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The Dark Knight SPOILER THREAD

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AlternativeUlster said:
I still have yet to see it again since I have seen it in theaters 5 or 6 times (can't remember). I hope they do an IMAX rerelease.

This. I want to see my favorite movie in theaters again. :D
 
Question. What does the Joker do to Gambol at his place? Did he slit his throat off-screen? And also was he the black gangster resisting arrest when Dent nabs like everyone? Happens too quick to see his face. Just confused on the matter.
 
I always thought he slit Gambol's mouth into a "smile," much like he was saying with his story. A lot like the Dahlia killings. That, uh, usually kills a victim.
 
DMczaf said:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001HXG8PK/?tag=neogaf0e-20

51-6b97gxyL._SS400_.jpg

I got this for 20 bucks when Virgin Megastore was going out of business last week. :D
 
BrandNew said:
I always thought he slit Gambol's mouth into a "smile," much like he was saying with his story. A lot like the Dahlia killings. That, uh, usually kills a victim.

Yep, I think that is what everyone thought too. I didn't know of anyone who thought about the throat thing.
 
I think that the confusion over the mouth thing is just a result of the quick edit and the fact that he dies very quickly (considering the injury).

In real life, the "glasgow smile" would kill you after a while but gambol drops instantly.

If I remember correctly, TDk was Pg13, so obviously, they can't show a mouth being slashed like that, nor can they show a guy on the floor bleeding to death and crawling around crying.

I think that the only two "main gangsters" in the restaurant were Maroni and the Russian.
 
Watched the movie for the first time in a long ass time with some friends who were new,
and the ending still hits me like a ton of bricks on various levels.





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Oh Heath ol' buddy, ol' pal. We miss ya.
 
So I bought the collector's edition soundtrack off iTunes and I'm listening to 'A Dark Knight' and 'Like a Dog Chasing Cars' and I'm trying to figure who we owe this amazing soundtrack to - is it Zimmer or Newton Howard?

I would say there is more Zimmer here than Howard. What do you guys think? The soundtrack is a serious step up from the original movie too imo.
 
Holtz said:

:O DO WANT.

Buckethead said:
Watched the movie for the first time in a long ass time with some friends who were new,
and the ending still hits me like a ton of bricks on various levels.

Oh Heath ol' buddy, ol' pal. We miss ya.

;_;

I had no idea that you were involved with the film, but I want to thank you for helping to bring TDK into being. That's one of the few pics of the Joker in which I can see Heath peeking through the persona.
 
JB1981 said:
So I bought the collector's edition soundtrack off iTunes and I'm listening to 'A Dark Knight' and 'Like a Dog Chasing Cars' and I'm trying to figure who we owe this amazing soundtrack to - is it Zimmer or Newton Howard?

I would say there is more Zimmer here than Howard. What do you guys think? The soundtrack is a serious step up from the original movie too imo.

The bombastic stuff is Zimmer, while the subtle stuff is Newton Howard. I tend to find both are pretty good on their own, but together are really great. They compliment eachother well.
 
Solo said:
The bombastic stuff is Zimmer, while the subtle stuff is Newton Howard. I tend to find both are pretty good on their own, but together are really great. They compliment eachother well.


Exactly.


I am really fond of 2:53 till 4:07 from the first track, 'Why So Serious?'.

I like the entire soundtrack as it feels like one big experience but that is one the most awesome bits ever. It's get me cheesing like fuck :D
 
I still prefer BB's score to TDK's (there are more of those beautitful, subtle JNH cues, mostly accompanying scenes with Bruce and his father, and its also got Molossus *bow*), but yeah, both are incredible.
 
Solo said:
I still prefer BB's score to TDK's (there are more of those beautitful, subtle JNH cues, mostly accompanying scenes with Bruce and his father, and its also got Molossus *bow*), but yeah, both are incredible.

Agreed, BB has some lovely Piano composition.
 
So Im sitting here having a lazy Sunday afternoon and I look at my Blurays, see TDK, and it occurs to me that we're just 13 days shy of the one year anniversary of TDK's release. As such, I was inspired to dig up some old fun.

Here are the pre-release and Rottenwatch threads:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155364
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=326348

So many hilarious/awesome memories in those threads :lol

Even better, how about some initial impressions from GAFers? Interesting to see who still stands by their word, and who likes the movie more/less now than they did initially. And here, we, go!

vatstep said:
I just got home; I didn't get any free stuff (Natick, MA screening). But I don't care, because what I just saw was UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE. My expectations were surpassed on EVERY SINGLE LEVEL. Just brilliant. One of the most epic and most thrilling movies I've EVER seen, if not THE most. I was on the edge of my seat, as they say, for pretty much the entire film. The Dark Knight is a fucking BEAST and it does not let up, even for one second.

