DARK WAS THE KNIGHT

Courtesy of a good friend (Thanks Gladys!), I was able to watch The Dark Knight Rises last Sunday. Albeit the glowing reviews, exceptional marketing strategy that started a year ago (which was really creative btw) and the mass hysteria that even incited a merciless theater shooting, I was not as overwhelmed as everyone after I stepped away from the dark cinema. I never claim to be a movie expert but I try to judge a movie as objectively as I can by considering the whole aspects of production with my untrained eye.

Here are some unwarranted thoughts:

1. THIS IS NOT A SUPERHERO MOVIE – Though Batman can be credited as one of the few heroes that lean to realism (especially for DC Comics --- except that he still dons a cape. And those cool out-of-the-pants underpants. Yes I am being sarcastic.), this movie basically went too far for my taste. It did not bring out enough action, enough punch, enough heroes vs. villains shtick to give avid superhero fans that thrill of being a child again. As my comic book geek friend emphasized, it erased the fantasy part completely, which can’t be a good thing in this genre. And before the debate goes on about this movie breaking the barriers of any possible classifications--- well, we must refresh our minds to one big point : the subject is a superhero, a comic book character. What do you expect?

2. IT’S TOO LONG FOR ITS OWN SAKE – And dragging. It’s not to say it’s a boring film because it is not. The plot do thickens and can grab you by the throat, but it does loosen its grip every once in a while and you’ll find yourself sometimes checking your cell phone for a possible after-movie invitations. There is a lot of “how did that happen?” and “why did he do that?” queries that won’t be answered properly unless you re-watched the two movies before it, or if you can just quit checking your cell phone dammit!

3. BANE SOUNDED SO MUCH LIKE SEAN CONNERY IN A MEGAPHONE – You lose yourself trying to dissect what the guy is trying to say. That is another challenge.

4. IS THAT DUBAI WE SEE? – You know what I’m talking about.

5. THERE IS LESS MAN IN BAT SUIT HERE THAT YOU’LL EVER EXPECT – Nolan is a master of mindfucking you to bits and I adore him for that. And loathe him equally. Too much focus on the inner struggle kills the action which is equivalent to killing the fun. And that is from a guy who considers action movies as shallow thrills.

6. EVERYONE IS IN THEIR BEST FORM – Call me gay but Gordon-Levitt’s eyes spark enough reason to root for him. Michael Caine is his usual eloquent self and his delivery can tug your heartstrings in a blink. And Gary Oldman. Yes, no adjectives.

7. ANNE HATHAWAY– And we thought her sweet face denies her of that clawing quality that was needed of the role. I am gladly proven wrong. When she purrs, I secretly wish to get rabies from her.

Did Nolan deliver? Yes he did, and it deserves the hype. That doesn’t make it the best ending of the trilogy though. But close.

P.S.

Though the Amazing Spiderman was fleshed out perfectly (and unexpectedly), hearing about Man of Steel’s reboot for 2013 makes me cringe. Didn’t we hear enough of that kryptonite boy already? But looking at the teaser, it seems they’re doing an emotional take of the character. Let’s just hope they’ll pull it off like what Marc Webb did for the web slinger. And please, enough of Lex Luthor too.