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Ledger, ‘Dark Knight’ full of surprises
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There’s talk of an Oscar push for Heath Ledger as The Joker in “The Dark Knight,” which officially opens nationwide on Friday.
I’ll tell you this: put him up as best supporting actor and he’s already won.
Ledger, who died earlier this year, is the film’s lasting, most illuminating impression.
“The Dark Knight” has bombs; bullets; car chases with gigantic and loud crashes; brutal, sadistic murders and a cast that sometimes appears as big as Gotham City. But it is Ledger’s performance moviegoers will likely be talking about the most.
His scenes are plentiful, stoked with fiery, bizarre delivery and a snake’s forever-moving tongue. He and his movie are full of surprises, too.
Seriously, one of his most effective lines is simply, “Hi.”
Some critics are already piling up praise for Ledger and the movie.
Richard Corliss of Time: “This Joker is simply one of the most twisted and mesmerizing creeps in movie history.”
Justin Chang of Variety: “Seriously brainy pop entertainment.”
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: “An epic that will leave you staggering from the theater.”
Warner Bros. screened the film earlier this week for metro Atlanta critics. Here’s more of what fans will likely be talking about:
THE PENCIL: The Joker uses many tricks and props. One of the first is when he asks a group of onlookers to watch him “make this pencil disappear.’ What follows is one of the most memorable moments among this summer’s action movies.
THE CO-STARS: Joining Christian Bale (as Batman) and Ledger is a full nest of dependable supporting players, including Morgan Freeman (returning as Lucius Fox), Michael Caine (returning as Alfred Pennyworth), Gary Oldman (returning as Lt. James Gordon), Maggie Gyllenhaal (as Rachel Dawes) and, especially, Aaron Eckhart (as district attorney Harvey Dent). But the talent extends to minor characters: Eric Roberts (as a Mob boss), William Fichtner as a bank manager and Michael Jai White (as a crime figure).
THE IMAX: Six scenes have action footage filmed using IMAX format cameras. Available tickets for screenings late-night Thursday through Sunday at the Regal’s Mall of Georgia IMAX are scarce. On regular 35mm, the film is playing in more than 30 metro Atlanta theaters.
THE DARKNESS: Like the previous Batman movies, this one is steeped in deep blues and menacing blacks. Most of the action sequences occur at night. Destruction occurs not only in Gotham City, but in Hong Kong.
THE CAMERA: Director Christopher Nolan’s favorite shot seems to be to have his camera swirl 180 degrees around his subjects. He does it again and again. He also moves close to frame Ledger’s face of horrid pancaked makeup and backs up for a wide, distant shot of Gotham’s population (most rendered in CGI) desperately waiting at a series of bridges to get out of the threatened city.
THE LENGTH: Every time you think the film is getting ready to end, know there’s more coming. At 2 hours, 20 minutes, there are plentiful action sequences. Still, the film can seem to go on and on.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Bob Longino
Comments
By Bill Finger
July 15, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Over-hyped. Gimmicky direction, camera tricks, explosions, and a dead junkie cannot disguise that this is yet another reworking of a threadbare concept. Even IMAX is not really new. As for tickets being “scarce,” well, this isn’t a one-night performance. Won’t the picture be playing next week? and, the wek after that? Only drooling fanboys and lem-tards “have” to see it immediately (and repeatedly).
By jarvis
July 15, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this
Wow Bill. You sound like a real happy guy.
By Alex Adkins
July 15, 2008 2:13 PM | Link to this
Bill, for all your bombast and criticism, you’d think you were Adam West or Jack Nicholson’s son! Your description of Ledger as a “dead junkie” is classless and tasteless, and name calling is not what I would consider educated criticism. Seriously, what is a “lem-tard”?
Unfortunately Bill, I think you’ve forgotten what it’s like to go into a movie and forget about camera techniques and lighting and just let the movie take you away. Of course technical production quality is important, but let’s not forget why we go to the movies: to escape, to thrill, to gasp, and feel the acting and action on the screen.
Bob, I always enjoy what you have to say and I hope you will continue writing in our little (Gotham) City for a long time.
To borrow a line: See you at the Movies!
By Steve
July 15, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
I think someone used to give Bill wedgies when he was a kid. Sheesh. Lighten up, Bill, it’s a comic book superhero. Oh, BTW - have you even SEEN the movie? No? Thought not.
By Alex Adkins
July 15, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this
Bill, for all your bombast and criticism, you’d think you were Adam West or Jack Nicholson’s son! Your description of Ledger as a “dead junkie” is classless and tasteless, and name calling is not what I would consider educated criticism. Seriously, what is a “lem-tard”?
Unfortunately Bill, I think you’ve forgotten what it’s like to go into a movie and forget about camera techniques and lighting and just let the movie take you away. Of course technical production quality is important, but let’s not forget why we go to the movies: to escape, to thrill, to gasp, and feel the acting and action on the screen.
Bob, I always enjoy what you have to say and I hope you will continue writing in our little (Gotham) City for a long time.