I don't think it can be possibly be stated enough that The Dark Knight is not even CLOSE to being a "comic book" movie, and it is WORLDS further from that categorization than even Batman Begins. Calling this masterpiece a comic book movie would be an utter insult to a film this intricate, dark, and mature. It also can't be said enough how incredible Heath Ledger's performance is; I always thought he was a great actor, but in TDK he proves that he could've been a master. It's really a shame what happened to him, but the triumph that is The Dark Knight is one of the greatest tributes to him that there could ever be.

For you guys who've managed to hold out this long -- don't give in! Stop reading reviews. If someone at work says they heard something about the film, tell them to shut up. Quit this thread now, even! I made it a point to go in completely blind (I only casually read TDK threads, didn't read speculation, etc.) and I could NOT be happier. My mind was utterly fucking blown several times. It's not too late to save yourself!

I really want to gush right now about all of the fucking incredible stuff I just saw, but I think I'll hold off for a bit. I'd feel bad if anyone accidentally highlighted it. :(

Skiptastic said:
I just wanted to say that I waited in line for this movie beginning at 6:30. Peed at least three times waiting because I was so excited.

Then the movie started and never let me go. vatstep is so right. It is a beast. It never stops.

I got in my car after calling my brother and just could barely keep my shit together. He and I have seen so many awesome movies together and I was kinda disappointed that we couldn't share both of us seeing this one together for the first time. I told him he needs to get his ass up here so I can see it with him.

I don't like roller coasters, but this movie was just exhausting and amazing all at the same time. If there is a movie I have been this in love with after the first viewing, then someone needs to tell me.

I literally just walked over to my movie collection, and the only two movies I own that I can think even come close to comparing in the personal impact it had on me are Requiem for a Dream and Fight Club. When I saw those movies for the first time, I was in awe. The Dark Knight goes right alongside those, and actually surpasses it.

If Ledger doesn't win the Best Supporting Oscar, the person who wins had better have the best fucking acting performance of all time. We're talking Orson Welles in Kane, Brando in Godfather, Pacino in Godfather II, Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs type shit. Because that is what Ledger gave in this role. Not a SINGLE scene that he is in is wasted or not completely all eyes on him. The whole movie is on edge because of the Joker and Ledger's portrayal of him. It's just absolutely impeccable.

This is easily my movie of 2008. Probably ahead of Requiem for movie of the 2000s. Fuck it, it's probably my favorite movie of all time. It just is exhilarating.

Thank you, Christopher Nolan. God bless you.

Costanza said:
this was one of the greatest fucking movies i have ever seen

chris nolan is amazing <3

jett said:
MASTERPIECE.

I sure as hell don't give films this adjective often, but TDK deserves nothing less. What the Nolan brothers have done here is just incredible.

jrricky said:
OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD. Just arrived back from the midnight showing and my jaw is literally on the floor right now as I type this.
yes its possible

THIS IS THE BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE EVER TO TOUCH THE SCREENS OF LIGHT, EVER!!!!!!
IF NOT THE BEST MOVIE EVER, THOUGH THERE ARE SOME OTHERS WHICH CHALLENGE IT

Heath Ledger is a marvelous actor for Joker and I am so sad that he isnt here to take home any oscars for this. The story is without flaw. The action is superb. Every actor reprised their role very well. This is something superman returns should have been, sorry supe, I still hold something for you in this heart, though.

I wont be getting my hopes up for the sequel because this bar is set way too high for it to be beaten. (plus, I dont want any other person to act the joker role except Heath.) (double plus, trilogy enders always suck).

I am so giddy to go and see this movie 5 more times.


NO. The game would ruin all the happiness I have about this movie. Do not turn this into a videogame please.

Fixed2BeBroken said:
just got back too, simply fucking amazing....i was kinda smashed while watching it cause my friends and I decided to drink before the movie, but shit, was it ever entertaining.

heath ledger had me cracking up the whole time. I'm sorry jack fans but heath's joker shits all over jacks.

this movie, is the best comic/super hero movie of the forever.

Spiderman = lawlercakes compared to this.

ironman? pfft.

Christopher nolan > all.

I will see this movie again on sunday sober.

best joker moment was "let me show you magic trick, wanna watch me make this pen dissappear? BAM!....my theater went nuts at that part

SpeedingUptoStop said:
My god....

