The Dark K-nig-et

I know that I was a bit late to the party, but after an excruciatingly long week of spoiler-dodging I finally did see "The Dark Knight" at the ArcLight's Cinerama dome, and I have to say... the wait was worth it.

I went with Neil, who had just returned from his India sojourn, and while I knew that both the Batsuit and the Joker's costume would be displayed in the lobby, it was a pleasant surprise to find the Tumbler and the Batpod sitting outside on the sidewalk. I still have a special place in my heart for the Burton-era Batmobile, but seeing the Tumbler in person was rapturous. It's a sexy machine, that Tumbler. (The Batpod was cool as well, but having not seen the movie yet, it didn't really mean much to me and, even after seeing the movie, it's just not the same as the car itself.) After a few minutes of gawking, we entered the dome and prepared for the film to begin.

I will admit that, for about the first hour, I was wondering why the buzz was so high. Don't get me wrong, I was enjoying the film, but it seemed to be merely a really good movie -- perhaps on par with, if not more high-minded than, "Iron Man" -- as opposed to the colossal force that I'd been hearing about for the past week.

But after the nighttime confrontation with the Joker about halfway through, the film became something else. The questions posed and the dilemmas presented, the hospital scene and the ferry game -- Nolan infused the film with the all of the appropriate gravitas and conflict and EXCITEMENT that I could have ever wanted in a Batman film. Everything about the film screamed that it was a class act, with the acting, cinematography, editing, and direction coalescing into a nearly flawless crystal. Even the score, an element that had bugged me from "Batman Begins," seemed to mesh perfectly with the whole. I can honestly say that "The Dark Knight" may be, in my opinion, the best so-called "popcorn" flick I've ever seen. The last time that I can remember feeling so satisfied leaving a movie theater was ages ago when I first saw "Independence Day," which was the perfect film for an unpretentious ten-year-old boy; if "The Dark Knight" can satisfy me so completely as an adult film student, then it must be something special indeed.

Much has been made of the fact that "The Dark Knight" has overtaken "The Godfather" as the #1 movie on the IMDb's Top 250. I don't understand what the big deal is, as anyone who bothers to use their brain effectively understands that not only is that list not a definitive quantification of a film's objective stature, but just such a quantification is impossible to achieve. Everyone has different tastes, and so filmic taste is subjective. Any knowledgeable film buff knows that "The Godfather" is a superbly-made, landmark film. For my money, so is "The Dark Knight." But "The Godfather" was made to be an epic art film, ripe for awards season while "The Dark Knight" was made as a summer tent-pole movie, primarily to entertain; both are superlative examples of their respective intentions, and they are really incomparable.

Personally, while I acknowledge the importance and craftsmanship of "The Godfather," it is not one of my favorite films -- I much prefer "Once Upon A Time in America" for a more compatible comparison. [EDIT (2/8/2009): Um, upon seeing "The Godfather" again, I must retract this statement. That film is almost flawless. Still, I stand by my belief that "Dark Knight" is a great film, among the best of the year.] "The Dark Knight," however, is truly a milestone summer film. It entertains not only through spectacle, but also through the character relationships, the themes of duality and morality, and the overall stellar production quality. It demonstrates that "tent-poles" don't have to be vapid CGI-fests, and that moviegoers have every right to demand high quality in ALL of their entertainment. I am not saying that I believe "The Dark Knight" is better than "The Godfather," but I am saying that it is a cinematic achievement worthy of respect. To dismiss the film based upon its intentions and its status on a website's arbitrary list is misguided at best and snobbery at worst.

All-in-all, despite having my expectations lifted to impossible heights, the film still managed to completely satisfy me. I can't see how Christopher Nolan will be able to top this one with the inevitable third film, but I had similar doubts following "Batman Begins."

I look forward to being surprised.

A New Look...

Howdy, y'all.

Did some quick changes to spruce up the ol' blog, make it a tad bit less gloomy and such, you know. I know this ain't the first time I said this, but I'm gonna aim to update this more often; right now, it's more forgotten-bastard-child than blog, seein' as it only gets an update every few months.

Anyways, look for a new blog entry of substance soon; hopefully the first of many.

Gosh durn. Pudding.