Superheroes
I won’t be coy. The genesis for this piece was the hypothesis that The Last Jedi was not “divisive,” despite that word being BatChrist: Born (and Re-Born) in Hell
Depending on how you choose to count, there are either three or four Batman resurrections in The Dark Knight Rises.
The Audacity of Repetition, Reinforcement, and Clarity
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises is an incredibly ballsy movie. I don’t mean its scope and ambition, both of which are indeed impressive. I mean the audacity of choices that could have easily backfired: following Heath Ledger’s nuanced, razor-sharp Joker with the nearly blank thug Bane; recycling Batman Begins’ sinister plot, doomsday machine, and League of Shadows; inserting teenage-boy masturbation fantasy Catwoman into a universe largely devoid of sex appeal and camp (and non-Rachel Dawes women, period); crafting a lengthy, convoluted first act made even less comprehensible because of the sound design and score; and relegating Batman to captivity of one sort or another for the vast majority of the movie’s first 115 minutes.
Needed Scars for a Better Dark Knight
How about a magic trick? I shall transform Christopher Nolan’s 144-minute The Dark Knight into a significantly better movie by trimming eight minutes from it.
Tagged: Batman, Christopher Nolan, Reviews, Superheroes, The Dark Knight
All Dressed Up and No Place to Go
Sadly, M. Night Shyamalan’s Unbreakable hasn’t held up well, suffering from an inability to transcend its conceit.
Tagged: M. Night Shyamalan, Reviews, Superheroes, Unbreakable
On Re-Creations
When I say that the filmed version of Watchmen and the horror remake Quarantine are faithful to the point of tedium, I intend that largely as a compliment. Great talent, care, time, and money have been spent not fixing what ain’t broke. Considered separate from their sources, both movies work. But they’re damned depressing.
Battle of the Summer Superheroes
Let’s break this down like a logic puzzle. Iron Man is a better beginning-to-end movie than The Dark Knight or Hancock. The Dark Knight’s best scenes and moments are easily superior to anything in the other two movies. So which did I like best, and find the most affecting? Hancock, of course.
Tagged: Christopher Nolan, Hancock, Iron Man, Superheroes, The Dark Knight
The Knight’s Armor
It’s become apparent with The Dark Knight that dissent will not be tolerated by the movie’s fans. But contrary arguments, even if they’re wrong, serve an important purpose, assuming they’re thoughtful and supported; they can help opponents question themselves and ultimately develop better cases.
Tagged: Batman, Christopher Nolan, Reviews, Superheroes, The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight: Haiku Squared
Yet, while absorbing,
the movie is troublesome,
lesser than Begins.
The former – patient,
its arc elegant. This? A
relentless straight line.
Tagged: Batman, Christopher Nolan, Haiku, Poetry, Reviews, Superheroes, The Dark Knight
Don’t Disappoint Me, Freak
I’m starting to get worried about The Dark Knight.
