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| Bad Stuff Happens When Bane Meets Batman, Let's Hope Not Bad for Moviegoers... |
Let us start by saying that we’re not huge fans of Batman Begins. We were won over to the series by The Dark Knight. Jeff, drug Josh kicking and screaming to see The Dark Knight, and after that Josh saw it two more times in the theatre and it’s currently proudly sitting on his DVD shelf. We cite this as proof that both of us can like a Christopher Nolan Batman film, but won’t necessarily like all of them. We’d even be willing to say that The Dark Knight would be in our Nerd 5 list of best superhero films, but since this article will have some negative elements later, we’ll skip the Batman Begins bashing.
Let’s talk Nolan for a second, because we think he
makes great films. The Dark Knight is
a great film, as are Memento and Inception. Nolan is an exceptional
filmmaker with a good track record. But there are several things getting in the
way of us being fully excited for this particular film.
Josh was initially very excited for The Dark Knight Rises, but as the July
20th release date draws closer and closer he can’t say that he still
is. In fact he’s the opposite. Josh feels pretty much how he did before he was
drug kicking and screaming to the last film. Specifically, he’s looking forward
to this film as much as Batman looks forward to the return of the Joker. Jeff
takes a different stance, thinking that Batman is the film this summer needs,
even if it’s not the film Josh wants right now. We’ll both make our arguments,
and you decide.
Josh says NO!
The
Guidelines:
List anything about The Dark Knight Rises, which (I think) will detract from the film.
Any reason it will NOT be good.
The
List:
5.
Christian Bale
Alright, this is a personal thing. But I can’t stand Christian Bale. I think he’s
overrated. He’s given good performances, but on the whole I can’t stand
watching the dude. Also, not personally excited to hear that stupid deep
gravelly voice for another film. To put my dislike for Bale into context, I
don’t think he’s the worst actor to play Batman. Playing the contrast of Bruce
Wayne to Batman is a difficult thing and (quite frankly) I don’t think anyone
has ever done both well. Michael Keaton (Batman,
Batman Returns) was a great Bruce Wayne and a sub-par Batman, Val Kilmer (Batman Forever) understood how to be
the caped crusader but as a billionaire playboy he wasn’t the best, then there
is George Clooney (Batman & Robin) the
worst of all because he was good at… well… let’s all just try and forget Batman & Robin exists. That brings
us back to Bale, who I will admit is pretty darn good at Bruce Wayne, I just
can’t stand listening to him. Let’s hope we don’t get more gem lines about
hockey pads.
4.
Running Time 2 hours and 46min
Honestly I’m fine with long films. I’m a firm
believer that a film should be as long as it needs to be to tell the story. But will someone please fill me in on
what Batman story needs to be told over three hours? I guess time will have to
tell on whether The Dark Knight Rises
is too long or just enough, but for my money I’m betting we could cut out 46min
of long scenery shots, people brooding at each other, and stuff exploding, and this
film would be just fine.
To counterpoint with a film that many will look to
for comparisons, The Avengers is 2
hours and 23 minutes, a length that works for the film because it’s needed to
tell the story, however there are arguments that it’s too long as well. We will
see how a superhero movie that runs longer any other in history does this
weekend.
3.
Studio Involvement/Every Trailer beyond the 1st
Now this is a point that begins even with the name
of the film. The Dark Knight Rises was
not the name director Christopher Nolan had originally picked for the film.
Nolan wanted to name the film Knight Fall,
the same name as the comic arc it’s based off of. The studio however forced him
to put the words “Dark Knight” into the title as to not confuse the audience.
Really, do you think we’re that dumb Warner Brothers?
This is a small point, but it’s representational of
what could be a lot of studio meddling
in the film. I don’t want to see a longer version of The Dark Knight, and that’s what it looks like we’re getting. A
very dark, very drawn out story of a man fighting with his inner demons while
the outer ones attack Gotham city is a good story, that you’ve already told. Twice.
I’m hoping that Nolan, his team, and Warner Brothers give us something new.
2.
Too Many Characters
If we look at the downfall of most super hero films,
it’s that there are too many characters, too many things going on, too much for
the story to try to wrap up, and simply too much to do. Let’s break this down
chart style:
Returning
Characters
|
New
Characters
|
Christian
Bale = Batman/Bruce Wayne
|
Tom
Hardy = Bane
|
Liam
Neeson = Ra’s Al Ghul (from Batman
Begins)
|
Joseph
Gordon-Levitt = John Blake
|
Gary
Oldman = Commissioner Gordon
|
Anne
Hathaway = Catwoman
|
Morgan
Freeman = Lucius Fox
|
Marion
Cotillard = Miranda Tate
|
Michael
Caine = Alfred
|
That’s four new characters that we have to give
purpose, depth, and arcs too, one character that been gone so long that he
needs to be completely re-established, and four returning characters that we
need to become acquainted with. That’s a lot to follow and a lot to do. It’s do-able,
but difficult. My hat is off to them if they can make that work.
