Rest easy loyal readers, there will be no "spoilers" of any kind in the following column. Hand to heaven, there won't be. So if you haven't seen the newest Batman adventure, don't fret, you can read on.
Echowood and I finally went to see The Dark Knight on Monday evening. We both waited for different reasons. He, because he was under strict orders from his girlfriend not to go without her. (Hi Lindsey! You ripe little peach, you!) And I, because of a desire not to listen to the running commentary of teenagers from Jersey during the weekend showings. Yep, I'm a snobby Manhattanite.
After patiently waiting through the weekend and avoiding any friends that may let plot-points slip we finally hit the 68th Street AMC to see The Dark Knight.
Sweet fancy Moses, we were not disappointed.
In short, we loved it. This had little to do with me picking up a couple Gray's Papaya hot dogs to eat on the way to the theater and mostly to do with the quality of the movie itself. Those hot dogs do help, though. This is not a film review. I don't write film reviews. (Partly because I don't like film reviewers. Boring and trite.) Just a handful of thoughts on the best film of the summer.
Let's not get crazy, like the IMDB voters that currently have The Dark Knight as the number one film of all time. That's just nuts. However, it is an amazing achievement in popcorn entertainment. It's what a summer film should be. Loud, fun and smart.
Heath Ledger will make you squirm in your seat. His portrayal of the Joker as a crazed, psychotic anarchist is a marvel. Easily the most chilling performance since Sir Anthony Hopkins was chewing peoples faces off in Silence of the Lambs. What's great about this version of the Joker is there isn't any real reason for his madness. He's just crazy. Of course Christian Bale is as solid as ever. What's interesting is that the film took on an ensemble feel. Like L.A. Confidential or Heat. Top to bottom, everyone pulls their weight. Even Anthony Michael Hall. That wasn't a typo, he's in this. No kidding.
With most tent-pole flicks, and superhero films in general, there is often a very simple story to follow. Asteroid coming. Going to kill us. Oh no. Need to blow it up. Something like that. The Dark Knight features an incredibly dense script with an astonishing number of twists and turns. It's a cinematic bag of snakes.
The Dark Knight is a film that needs to be experienced in the theater. You'll see Christopher Nolan's camera mastery on the proper scale. You'll get the impact of the scares. There's one in particular that made the theater jump. Those of you that have seen it know what I'm referring to. Fantastic.
Now, where do we go from here? Of course there will be another one. There's too much money at stake. Not making a third in the series is burning $500 million clams. It's gonna happen. I'm not saying anything about the future of the Joker or Two Face. You'll have to see the film to learn what happens to them. But there will be another villain. There has to be.
So, who? If I got a phone call from Chris Nolan - and frankly, I don't see why that couldn't happen - to ask for my input, I would say this; The Riddler.
Not the Jim Carey-fied, spandex wearing, cane twirling, Fred Astaire on LSD Riddler. A twisted, vengeful, Unabomber-like Riddler.
I would call Adrian Brody and get him to sign on. With haste. Then design a real Riddler inspired by the Zodiac Killer. No stupid limericks that are solved by the gifted program at P.S. 117. A psycho that taunts police and Batman with cryptic ciphers and codes. There is a precedent for killers that crave media attention going back to Jack the Ripper. It continued with Son of Sam and the BTK Killer. Loons that feel killing is a game. They viewed the taunts as giving the less intelligent police and media a sporting chance. That's who Batman should fight next. Mr. Nolan, give me a ring. We'll chat.
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My husband and i spent the rest of the evening after seeing TDK discussing who the next villain will be. We both think that The Riddler would fit best with Nolan's "real people who are just crazy" approach (The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Mr. Freeze...they're too circus-y, their methods aren't realistic). But at the same time, The Riddler could just end up being a little bit of a replay of The Joker, and he won't be nearly as good. Or it might end up being like Die Hard 3, or Saw.
We both think Catwoman will be there...they'll need a love interest.
ummm...correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I was supposed to have been invited to this "gay"la event. So much for red hankie in left pocket for you Mr. Man.
Oh shit. We forgot to invite Benditsky.
Though, in a related note, I'm happy you referenced me having a girlfriend as that picture makes me look a wee bit not straight.
Uh, that was Echowood's fault. Yell at him.
Oh, Molly, thanks for weighing in. Always appreciated.
I see what you're saying with Catwoman, but I fear that the Halle Berry debacle may preclude that character from being resurrected. Catwoman may be dead. I don't know.
We shall see...
JW
Did you not pick up on Lucius's mention of the new batsuit being capable of fending off attacks from cats?
I picked that up.
I was probably the only one in my theater that laughed at it, and then peered around, seeing if anybody noticed.
There were other little drops like that throughout the film...
well it seems like today i'm Johnny Come Lately, which really i prefer to being Johnny Come Prematurely. and i have just seen TDK i can only say i was blown away by it... in every aspect. great script, tone, visuals, action and of course acting. in reality it could be called The Joker since he has so much screen time and just captivates you with every thing he does. Heath really was on top of his game here, exceptional work here i especially liked physical part how well he defined the character's movement and the smacking of his lips.
cant remember any other recent movie where i had such a good time.
I'm with you, pal. It's the first time I left a movie thinking I'll see the film again in the theater since No Country For Old Men.