comic-book sequel, but as even just a sequel all-together) he has created the best film not only of this year, but just maybe this entire decade. By now, I shouldn’t have to say that this is the best Batman-film of the franchise, for 2 reasons: #1 being that its clearly obvious; & #2 being that it is somewhat insulting to compare it to Joel Schumacher’s Batman, & its still low to try to theoretically try to compare it to Tim Burton’s… but, for the record, I’ll just go ahead & say it is. Everyone I know wanted & wants to see it; & everyone I know who saw it, LOVED it, & rightfully so. Whether or not, you are: a superhero/comic-book fan, DC fan, or a Batman fan.. ANYONE who can say that they didn’t like this movie, is beyond my understanding.

Christopher Nolan, is perhaps the best rising director of this era, & one of thee greatest directors to adapt a comic-book / graphic novel to film (along with Zack Snyder, & Richard Donner). Mr. Nolan knows how to create feelings & emotions in a film that are truly deep and strong; to create a story that can dig into both our minds & hearts is his wonderful talent that I am grateful he uses for us.
Christian Bale, though over-looked sometimes, many do know & believe he is the greatest Batman. Balancing both the characteristics of Bruce Wayne and The Dark Knight to perfection while allowing us to visually experience the soul & spirit of Batman. I must express that Bale is not given the credit he deserves.
Aaron Eckhart, who has been over-looked as well was wonderful as a supporting protagonist may become; giving us a remarkable character of hope & justice, but to only break the hearts of the audience later with the extremely tragic outcome of who he becomes.
Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes (which is really for the best, considering Homes’ role in “Batman Begins” was nothing more than mediocre) & she does a fair job @ it. Michael Cane, does a wonderful Alfred. Gary Oldman… he ALWAYS does a impressive job; he is not noticed by fans, audiences, and critics enough as well. Now, he does a great Com. Gordon… but for me to say that he is that “best”, isn’t a strong enough statement (against the other Gordons from past films.. it wasn’t a ‘hard race’). But non-the-less, Oldman delivers. Even the ensemble characters do a fantastic job (the old commissioner, Eric Roberts as ‘Sal “The Boss” Maroni’, Morgan Freeman) ALL did great.

Finally, the man who ‘stole the show’: Heath Andrew Ledger as the sick & twisted Joker. I could go on forever about Heath Ledger’s performance… but, everything I could possibly say has already been noted. Ledger not only became the best Joker, or the best comic-book villain, but the best screen villain I have ever seen in my entire life. He was the perfect antagonist. Everything he did was perfect. He portrayed a purely evil entity that was a complete force of chaos. I would like to state some other thoughts concerning him (especially in the end)… but that would create *major* spoilers; @ the end of this year, I may create a continuation of this review (for the DVD), considering that, by then, most will have seen it.

This film is nothing short of a “Best Picture” nomination, as well as Heath being “Best Supporting Actor”… perhaps “Best Actor”. This movie is legendary. & in it, we see such a gifted and talented actor we lost. His role was perhaps some of the best acting I have ever witnessed.

OVER-ALL:
(****) (Thumbs Up!) (See It!)

It’s a must see. & it is without-a-doubt a must own.


Rest In Peace, Mr. Ledger

*I take No Credit for the poster. I got it from photobucket*

Movie Previews for July 2008

I) Hancock

PRO: Will Smith always does a good job, even when the movie sucks

(IE: “The Wild Wild West” & “Hitch”). & he seems to have good chemistry with Jason Bateman. Plus, we’ve always seen a human & average Will Smith, we’ve never seen Will Smith with special abilities or powers. (Doesn’t matter, either way he’ll still kick someone’s @$$)

CON: @ 1^st, when we saw trailer 1… it seemed like a feel-good comedy with some promising special effects and a decent fight scene perhaps (we didn’t really know much @ the time, & we didn’t really know what all to expect); enter: trailer 2. The first-half reintroduced us to the humor of trailer 1, then we see some … drama … um, ok…We see him struggling and having trouble (course, every superhero-movie has that), But something tells me there’s a clip or two we could’ve done without until the movie. Then, the TV Spots came out. For the past week or two (via TV & Youtube) we’ve been introduced with EVEN MORE drama. Wait-a-minute, I don’t understand, 1^st this was a strict comedy, now it’s over-weighed with drama… a … “Dramedy”? Ok, ok, I can deal with drama in a movie I originally just wanted to be cool-funny… but they’re giving away chunks of a little something called THE PLOT. I won’t quote the TV Spots for the people that have stayed clear of them… but let’s just say that… my faith in this movie as dramatically (no pun) changed since trailer 2, not to mention they gave away a key line in the movie that probably takes place during a climax of some-sort. I was introduced to this movie thinking it’s not a typical, cliché, superhero-movie… now, we’re being given every impression that it is supposed to just that. Goes to show how much a movie can turn on you, in just the matter of weeks-to-days before it comes out.

