The Dark Knight
I’m reluctant to blog on The Dark Knight, because I simply won’t be able to do it without spoiling it for some of you. Some highlights:
- Heath Ledger’s performance is fantastic, and mostly psychologically accurate to boot.
- You never get desensitised to the violence: you wince at every punch, gasp at every death.
- Even the bit you saw coming doesn’t play out how you thought it was going to.
What I wonder now is who will be the next villain to be introduced in this franchise. Again, no spoilers, but I think it’s obvious who’ll be the focus of the next one. It’s who comes after that that’s the mystery. So many of the old Batman villians (and characters) are so camp, so ridiculous, that they might not be able to be brought into the Nolan style.
My bet? Penguin. Annie disagrees, but hear me out. You need one of the characters who is well known, but can also be updated into the dark Nolan style. The Joker has obviously been done, Catwoman will forever be an awful Halle Berry movie, and The Riddler is too fresh in people’s mind as Jim Carey’s role (and I’m not sure how dark you could get with this character). The Penguin, however, could easily be portrayed as a reclusive (sewers) millionaire with a mercinary (henchmen) army.
And that’s my hypothesis.
July 23, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Weird, I have this exact same conversation with Sofia when we went to see it. (My second time). My money was also very much on The Penguin. And Catwoman (note Lucius’ comment on the new suit “it could handle a cat”)… hopefully she will be done well. I also thought about The Riddler, but I have a hard time with it, thinking it’ll turn into something like Kevin Spacey in Se7en or something equally just not quite right. Mr Freeze, Bane, Poison Ivy all suck, The League of Assassins is a little too socially relevent… Clayface could be fuckin’ cool, but doesn’t fit the realism of the new series. (Yes I am a huge dork).
Also, who would play the bird? I jokingly mentioned Paul Giamatti, but it was pointed out to me that he can be pretty vicious. Also Steve Buschemi has the creep-factor, but not the right body type and he’s too distinctive. I have pondered this, and have yet to come up with anyone particularly good.
July 23, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Oh yeah, and I’m gutted The Joker is dead. Namely because it was the best movie villain I have ever seen (ever), but because a sequel with Harley Quinn could have been pretty unbelievable. As long as Robin was left out of it.
July 24, 2008 at 12:27 am
….@ zegelbear: despite the fact that heath ledger is, the joker isn’t dead.
What about amping up Bane? Despite being a lackey in the poison ivy story line in the older movies, wasn’t he originally batman’s only real physical foe? Oh and now wikipedia’s telling me he’s also very intelligent. unexpected and unexplored potential.
i also would like to see a more badass woman get involved than the simpering rachel dawes. not that she doesn’t have her “intensely human” “face of the city worth saving” quality to her, but let’s get some ladies in there.
x
July 24, 2008 at 7:35 am
http://geeksofdoom.com/2008/07/22/where-does-the-dark-knight-leave-us/
Here’s an article that basically argues that Poison Ivy is going to be next. I’m not 100% convinced, but it’s an interesting idea.