MY GOD....

this film....THIS FUCKING FILM!!!!

lemme put this out there, the right and the wrong here. Batman Begins is everything I thought I wanted in a film. All of it was familiar, refreshing and excited.


The Dark knight is everything I never knew I wanted in a film. THIS WAS SO INCREDIBLY UNBELIEVABLE. I can't stress this. I can't exagerate it. This film....THIS FILM.....is everything a film should be. My god. They can't top this. No way. i never wanted it to end. It could've went on forever, indefinitely. And if you think the film should've ended 30 minutes earlier, I'm sorry, but not only do i have absofuckinglutely no idea what the fuck you're talking about, YOU'RE A GOD DAMN FOOL. Oh my god. Best ending. Best Beginning. Best middle. Best movie ever.


EVER.

StoOgE said:
oh my fucking god.

i thought i had overhyped this movie in my mind and it BLEW ME THE FUCK AWAY.

oh my god, how can you do a sequal? it cant top this.

they have to go another direction and make it nothing like this.

also every other super hero movie now looks like a kids movie... how was this pg13?

Amir0x said:
wow holy fucking christ

I learned a few things today.

1. I disagree with my earlier assessment of who should be the next batman villain. They can NEVER do another Batman movie. Please end the franchise right the fuck now. Nothing will ever be able to top Ledger, nothing will ever be able to replace him. There is no escalation that can possibly provide a third film that can even equal its predecessor. There is no talent alive that can write a script to live up to what was achieved.

The way the film ends - and you guys who seen it know - it means
the ghost of Heath Ledger will always loom over the franchise. Because he's still alive
. His performance is fucking elemental, a force of goddamn nature exploding with every sort of descriptor imaginable: brutally unpredictable, beyond maniacal, and even bursting with electric sexual energy. I don't even say that to be perverse, but he IS the film. He IS the Batman franchise. He IS the Dark Knight film, and now he is a symbol for the top. Nothing can beat it and therefore it makes little sense for anyone to even try. I know people will say 'but Amir0x, that seems a little silly.' It's just out there. I believe it is true.

2. The thing other comic book movies are missing is a true sense of DANGER. This movie does not lack that. It is so far in the other direction that parts of it are shocking, almost waking one up from the droll predictability of previous comic films. Spider-Man 2 had some emotional stability, but its characters only feel threatened in the sort of way a roller coaster may feel moderately frightening in its course. But here characters are dropped from their rafters, thrown to the dogs and everyone is put in the line of fire. Joker is so unhinged that he springs like a bear trap, those who wander into his path crushed beneath the mercilessness.

3. This movie is also a great Ensemble. Gary Oldman is spectacular, Aaron Eckhart is unbelievable, Morgan Freeman... and Maggie Gyllenhall. Of course she deserves special attention for bitch smacking the fuck out of that shallow schoolgirl performance that Katie Holmes previously put out for Begins. I felt she was the weak element of that film, but here Maggie makes me turn and feel she plays an invaluable role in the proceedings. She puts the moral dilemma into a context that feels believable and completely unpretentious. To me Christian Bale was actually the weakest performance - I believe Bruce Wayne playboy was underplayed and Batman "gravel voice" was overplayed. But this is also by contrast to just how unbelievable Joker was.

This film is so amazing in so many ways that I can discuss it for ages. I don't say this as someone who has made the decision on what I was going to feel and never had any chance of changing his mind. I had set up these expectations, and it handily blew them away.

I had a few problems with two specific action scenes, which add up to a total of like ten minutes out of this entire two hour and thirty minute production which seem pretty minor by comparison to how good it all was.

Count Dookkake said:
Movie was okay. First was much better.

SonicMegaDrive said:
Let me paint you a picture:

Are you a baseball fan?

Have you ever watched a ball game where your team is down by 3 runs in the bottom of the 9th...

There's two outs...

The next batter gets on base after swinging at strike three and a wild pitch...

then, an infield single...then a walk on a very close ball four...., loading the bases.

Then, the next batter is the guy on the team LEAST likely to hit a home run?

And then that guy SMASHES a home run into the seats, winning the game for his team, and creating a PLETHORA of excitement and energy around the entire stadium, getting swamped by his teammates, and everyone is jumping and screaming and lights are flashing everywhere?

Well, that's the kind of excitement watching this movie gave me.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And I swear I'm not spouting hyperbolic fanboy gibberish.

This was really good.

