Batman movie

[Hemidakota]

I just came back from watching the newest Batman: The Dark Knight. I did not know what to expect and I did not like the batman movie that preceded this one at all so I did not have high hopes that this one would be worth watching. It was an interesting movie. It was very thought provoking for me and fun to watch. It was too dark for my wife's taste. I wsa wondering if anyone else has watched it and what you all thought.

I was hoping to see the Dodge Tomahawk in the movie....

[Dr T]

I personally think that's a cool looking bike. :)

[Dove]

I saw the Batman movie, and it was really intense and dark. I've been really sad over Heath Ledger's death, and this worsened with watching the movie. I saw a show on the psychology of the Batman movies on the history channel last night, and that was fascinating to me. I think the movie could definately be worthy of an R rating, especially if that kind of violence was shown, say, in the 1970's.

I still really liked seeing Heath Ledger's performance in this Batman, and would like to see the first one in order to understand this one better. It takes on a different hue for me after watching that show on the history channel.

[JcDean78]

The R rating is so subjective these days and the movie industry will push the limits to get the PG13 rating as close to R as possible. Like each Lord of the Rings movie was cut just enough to skim the PG13 rating. Many movies from 20-30 years ago or more would never get the R rating today. Like Rambo 1 or the Godfather I highly doubt would still get an R today.

And by cut I mean one less scene that showed some blood or a person being killed. I must find the site because the differences these cuts made to get it down to PG13 really had nothing to do with anything. If I see 10 shots of blood slatter which makes it R but if they cut it down to only 9 shots then thats a PG13? I really need to find the website with that info again.

Most movies do this now and they have it down to an art. Batman I am sure is no different. They want the 13 rating so teenagers can go see it which is a huge part of their target audience. Personally I do not care what ratings are, I use personal judgement and refuse to watch anything I believe to be garbage no matter the rating.

[kona0197]

That's right!

It's the highest grossing opening day AND 3 day weekend movie EVER.

It's the only movie that had a 9.5 rating on IMDB that I've ever seen, currently sitting at #1 (it'll go down over time, but ever starting at 9.5 is amazing)

Essentially, it's awesome.

I doubt it will beat Titanic for the highest grossing film of all time.

By the way I heard Christian Bale got arrested yesterday.

[VisionOfLehi]

I doubt it will beat Titanic for the highest grossing film of all time.

By the way I heard Christian Bale got arrested yesterday.

That's because Titanic spent at least 15 weeks in theaters.

[orrinjelo]

So what makes it very close to R? Just they scary parts? Violence?

I'd prefer psychological horrors (although horror in general always has some psychological part anyway--that is, I am not fond of any blood-guts-and-gore stuff like Saw)--like if you know Serial Experiments Lain, that is sometimes just eerie like all cyberpunks are.

[Misshalfway]

That's because Titanic spent at least 15 weeks in theaters.

Well, and because teeny-bopper girls had to see it 800 times! :)

[kona0197]

I have Titanic here in the house. I think I've watched it maybe once...

[Stampede]

The best part of the movie....Two words..... Pencil Trick

[miztrniceguy]

very excellent movie. wife and i saw it last night. loved the whole thing. excellent joker, but i will always remember jack as the joker. i loved the adam west batman shows, too. a shame they dont show them on tv anymore, but i did see that movie is showing on amc on the 30th.

[unixknight]

the Best Part Of The Movie....two Words..... Pencil Trick

Qft

[DanielNicolai]

I just went and watched Batman again and I have to say that even the second time around it was still very powerful. The first time I saw it as an action movie I had been anticipating, this time I saw it from a social psychology perspective. If you think of it that way the entire movie is significantly better.

Also, I got a bit emotional at the end during Gordon's monologue about the Dark Knight, I even almost cried. Such sacrifice he gives, so powerful.

[JcDean78]

Most disapointing movie for me just about ever. I loved the first movie and thought it was amazing. This was just pure trash.