1.
It’s the third film in a series…
The history of film is littered with “threequels”
and most of are complete and utter failures. For every Spiderman 3 there is a Revenge
of the Sith (wait both of those are bad… THAT’S THE POINT!)
Before you go
spouting off about films like Return of
the Jedi, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harry Potter and Prisoner of
Azkaban, Toy Story 3, and Return of
the King (by the way that would be
my Nerd 5 list of best threequels in order from 5 to 1) these films are
exceptions! More often than not, the third film in a series is awful. Unless we
are saying something new, giving a fresh take on the series, or finishing off
the story, I have no hope for the third film of a series.
History is against The Dark Knight Rises; but, with all
that being said, I am willing to be swayed by an exceptional film, just like
last time.
Jeff says YES!
The
Guidelines:
List anything about The Dark Knight Rises which gives (Jeff) hope for the film. Any
reason it WILL be good.
The
List:
5.
Joseph Gordon Leavitt.
…is an amazing actor. I don’t think anyone left Inception wishing to have seen less of Leavitt’s character. From child
actor, to sitcom star, to Disney voice talent, to indie darling, to summer
blockbusters, Leavitt has a career that is to be universally envied.
I think it’s great that we’ll have a chance to
follow around a younger generation within this series’ universe. By now Batman
has been away for a while, and a fresh set of police will have sprung up in
that time. I want to know their Gotham,
the post-Joker Gotham. And I’m more than satisfied to get to know some new
characters who can create that world, and thrilled that Leavitt is a part of
it.
Also, Marion Cotillard? Tom Hardy? Anne Hathaway
(well, maybe…)? How is it a bad thing to have these talents on screen? With
them as an addition to the already stellar cast, you have a great movie in the
works. If the writing and directing is even halfway decent (most of us take for
granted it will be (cough…NOLAN!)),
then that already assures a good time in the theatre.
4.
The Bat Jet.
Bat Hovercraft, Jetski, Pogo Stick, whatever. I’m
ready for it. Tim Burton couldn’t wait one movie to bring out the big guns,
Nolan has waited through two. If Batman will be going out with this film, let
it be in something bigger and blacker than ever.
3.
CON: Studio Involvement is Ominous
Here I completely agree with Josh (so much that I
think his argument is pulled directly from a conversation we had… ). Anytime a
production company is fiddling around with a film in pre or post, it’s a bad
sign. Most ‘threequels’ are ruined by production companies that don’t know how
to serve their own franchises, and make bad choices in order to make quick
cash.
It’s true. The name of this movie sucks, and is an
obvious attempt to ride on the coat-tails of The Dark Knight. It’s an aesthetic compromise, but it takes away any
ability The Dark Knight Rises had of
surpassing the fame of the movie before it, like The Dark Knight surpassed Batman
Begins. It shows a lack of confidence in this third installment, and makes
me think that the production company saw the “real” money that The Dark Knight made, and instead of
inspiring them to trust its creator, it just made them afraid that he couldn’t
do it again.
I’m only reading the signs. Some might say that Nolan
has greater artistic freedom with this film because of the success of The Dark Night, and I truly hope that
they’re right.
2.
Daring to Bring New Life into a Dying World
My cohort takes the introduction of so many new
characters into Gotham City as a sign of trouble, and it’s true that there is a
lot of ground Nolan will need to cover to make them fully realized characters.
However, I take it as a sign of hope. If there are some new characters in the
mix, it will free up the characters that we know and love to do something
unexpected. If I can happily watch Joseph Gordon Leavitt’s character for a few
scenes, it opens up all kinds of story possibilities for what Batman may be
doing. The same old people won’t be under the microscope, or have to carry the
pressure of the entire movie by themselves. I don’t know what story is being
built yet, but I already know it won’t be the same one I’ve seen before, and in
a series that’s a good thing.
Also, this is the end of a series. Why would I want
to watch a 3 hour long movie with nothing new, nothing fresh, and nothing
hopeful? The Gotham we’re familiar with is a bad place. New elements have to
emerge to change it. This isn’t a Cormac McCarthy Novel, and if anyone can
introduce new characters and provide them with compelling arcs (like, oh… Joker
and Harvey Dent in the last film?) it’s Christopher Nolan.
1.
Faith.
…is the only thing that
separates a critic from a troll. It’s what keeps us paying to go to the
theatre, instead of waiting for a film’s release, or for a bargain bin of used
DVD’s a few years later. Hell, it’s what keeps me watching movies. Other than
to have SOMETHING to break up the silence in our apartments, what are we doing
if not at least attempting to lose ourselves in the vision of another, and
exist within their world for a few hours?
I have faith in
Christopher Nolan. I think he has earned that faith, and despite my
reservations as a critic, as a fan I am ready to trust him with at least
another three hours of my life. I might not believe in Batman, but I believe in
this series. I believe in Nolan.
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