AlternativeUlster said:
I watched it last night and while I didn't fall heads over heels for it, I did still liked it a lot and didn't break my heart like Wall-E did. The Joker is amazing and I wish Heath wasn't dead so that he could be in the next film. I also liked that Batman started to act like Batman and use his detective skills and had cool ways of putting things in motion much how I expect Batman to do so. I still would rather have Katie than Maggie and don't understand this whole "Maggie finally adding depth to the character" bit. Oh well. The final act is a little unforgiving but I will see it again once on normal theaters and when I move to Austin in a couple of weeks, see it on its Imax 6 stories tall screen.

Solo said:
Wow, that certainly was an interesting experience. With The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan manages to fix all of the major problems I have with Batman Begins. And yet, despite those BB issues (inconsistent – the first act of the film is so much better than the middle and final acts; bad fight choreography and badly filmed action scenes; some ham fisted cheesiness), as far as first impressions go, I’m going to have to take the road less traveled and say that I preferred BB to TDK. I recall vividly when the credits hit the first time I saw BB that I was genuinely gleeful (despite the flaws). When TDK faded to black, I wasn’t hit with those same emotions. I enjoyed it lots, but it didn’t click with me like its predecessor did.

One of the major things that stood out for me is that BB felt like a Batman movie, and it really nailed the tone and aesthetic of the world. TDK by comparison felt like a crime drama that just so happened to have some Batman characters dropped into it. Both movies were ensembles, but TDK feels so much more so, to the point that our protagonist, Bruce Wayne/Batman feels like a supporting player, and his arc isn’t anywhere near as well developed or satisfying as it was in BB (which really delivers a nice emotional punch). I guess I just preferred the more intimate and smaller scale storytelling in BB over the grand, sweeping yarn TDK spins.

TDK does erase the flaws present in BB, though. The action scenes are much better both in terms of scope and in terms of how they were shot, and the movie keeps a much more consistent (and fairly brisk) pace. The acting overall is better in TDK – Bale and Caine seem conformable in their roles now (although Bale’s Batman voice is even worse this time around, if that’s even possible), Gyllenhaal delivers the emotional stuff like Katie Holmes never would have been able, and Gary Oldman is better than he has been in a few years. As for Heath Ledger’s supposedly Oscar-worthy turn as the Joker, I don’t see it. Don’t get me wrong, he is very good in the role, but its nothing mindblowing, and if anyone from this production deserves acting accolades, it has to be Aaron Eckhart, whose turn as Harvey Dent has been met with little fanfare.

In the end, it’s quite good. I don’t think it’s the second coming it has been championed by many as being, but in terms of my own personal taste, I think it slides nicely into the top 3 of the genre, behind Spider-Man 2 and Batman Begins. Despite the reservations I’ve mentioned, The Dark Knight still definitely gets a recommendation from me.

The Main Event said:
Oh boy. Here comes the hate.

I absolutely hated the editing of the movie. Even with the movie being 2h30 long, it felt like there were too many scenes crammed together, and I don't think it flowed really well. Too many quick shots, some transitions just felt completely off
(scene where Gordon is declared "dead"/scene with Gordon's family/club scene, comes to mind).

Didn't care at all for Maggie Gyllenhaal. She just didn't seem to be in love with Bruce Wayne anymore (even though she actually is). The Bruce/Rachel relation was a complete letdown. I blame Gyllenhaal on that.

I didn't think Gotham City had the same gritty look from the first one (with smoke all around the city). Was the movie even shot in the same city as the first one? Even the Wayne Enterprise didn't look like the first one(?) Gotta double check on that.

Batman's voice felt silly this time. I understand the logic behind this, but it was way too forced this time around. It doesn't make any sense for him to talk with a low bad-ass voice when he's around people like Rachel and Fox, who obviously knows who he is.

Joker and Two Faces were great though. Especially Ledger. He pulled it out extremely well. Definitely the highlight of the movie.

I think the big problem is that the movie had less "heart" than Begins, if that makes any sense. Rachel's and Alfred's characters were so much better in it. So many things in The Dark Knight just felt disconnected.
 
I remember my initial reaction was a mixture of being utterly drained (Due to the film's pacing but largely Ledger's performance) and a tinge of disappointment.

I actually liked the film a whole lot more upon 2nd viewing. While it really takes Begins to the next level in most cases, there's something about the origin story and what is altogether a much tighter narrative which still makes me come back to Begins.

Due to it's much larger scope and indeed acts, I find Dark Knight doesn't quite have that same quality...
 
Well since everyone is in the sharing mood.... I don't think these have been posted before. I know there are more out there, but I think this is all of my stash. I'll check my desktop later, but here's quite a few:





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MISC.
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RIP Heath you were a light to us all!
 
I still love this movie exactly the same amount as I did when I first saw it.