I hated the ending, I hated the psyco bable, and clearly the message was total BS. I am so upset and disapointed right now I honestly want my money back.

It really disturbs me that soooo many people love this crap and call it one of the best movies of all time. I think our standards must be very low. To me it is similar to my let down of the Star Wars 1-3 trash on my level of disapointment.

/me ends rant and goes to ask for his money back.

[MorningStar]

The movie looks too dark for me and I've never liked the Joker character. I liked Batman Returns with Catwoman, but I don't know if I'll like the new Batman.

[VisionOfLehi]

Wow, JC. Can you at least clarify what you mean by "psych babble" and "the message"

And then how the movie is crap? Cuz, really, pretty much the world has the opposite opinion so I'd like to hear the other side of the coin!

[Dr T]

My question too VoL :) First of all, we all have psychological experiences of everything. It was clear the Joker was dealing from a social psych. influence and for that it's "psychobable"? Please explain.

[orrinjelo]

I thought the older movies were crap. Yeah. I liked Batman Begins, however. Just hoping this is the same.

[kona0197]

i loved the adam west batman shows, too. a shame they dont show them on tv anymore

They show those shows. It's on one of those odd channels you pay extra for I believe.

[JcDean78]

Well without giving away too much to those that have not seen it, the movie goes extra Dark, way past a level they needed to go. The first movie was dark but it had a lot of uplifting moments. This really did not do that at all.

The entire ending was super lame and I was just really disapointed with just about everything that happened there. Part of this was due to the psyco bable and some twisted moral they were trying to push on us but to me it just did not work.

Honestly, as I said it was jsut aweful IMO and I am really disapointed.

[checkerboy]

*** Spoiler Warnings throughout***

Ok I have to take serious issue with two things almost everyone has been talking about about this movie.

#1. It is way dark-

Are you kidding? I must be a real dark person because this movie wasn't that dark. The joker was scary - for a 5 year old maybe. Yeah the stuff he was doing was really messed up but in no way dark, just read the news. We have people like him doing stuff like this all the time. To me the movie would have been darker had Batman actually done what he said, "I see what I have to become to defeat him." He never became that though. Both times he could have killed the Joker he didn't. The only "dark" part of the movie for me was the end when Two Face had Gordon's son. And it was terrible because I have boys of my own and would have hated to be in that situation.

#2 - This is close to an R rating.

Again are you kidding me? There are no swear words, no sexual innuendo, no nudity. The violence isn't even graphic. Take for instance the pencil trick - you don't see it going into the guy's head. You just know what happened. Most of the scenes with the Joker aren't even graphic either. Again the scene with the guy that has the bomb implanted in him isn't graphic. You don't see him explode. On this point I am gonna need to call for references as to why you think it should be R rated.

It is a pyschological thriller that is for sure. It was a dang awesome film, not the best film I have ever seen but the best this year. It makes you think which is good but you can't seriously call it dark or borderline R rated.

Oh and on a side note what was up with Christian Bale's Godfather impersonation with Batman's voice? Give me a break.

[VisionOfLehi]

#2) You don't think it's close to R? Well, maybe not these days, but I think it qualifies with strong violence and scariness. Sure... Maybe most people are so jaded by everything they see that it's "not that bad" for them, but I think this discussion has taken place in the "Rated R" discussion thread already.

Side note: Bale did the same thing in Batman Begins. Remember when he was holding the one cop upside down?

[Latter Days Guy]

Saw this the other night and thought it was ok, not as good as Batman Begins. I just thought that the story was a little disjointed in places.

[VisionOfLehi]

Way better than #1!!!

PS, if anyone notices that I reply to most posts in this thread, it's only cause it's about all I can focus on right now, lol. Not trying to be argumentative,

[sixpacktr]

The face of evil will forever be (to me) Heath Ledger as the Joker. He played that part so well you believed it. I always liked the Michael Keaton 'Batman' movies, but these last two are with Christian Bale are far, far better.