OVER-ALL: … Now, I know once a movie is filmed its filmed and this is still the same movie that we saw trailer 1 to months ago, but this movie has ‘come-out’ in a sense of what its about more & more. Plain & simple… it appears this movie sold-out, it tried to be the anti-superhero-movie, now its trying to become just a super-hero movie. So, cross your figures & hope this isn’t too disappointing to what they’ve already blabbered-out.

II) Meet Dave

CON: WOW, um… where do I begin? Scratch that, there isn’t much to it; this movie looks HORRIBLE. It looks horrible, It sounds horrible, when I see a TV Spot something starts to stink off the TV so it even smells horrible! & it WILL be horrible. Eddie Murphy is down, and the referee is counting; this guy has been in a p!$$-poor slump for years. Luckily for him (& us more importantly) “Beverly Hills Cop: IV” has had a standing word out for 2009, this, I like.

OVER-ALL: DON’T SEE IT! (unless you are paid just as much money as it took to make the movie)

III) Hellboy II: The Golden Army

PRO: I like Ron Perlman as a Sci-Fi / Fantasy actor. The director (“Hellboy: I”, “Pan’s Labyrinth”, “Blade: II”) seems like a cool guy. This will be a fair movie compared to some other movies during this year.

CON: If you want an outstanding praise like I give for the Superman and Batman movie franchises, I’m sorry but, you wont get it. Nothing toward the Hellboy crew, creators, movies, comics, or fans… but, this movie just isn’t, my thing. Now, I will see it, and enjoy it, but its not 1 of my key movie interests. #1 thing being (to me & some others) its just too ‘out-there’; now before I offend someone, & am NOT calling a fan of the Hellboy franchise a weirdo or freak, not @ all, & I don’t even think the movie is extremely odd, merely saying that, it’s a little ‘too much’ for me.

OVER-ALL: if you like it, you like it; if you don’t, don’t try to force yourself too. But you can bet your @$$ that the weekend of July 11^th, Im seeing this over “Meet Dave” in a heart-beat (which isn’t saying much… but, I had to say it)

IV) Journey to the Center of the Earth

PRO: Brendan Fraser is in it. Good for a lot, perhaps most, & almost good enough for me. He’s a cool guy, & he pulls off the adventure-hero pretty well.

CON: It’s tricky; I don’t know what to say… I’m just … probably … not seeing it in theaters. It just doesn’t interest me enough.

OVER-ALL: Sorry Brendan, I’ll be seeing you in August for “The Mummy 3”.

V) The Dark Knight

PRO: “YEAH!!! IT’S ABOUT TIME!! FINALLY!” This is the movie mostly everyone has been waiting for; some waiting since last July with the release of the Teaser Trailer before The Simpsons Movie, with Trailer 2 in December before I Am Legend, some in May with Trailer 3 or with the recent TV Spots. But If you’re like me, you’ve been waiting not only @ the end credits to “Batman Begins” in 2005, but ALL YOUR LIFE for a Batman movie like this to be written for the screen & captured on film. Nolan’s vision for Batman is genius and amazing. Christian Bale, over-looked by some @ times, but never forgotten of being the 1 guy to bring Batman back after Schumacher’s “Batman & Robin” in 1997; and also becoming the best Batman ever. Maggie Gillynhal, replacing Katie Holmes (which is for the best, since shes a better actress). Aaron Eckhart as the Gotham DA Harvey Dent, who is obviously destined to become the dark vigilante (not necessarily a “villain” in some story-lines) Two-Face. And, of course, the late Heath Ledger as the pre-proclaimed best Joker ever on film.

CON: … you actually thought I was going to think of a CON ?

OVER-ALL: It’s the movie I’ve been waiting for, along with many. & We’ve waited long-enough. It will be the best Batman. & I’ll probably like it better than Indiana Jones 4. GO SEE IT, whether you’re a fan or not.

VI) Mamma Mia

I’m not even wasting my time. I’m not seeing this. PASS.

VII) Space Chimps

Yeah, this movie looks really dumb. I don’t care even if it has SNL’s Andy Sandberg. PASS.

VIII) Step Brothers

PRO: Will Ferrell & John C. Riley are great together in a movie. I don’t have much to say, just that, this looks funny & I am seeing it.

CON: Supposedly, Will Ferrell said there will be a Anchorman: 2… I’m not gonna say that THIS movie, shouldve been that… I love the concept of Step Brothers… but, Know of a Ron Burgundy Return dwarfs Step Brothers as far as both movies & Will Ferrell movies go.

OVER-ALL: See it. I will.

IX) The X-Files: I Want to Believe

A part 2… wow… Sorry to all X-Files fans, but, I’m not one.

PRO: It seems to follow the show and previous movie.

CON: ‘I Want To Believe’ that this is the last enrty of any sort in the X-Files franchise. & I WantED to believe that this was over so long ago.

OVER-ALL: Opening Weekend, I’m seeing “Step Brothers” … after that, no excuse; I’m just never seeing this.

See You @ the End of the Month.