I am still blown away by how much better this movie was than every other comic book movie
 
I should watch it again sometime soon, It's been a few months too many.


I'll never forget the heat of that theater, the anticipation, the people who showed up 4 hours early....just incredible.
 
A year ago I geniusly wrecked my car few weeks before TDK came out. Fortunately, I did not total my car and the first thing I did after I got my car back? Yep, I drove to the nearest theater for the next TDK showing.

Loved the movie, loved the acting, loved the writing. I found it remarkable that the Nolans and Goyer could produce a script/STORY so brilliant that is unmatched except by few in the comic book industry.

My genuine disappointment with the movie? Bale's portrayal of Bruce Wayne. He seemed much, much more alive and comfortable when he was Batman than when he was the wooden Bruce Wayne. Recently I have been re-watching the movie and paying special close attention to Bale's Bruce, and while I can say my appreciation grows as I have been noticing little nuances, I still wish that he would give us the Bruce Wayne/Batman that matched Ledger's Joker.
 
I remember telling my friend as we went out of the theater, "No bullshit, this is one of the best action movies I have ever seen", and that set us off on a drive home that was filled with "that was so cool" being repeated way too many times.

It still is one of my favorite comic book/action movies ever, but I've come to realize that (obviously) it isn't as perfect as I first thought. First of all, it is a long ass movie, I think I've watched it all the way through only once since I bought it. Also, the movie gets a bit less awesome after Two Face begins his rampage.

Also, for some reason I didn't really notice or mind the "batman voice" when I was in the theater, but after every fucker on the internet pointed it out I can't......unhear (?) it.
 
Amir0x said:
I still love this movie exactly the same amount as I did when I first saw it.

I am still blown away by how much better this movie was than every other comic book movie

My sentiments exactly. TDK <3 4E
 
SpeedingUptoStop said:
I'll never forget the heat of that theater, the anticipation, the people who showed up 4 hours early....just incredible.
Seeing TDK on opening weekend was an experience. It wasn't just another night at the movies...it was a once in a lifetime thing you'll remember forever like seeing the birth of your first child, the day Diablo III comes out, losing your virginity, etc. I'm dead serious. I honestly don't think this film will be topped for years and years to come. Unfortunately, Ledger's death has something to do with that...it gave it a timeless feeling, something that will never be replicated.
 
BeautifulMemory said:
Loved the movie, loved the acting, loved the writing. I found it remarkable that the Nolans and Goyer could produce a script/STORY so brilliant that is unmatched except by few in the comic book industry.

Pretty cool interview with Jonathan Nolan during opening weekend about working on the script

http://media.libsyn.com/media/creativescreenwritingmag/TheDarkKnightQandA.mp3

Edit: Nevermind, looks like they took the file down :lol
 
master15 said:
I remember my initial reaction was a mixture of being utterly drained (Due to the film's pacing but largely Ledger's performance) and a tinge of disappointment.

I actually liked the film a whole lot more upon 2nd viewing. While it really takes Begins to the next level in most cases, there's something about the origin story and what is altogether a much tighter narrative which still makes me come back to Begins.

Due to it's much larger scope and indeed acts, I find Dark Knight doesn't quite have that same quality...

I still waver back and forth over which I like better, BB or TDK. Both have flaws, both do certain things amazingly well. Ask me any day of the week which is better and I'll give a different answer. Im hoping the inevitable third film can have the strengths of both while eliminating the flaws.

For the record, today is a BB day.
 
I remember on my first viewing that when the movie ended, my jaw was on the floor.

Excellent start, great middle and perfect ending. Very rare to see a movie this well paced, and exciting. It practically trumps Batman Begins in all areas. Such an experience.
 
sorry.. no interest in Batman 3 aka BATMAN BEGINS AGAIN

if there is a new villain... maybe vincent gallo could salvage something from the huge gap heath's death left? madly left field choices only.
 
Solo said:
Even better, how about some initial impressions from GAFers? Interesting to see who still stands by their word, and who likes the movie more/less now than they did initially. And here, we, go!

I still remember that screening and how I felt after it was all over. It was like being in shock. It had that much of an impact on me. It was great. And the second showing on opening night at midnight was just as awesome.

I still think it was the best movie of last year, by far. I would put it just ahead of Requiem for movie of the decade. And I would still say it is in competition with Ashes of Time and Fight Club as my favorite movie of all time. So I stick by my initial reaction.

And Buckethead, those pictures are so awesome! :)
 
Yeah, I still think it's rather fantastic. Oldman and Ledger gave such awesome performances. I don't usually rewatch films, but I've seen this one four times in a single year and loved it each time.
 
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