When Christopher Nolan took on the task of rebooting the Batman movie franchise, I figured it was the best thing that could happen to Bats’ film career in the wake of Joel Schumacher’s defacing of the Dark Knight’s legend. But I didn’t really care, personally, about the film. In my much more tender years (has it been 18 years already?), I was Batfan No. 1. When Tim Burton’s first crack at the DC icon was released, I was right there in line at the first showing on the first day of release (June 23, 1989, I believe, though don’t take my word for it). The film was a revelation and helped (along with Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns a few years earlier) reinvigorate Batman for a whole new generation of fans (me among them).
But by the time Nolan’s Batman Begins rolled out a few years ago, I was so disinterested with comics and especially comic book films, I didn’t bother to go see it. Spiderman 2 was fun enough, and the first two X-Men movies were damn good, but I just couldn’t find any motivation to see Nolan’s take on the pointy-eared detective. Eventually, I got around to watching it on cable when it went mass-market, but honestly: I was bored by it. It was almost too dark, too slow. I didn’t give a crap about the characters and watching it on a medium-sized (I guess 26″ would be “small” these days?) TV didn’t help with the muddy visuals.
Well, I just watched the newly-released trailer for Nolan’s follow-up, The Dark Knight, at atasteforthetheatrical.com (great URL, guys!). And now … I fully want to see this film. Heath Ledger’s Joker is truly creepy, and judging by the scenes of mass destruction, seems like a formidable enemy in this modern era of terrorism fears. I mean, sure, Jack Nicholson in Burton’s Batman was hamming it up, but aside from the tommy-gun massacre on the steps of City Hall or whatever (which took out mainly journalists, and we’re universally hated anyway), he didn’t really cause much mayhem. But it looks like Nolan’s spin on the nameless psychopath is … frightening.
I guess we have seven months to wait for this movie, but I think it will be worth it.
Oh, and Maggie Gyllenhaal taking over for the departed Katie Holmes? YUM.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Gil // Dec 18, 2007 at 2:40 am
I don’t see how you could think Batman Begins was too dark, to be honest. It was certainly gritty, but I thought it was the more realistic, urban take on Bats, rather than the overly gothic take Tim Burton uses to death.
2 Pj Perez // Dec 18, 2007 at 11:21 am
Sorry, I meant “dark” cinematically, NOT thematically … the actual cinematography was (to me) muddy and murky. I absolutely agree it was a very realistic, urban approach.
And honestly, I never saw Burton’s second Batman film nor do I have any interest in it. When I was 13, his first film was a joy. Now I kind of find it mildly ridiculous. In a fun way, I guess.
3 Gil // Dec 18, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Oh, I see. I dunno, I guess, different strokes? I loved the visuals in Begins. But I also think that Batman is one of those franchises where it’s always going to be a little muddy. I think I’ll watch it again regardless.
I thought Tim Burton’s second film was terrible. I hated it when I was 7(or was I 8?), and I hate it now. I’m fairly certain only Tim Burton loyalists and Hot Topic shoppers like that movie. But those groups might be the same thing…
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