"Atomic batteries to power. Turbines to speed"

"You keep all your money in a big brown bag inside a zoo.

What a thing to do!"

(Hello there "Anonymous", good to hear from you, if a little unexpected - coincidentally my next post was a film review!)

Here Be Spoilers!!!! (and perhaps boredom , this is long...)
My Daughter and I went to an early showing of "The Dark Knight" this morning. Strangely it was the first time I'd been to my local cinema, and it's been there a few years now. The Cinema itself was small and uninspiring, and of course the worst thing about a local cinema is that it's full of locals!
Luckily (maybe not entirely luck) we got the best seats, I can never relax until I'm in that "sweet spot" and I'm satisfied that nearby seats are not inhabited by the bag rustling, chattering, phone ringing types you know I love to hate (as always "hate" maybe the wrong word, how about despise?)

Standby for an incoherent rambling review:
The thing I liked best about the film was (apart from the conceit that a velour cloaked, bat eared superhero actually exists) it's attempt to portray a "real" Batman in a "real" world. The Wayne employees attempt to reveal the Batman's identity is a case in point . It wouldn't take a genius to figure out that you need to be "quite" rich to afford such "wonderful toys", and this was handled wittily. Anyway - the film is hardly a laugh fest, but I enjoyed the grimness, tinged with a vague optimism (the Jokers disappointment at The Ferry bound Gotham Citizens unwillingness to blow each other up was a hoot!) for the good in people!
I loved the use of practical effects, CGI was obviously used (hello Two Face!) , but the set pieces had a real world , visceral feel to them, that pretty CGI usually lacks and the fight scenes had a no nonsense, powerful , unrelenting and painful feel, Batman isn't trying to be stylish here, just get the job done.
And yes, Heath Ledgers Joker was a tour de force, the lizard tongue and the voice (which to me at least was influenced at least a little, by Mark Hamill's performance in the Animated Adventures, which is now alas the second best incarnation of the Dark Knight) the tics and gestures, all have been discussed ad nauseum in real reviews.
Obviously, the promise of Batman and Joker becoming the (almost) eternal enemies we know cannot now come to fruition, as I suspect may have happened if Ledger had not died. Consequently it doesn't seem likely we will see another Joker on screen, at least for the 20 or so year cycle that remakes usually seem to allow.
Gotham city felt like a real and dangerous place, not the 3 or so Gothic street corners we saw in Tim Burton's version, speaking of which, the "turn my head" reference was surely a dig at Michael Keaton's "only attack me form the front" costume?
sequel?
I was sad to see the demise of the "tumbler" Batmobile, but (like most of the best parts of the movie) we knew from the trailer(s) that the "Batpod" cycle would feature heavily.
I'm not sure how a child of 9 or 10 would feel about this film (and there was a fair few in the cinema today), It's grim, gritty, the action is not comic book stuff, two face is pretty graphic, the plot and character motivations are complicated, and above all it's really long!
Speaking of plot - it really got away from the familiar villain origin , conflict, love , more conflict, resolution plot we are so used to in superhero movies. ( Obviously Gordon wasn't dead, as he has to become commissioner - I do hope we never see the strangely faceless Barbara Gordon Junior metamorphose into Batgirl, as we have already seen the Batman copycats in this movie). I didn't know where the story would go next, which is so refreshing (compare with Iron Man , a great movie, but every event signposted) and Katie Holmes, Sorry Maggie Gyllenhaalls death was totally unexpected. (Loved the "Sky hook" and a fully realised Bruce Wayne as despisable, womanising Playboy). We did not need to know where the Joker came from or who he was (I did enjoy the running Joke of him explaining away his scars origins however) and his lack of motivation, other than deadly mischief was so refreshing.
The "sonar" subplot was pointless and under explained, but the white , comic book style eyes were "pretty cool". And a fire engine - on fire!
This film for me is the closest thing to a recreation of a Frank Miller Batman, that we are ever likely to see.
Duality is maybe the over arcing theme of the whole piece, Two face and his coin being the ultimate example.
I'm so sorry for the disjointed "ness" of this post, I'm just too tired ( and lazy, go on say it!) to edit and reorder points, heck it's just a blog for mercy's sake not Empire Magazine!


must see "Cracked" Batman skit!

Batgirl: "How can I help?"
Batman: "By standing directly under that grating and concentrating on the Indian Fakir command, 'Rassi Seedha Rucko'. Hindi for 'Rope stay straight'."