tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post1425914450106468620..comments2024-03-10T07:42:17.071-04:00Comments on The Film Doctor: Night and the vertical axis: the pros and cons of The Dark KnightThe Film Doctor http://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-12626243338707606392008-08-28T18:42:00.000-04:002008-08-28T18:42:00.000-04:00i still wish Katie Holmes had stayed on board as R...i still wish Katie Holmes had stayed on board as Rachel Dawes for the Dark Knight; it was like the time spent getting familiar with her character in Batman Begins was wasted...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-18121442808496716382008-07-25T11:57:00.000-04:002008-07-25T11:57:00.000-04:00It is certainly interesting that all those reviewe...It is certainly interesting that all those reviewers missed the same point.Dr. Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08792907846193017204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-83322024725946080972008-07-23T11:40:00.000-04:002008-07-23T11:40:00.000-04:00Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Dr. K.No doubt ...Thanks for the thoughtful comment, Dr. K.<BR/><BR/>No doubt you picked up more of the nuances of the characters in The Dark Knight more than I did, but I've noticed other film critics agree with me about the Two-Face subplot. Here's Jason Bellamy writing for his blog The Cooler:<BR/><BR/>"Before The Dark Knight concludes, Two-Face joins the fray providing a subplot that feels both thin and rushed, despite a whopping 152-minute running time. The cost is twofold: 1) time spent away from the Joker is considerably less interesting, causing some of the movie’s momentum to leak; 2) the implication (though certainly unintended) is that the Joker isn’t villain enough to terrorize Gotham on his own, thus snuffing out part of the inferno Ledger works so hard to ignite."<BR/><BR/>Also, I noticed in Culture Snob, Jeff Ingnatius made a similar point:<BR/><BR/>"As the idealistic, relentless DA Harvey Dent, Aaron Eckhart is convincing and compelling. As Two-Face, he’s a pretty cool special effect, and is the de facto — and disappointing — denouement to the real show of the Joker.<BR/><BR/>The big problem is that the Nolans create and kill Two-Face as if they couldn’t wait to be done with him. He’s burned! He’s angry! He’s dead!"<BR/><BR/>Ultimately, I found Two Face most compelling as a facial special effect rather than the logical development of a character, but otherwise your points are well taken.The Film Doctor https://www.blogger.com/profile/03073505923746994988noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-53678921554424045262008-07-23T09:29:00.000-04:002008-07-23T09:29:00.000-04:00I respectfully disagree. This movie had a lot mor...I respectfully disagree. This movie had a lot more going for it than most summer movies, especially in its moral complexity. The Joker is a thrilling force of chaos, and his sole goal is to strip away the veneer of order in Gotham and expose the chaos just below the surface. And the Two-Face subplot was wholly integrated into the Joker plot: we see exactly how the Joker's chaos works, and the level of threat it brings to Gotham, when the Joker can turn to his side the one man who offers hope for Gotham's future. The hostage situation at the end is then used to show how far Harvey has fallen, and he tries to find some answer as to why he has suffered the most in his crusade with Batman and Gordon.<BR/><BR/>Sure, there were some exciting and well-staged action scenes in this film, but there were a lot more character moments where you get to see the consequences of the events on the lives of Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent, and Jim Gordon--especially more than you'd expect in a summer action film. I seriously think this film raised the bar for summer movies, and superhero films in general, even moreso than Iron Man did.Dr. Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08792907846193017204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7704583061723470804.post-34183531332237040512008-07-20T23:20:00.000-04:002008-07-20T23:20:00.000-04:00I agree with your review Doctor, but as a normal t...I agree with your review Doctor, but as a normal teenager in the<BR/>21th century I must say THE MOVIE KICKS SO MUCH PATUTIE, YO!!!!!George Kaplanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02780823098143019328noreply@blogger.com