Revised and Extended: The Dark Knight

Because I'm all OCD like that, I've been devouring the Wikipedia and various blog-posts I've come across about The Dark Knight.


I enjoyed the film tremendously. Enough so that I might even see it in the theater again, though preferably I-Maxed this time.

However, after extensive reading, some of the criticisms do seem to have merit. Not so much merit that I'm rethinking my love of the movie but still...

This post has some interesting discussion in the comments about some perceived plot-holes. I don't think most of the plot holes he identifies are actual plot holes (as I said in a comment posted there) but I do think that there are some plot holes in the movie. The most notable (SPOILER WARNING) is what happens in the party at Wayne's penthouse after Batman and Rachel go out the window. Basically, we just skip merrily along to the next scene and are left, I suppose, to gather that the Joker after getting Batman to jump out the window just gave up on finding Harvey Dent at the party. Doesn't seem likely.

Here's a review from a guy who didn't like the movie, despite (or perhaps *because* of) having thought there was a lot of potential in a followup to Batman Begins. He raises some good criticisms but ultimately my response to movies relies much less on the sort of conscious evaluation of themes and mechanics that he is using here and much more on visceral reaction to the film. So the fact that Heath Ledger was amazing (which everyone but my two closest male friends in NYC seems to agree was the case) and that Aaron Eckhart blew away my expectations of his ability to play his role in the movie left me a v. happy camper. That and the fact that I have, perhaps, a better memory for movie lines than the average camper, so the relative non-memorability of the "one-liners" in this movie didn't really phase me: I liked it so I remember them.


That and the action bits were awesome. Which is not nothing when looking for summer entertainment...

But mostly, how can you not love this guy?

No, no, applause to you Mr. J...

(PS, I got to all of the various links in this post from this post on Ross Douthat's blog. )