So rarely does a movie shatter my expectations. The Dark Night obliterated them. Now be sure to understand that my expectations were high...very high. I adore Batman Begins so obviously I was excited about this one. Plus the trailer looked amazing, I've only heard great things about it in reviews, and the casting looked spot on. So you should be aware of what I mean when I say that the movie far surpassed anything I could have hoped for. It has made me remember why I love the Batman story so much. Media has clouded Batman with goofy villains and techno color, but these movies strike to the heart of why Batman has such a strong footing in modern day mythology. In case you haven't seen any of the reviews The Onion A.V. Club always has the best reviews of movies. Check it out here.
Thinking about modern day mythical heroes makes me think of Superman, but why is that? Why Superman is higher than even Batman in that mythology. He sucks. Seriously, think about it. He can't be hurt, he can do anything, and he isn't even a human! Even the mythical heroes of long ago are more engaging than Superman. Hercules was a god, but even he was a more human character than Superman.
On a final tangential comic related note: I beg of you all, Stop supporting Frank Miller. He is the only media presence that I openly refuse to support for any reason. For those of you who don't know Frank Miller is a writer and was responsible for the comics Sin City, 300, and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns*. I don't know why any one would want to see his new movie after seeing the trailer for it, but just in case Don't go see The Spirit. In case you don't know why you shouldn't help Frank Miller make money here are some good arguments.
Number 1 - a little comic that pretty much sums it up
Number 2 -the wrongdoings of Sin City
Number 3 -an example of how Frank Miller turned a smart capable women into an object and also a sample of Frank Miller's script that shows how sleazy he really is.
Number 4 & Number 5- a hilarious mocking of Frank Miller's most recent Batman comic. In the words of the mocker, "Frank Miller is still completely off his tits, and his ongoing 'fuck you' letter to comic book fans everywhere is still just as hilariously awful as it's ever been."
*I've read Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and it is nowhere near as good as it is made out to be. Sure it played a part in helping people see that comics can be more than kiddie fare, but Alan Moore's Watchmen did the same thing. Except, of course, Moore used such things as plot, characters, and amazing writing to do this and Miller mostly relied on shock value.
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