Early reviews for the Dark Knight are about to hit the net, but Rolling Stone Magazine is getting the jump on them all. And it looks good!
Heads up: a thunderbolt is about to rip into the blanket of bland we call summer movies. The Dark Knight, director Christopher Nolan’s absolute stunner of a follow-up to 2005’s Batman Begins, is a potent provocation decked out as a comic-book movie. Feverish action? Check. Dazzling spectacle? Check. Devilish fun? Check. But Nolan is just warming up. There’s something raw and elemental at work in this artfully imagined universe.I can only speak superlatives of Ledger, who is mad-crazy-blazing brilliant as the Joker. Miles from Jack Nicholson’s broadly funny take on the role in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman, Ledger takes the role to the shadows, where even what’s comic is hardly a relief…It’s typical of Ledger’s total commitment to films as diverse as Brokeback Mountain and I’m Not There that he does nothing out of vanity or the need to be liked. If there’s a movement to get him the first posthumous Oscar since Peter Finch won for 1976’s Network, sign me up.
I actually expected as much from the reviews and I am relieved that the hype sounds like it will live up to the trailers.
Of course it would be in bad form to cut up Ledger so I expected a slightly tainted review, but this guy is convinced that Ledger knocks it out of the park. I don’t doubt him for a second.
Do you think the performance could be that groundbreaking to justify a posthumous Oscar? Could a role in a superhero movie deserve an Oscar?
That alone just doubled my already pants wetting anticipation for this film.
good
Just saw a screening last night. Easily the best comic-book movie ever made. The whole story is epic, and never lets you get ahead of it. It’s dark dark dark, and Ledger just shreds as a truly terrifyingly conceived Joker. Rest assured, TOM, the Batman-Joker relationship is plenty twisted and f’d up to please fans. I’m gonna have to see it again in IMAX.
Audio,
I guess. And believe me, I’m sure that Ledger’s portrayal is going to be epic. Like I said, for me I always appreciated the fact that the Joker was, in a twisted way, The Batman’s ‘child.’
To Tom:
Joker doesn’t need reasons. Lack of reason is what makes Joker dangerous and unpredictable.
(SPOILER WARNING)
as much as I cannot wait for this, I think the one thing I’m still dissapointed in is That in this story, the Joker’s origin is not tied to Batman. I’m not saying that he needed to be dropped into the vat of acid as Batman is trying to stop him from robbing the chemical factory. But something — like maybe he was scarred as a result of the mob frenzy that took place in the first film. And he could blame Batman for that.
I think the Joker works best when he is a direct product of Batman’s being in Gotham. After all, Superheroes bring about Supervillians. And in being ‘created’ by Batman, he becomes his polar opposite. Batman was created because of a crime (Bruce’s parent’s murder) and the Joker — a child of crime — is created because of Batman’s war on it.
With all the talk of Heath Ledger, which looks deserved, we shouldn’t forget that it’s a Batman film. Peter Travers heaped as much praise on Bale’s Batman/Bruce Wayne. At one point he compared him to Al Pacino’s performance in Godfather 2, in which I consider one of the great performances in the history of cinema.
Last weekend I received an invite to a special screening of a big summer action film(the screenings tonight). I’m crossing my fingers, hoping for the Dark Knight, but with my luck it’s gonna be one of the Brenden Frasier new films.
giggity giggity……
“abysmal reviews of this year’s Oscars”
Really? Cause all I’ve heard from everyone and all movie-related websites I go to is that it was the best show in years.
I think its almost a given he will be nominated. Unless the movie is terrible and Heaths performance is laughable, but from what weve seen and heard so far, if it holds up, Id be suprised if Heath doesnt get a supporting nod.
mother of lord,
somebody kill me already,
I keep hearing good and good,
as a joker fans, i cant wait to see joker kick batman’s ass and i hope i dont see joker’s death !
I guarantee he wont even be nominated.
Also the great thing about these new batman movies is they don’t feel like comic book movies. They’re just actual movies so it’s easier to seperate that, and I think that will make it easier for award season. But lets wait and see.
I wouldn’t go that far. The ratings for the oscars have been falling for a long time, but they will never sell out just to get ratings. RDJ and Ed norton did great jobs as their characters but it’s hardly oscar worthy.
I think Heath will be the exception. Not just because of what happened with him, but this character was a huge stretch, and apparently it’s having a huge impact on people who have already seen it.(not many) and even the ones who havn’t.LOL. Just the commercials alone have us buzzing. I’m hearing oscar performance everytime people talk about it. This performance apparantly is mind blowing.
I’ve been waiting for this film since the credits rolled on Batman Begins. As for Oscar, why not? If that is going to happen, this is the year for it, between the raves about Ledger’s performance as Joker, and Robert Downey Jr’s brilliant portrayal of Iron Man. After the abysmal reviews of this year’s Oscars and how the films were not representative of what people were actually watching (therefore leading to one of the poorest rated broadcasts in years), I think they’re seriously considering blockbuster comic book films for nomination.
What a glowing review. Let’s hope the movie is as good as The rolling stone think it is. I sincerely hope so.
Prepare to get your minds blown !
From what I know its gonna be groundbreaking.
TDK
Spoilers.
Heath steals the film, and there’s a cliffhanger and its a new villian, and its not 2 face.
Simply must see this movie!!! Damn I agree with JOE H! longest 3 weeks of the summer!
I have to echo what Joonavar stated. He was being hailed as the best choice for a character role since Patrick Stewart’s casting as Charles Xavier. If the glove fits, give him the award.
a good performance is a good performance..regardless of whether it’s based on a comic character or not.
my god, I CAN’T WAIT ANY LONGER!! longest 3 weeks of my life right here.
Even if it’s just as a gimmick, I would love to see an Oscar given to a performance based on a comic character.