|
Yes,
he is still using that ridiculous "Batman
Voice".
Okay -- As much as I would like to try,
there is no denying that "The Dark Knight"
is a solid example of entertaining cinema.
It moves briskly enough to prevent boredom
at all times, despite an overlong
two-and-a-half hour running time. It
is what it is... one of the better superhero
movies in recent years (and there have been
a shitload of them).
That being said -- I
am one of those people who believe that
certain genres of movies are inherently
sillier than others. Slasher films,
teen comedies, superhero movies etc... They
are, by definition, less likely to achieve
greatness than other, more emotionally
weighty, fare. Some people don't like
to hear that, but it is a generally unspoken
consensus.
So, I am indifferent to
superhero movies. Sue me! The
fact is that most of them are typically
silly, repetitive, childish, unoriginal,
emotionally shallow and absurd. That
is partly the reason they are so lucrative
at the box office. Kids love that kind
of stuff and adult males are always trying
to rekindle the nostalgia of their youth.
Which brings us to
this umpteenth Batman movie. I was
forced to admit, despite my abhorrence for
the Keaton, Kilmer, Clooney franchise, that
I really liked "Batman Begins". I
really appreciated the "new" approach of
that superhero film. It almost seemed
like a plausible series of events, despite
the man parading around in skin tight
leather and growling his lines like a movie
trailer voice-over guy. I gave that
film three-and-a-half stars!
Along comes "The
Dark Knight", eschewing any attempted
reality in favor of one explosive sequence
after another. "TDK" doesn't really
bother with character or plot arcs. It
is more concerned with keeping the
adrenaline levels high and the logic low.
It also takes itself
very seriously. There are hardly any
moments of levity or self-deprecation.
The film should answer its own tagline: "Why
so serious?" Perhaps "TDK" filmmakers were unaware that
they were making a movie about a "BAT"
"MAN". It is as if they thought this
was the next "Godfather" installment.
Listen, I am not
going to recap the plot basics for this
film. Nor am I going to spend too much time
reviewing a film that is generally
critic-proof anyway. I just wish they
had spent more time on the entirety of the
movie, rather than the individual scenes.
"TDK" just feels like a sequence of
amusement park rides. That may sound
good to you. It wasn't my cup of tea.
"TDK" is escapist
entertainment... nothing more. That is
fine and dandy. On that level, it
succeeds. I just happen to think that
escapist entertainment is the simplest and
easiest form of cinema to consume. It takes an
incredibly good piece of fluff to win me
over. "Batman Begins" worked.
"The Dark Knight" was close, but no cigar.
"The Dark Knight" is
not a poor film, by any means... It's just not the
pinnacle of cinematic brilliance that some
have been claiming. It is merely a
grittier than usual slice of masked
vigilante pie -- a fluffy little film roided
up on testosterone infused violence, gruff
voices and a supposedly terrifying villain
played by Heath Ledger.
Sure, Ledger is
intense in the role... But the acclaim he
has been getting in the wake of his death is
quite frankly obscene. It feels
exploitative and hyperbolic.
In all
honesty, his performance is a good one in a
silly and one dimensional role.
He did the best that the role could have
allowed... and that's that! Nothing
more grandiose needs to be applied to a role
that requires a purple suit, some silly
make-up and a sore throat.
"The Dark Knight" is
reasonable entertainment. It suffices
as a good passage of time -- although I
think Hollywood should impose a maximum 90
minute running length on superhero flicks.
Anything longer than that should be
applicable only to grown-up movies.
I only hope that Oscar voters don't feel
mandated to reward box office receipts.
This is a solid contender for the MTV Movie
Awards or The People's Choice Awards -- But
please, please, please... Academy Voters...
please reserve Oscar night for more
substantive material.
©
Written by TC Candler
Email Me About This Review |