To borrow a line: See you at the Movies!
By Fed Up
July 15, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this
Don’t hold back there, Bill, tell us what you really think. Dead junkie… really? Taking shots at a dead man, now that’s showing your brass. The threadbare concept of what… good vs. evil? Man vs. self? Yeah because those themes are SO overdone and tired, why would anyone want to ever explore them every again? Summer action flicks are supposed to be FUN, man, not high freakin’ art.
By KrisG
July 15, 2008 2:24 PM | Link to this
Bill is a loser. Failure in life who has to find ways to dismiss the success of others to feel better. Seriously, ripping a movie he’s never seen, and calling a guy who died of prescription drugs for a very real illness a “junkie.”
By Fed Up
July 15, 2008 2:36 PM | Link to this
I’m guilty of responding to a far too obvious troll, who is probably sitting around snickering under his bridge and whispering to himself…
“See? They really do like me. If they didn’t, they would ignore me, so they must love me. Look at me… my opinions annoy people!”
He sure made suckers out of us. Yup, Bill the Troll is one awesome blogger, he sure knows how to wind people up. His opinion matters because, you see, he’s BILL, and he knows more than YOU, sitting there in your puddle of drool.
By The Truth
July 15, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
I saw Bill in line at the ticket counter for the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus concerts.
By adam
July 15, 2008 2:59 PM | Link to this
Sorry your wife left you Bill. That must hurt. Or your husband, or whoever. Somebody must have broken your heart for you to be such a prick.
By Scotus
July 15, 2008 3:04 PM | Link to this
Don’t feed the Troll
By jroc133
July 15, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
Folks,
Bill is still p** off that Bob Kane takes full credit for the creation of Batman. Anything that comes to life w/ the Bat symbol associated w/ it means that Bill doesn’t see one red cent from it. He’s hating…
…or he’s a comic book junkie using Bill Finger’s name as an online prank to all of the uninformed. At anyrate, whoever posted it will be in line to see just like all the rest of us.
Really, Bill…
Its one thing to be p** at Bob Kane. Are you gonna take shots at Stan Lee or Mike Mignola for their comic book creations as well?
By rob
July 16, 2008 9:53 AM | Link to this
Bill, you must be Jok(er)ing… Let down your tights man, and just think, its only a movie, oh, are you still scared of the Monkeys from the Wizard of Oz coming to get you????
Have fun tonight in your one room hotel with your Vacancy light flashing bightly onto your bed!!!
By maddoxh
July 16, 2008 12:38 PM | Link to this
Forget BILL, how about some real reviews of the preview folks?
By Goin' for eye candy!
July 16, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
Christian Bale is so hot!! He has been around forever and he never gets the recognition that he deserves in Hollywood! So sad about Heath Ledger. I certainly never thought it would end like that for him. He was so talented!
By Tony
July 16, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
That guy who calls himself “Bill Finger” and acting upset is doing so because the real Bill Finger actually create the Joker and was not giving created for it (it went to Bob Kane)so he’s writing as if the real Bill Finger had seen the movie.
By Trina
July 16, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
I can’t wait to see the movie. I want to see Heath Ledger. I think the Joker is scary sexy!
By Juan
July 17, 2008 9:50 AM | Link to this
Saw the movie last night and it lives up to the hype. The best thing I can say is that it isn’t really a comic book movie at all. Someone finally made a really solid crime drama (like Heat) that just happens to take place in the Batman world. It completely raises the bar for what is considered a “comic” movie. They (smartly) let Bruce/Batman simply play a role in a great story…as opposed to the entire movie being “about” him. Some are saying it is like following Star Wars with the Empire Strikes Back…but I think it is even more impressive than that.
By john
July 18, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this
Wow - the first reply in this is from a guy who has nothing good to say about a movie he hasn’t even seen…. and what is wrong with Fanyboys? At least they are enthusiastic about the medium/genre of their liking —- you are just a loser who has nothing to add. Kinda like Terrance Moore at the AJC, but he gets paid for the nonsense he submits to this site.
By I'joni
July 21, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
Went to see the movie last night and it was great! While no one will ever be able to outdo Jack as the Joker, Heath is a VERY close second. And where Jack’s was more comic book-ish because of the type of movie, Heath’s was more realistic. He WAS the Joker. That “pencil trick” scene had everyone in the theater tripping! Bob Logino was definitely right regarding that scene as well as the length. I have to admit, there were times when even I was like, “Ok, when’s this thing gonna end???”
By Dexter
July 24, 2008 3:09 PM | Link to this
Bill reminds me of the hack by the name of David Lindsey who writes for “Stomp and Stammer”, a local entertainment magazine. I doubt Bill even saw the movie, he just needs to be the cool guy who rips on anything popular. Sorry Bill but if I saw you on the street, I’d have to kick your teeth down your throat for the Heath Ledger remark. Unlike you, people will actually remember Heath Ledger. Go die you worthless piece of s@&t.