I finally had a chance to go see the Dark Knight, and at the IMAX to boot. Toni, Jon, Jon’s lady friend Katie and I went to the 10:30pm sold out showing at the Minnesota Zoo last Friday night.
Aside from the obvious omnipresent hype over the movie, I listened to Episode 34: Give Batman a goddamn lozenge, which thankfully didn’t offer any spoilers, but did have a few critiques that I took into the movie with me. The biggest of which, was how Batman runs around like he has been smoking and drinking whisky for his entire life. One of the guys’ friends was running around talking like that a bunch after the screening and there were some funny lines reiterated on the episode. So everytime Batman talked, I laughed my ass off and “Which way to the bathroom?” kept playing in my head… thanks CJ. hahhaha.
Also, I think was waaaay too excited for the movie, because I didn’t think it was as awesome as it was going to be. I also think I was wicked tired, which didn’t help. Compared to Iron Man, I was far less excited about the movie while actually watching it.
However, thinking about the movie, it is probably the best comic movie I have ever seen. Previously, this was Unbreakable. I think the thing that sets these movies apart from normal movies, is that the story was amazing. Most comic movies, I feel, are more based on writing styles that are typical of comics that people think of when they think of crappy comics. You know the drill, good guy fights bad guy, there is some sort of hook, the good guy has choices to make, etc etc. It is the classic HEROES JOURNEY that is omni-present in literature – just diffent players and some spandex. However, “graphic novels” are a different breed. While the correction is almost cliche now among comic snobs “no no, not a comic – a graphic novel”, the difference is astounding. Now, take a graphic novel (vs. a comic) and adapt it to film. Enter “Dark Knight”.
The Dark Knight is truely a great movie. RIP Heath Ledger.
