27 response about After the Credits Episode 30 - A Dark Rant »

1. 

   Yep, definitely more of a rant than a review.

   I was actually pretty disappointed in Hellboy II. It is a perfect example of what happens when a ‘visionary director’ gets money and artistic license.

   Comment by Cinexcellence — July 21, 2008
2. 

   Loved the Dark Knight rant guys! I enjoyed the film however I too felt something was sort of missing.

   Comment by Rebecca — July 21, 2008
3. 

   Good to see we’re not along on this one Rebecca. It’s feeling like a bit of a love-in around here…

   Comment by Marina Antunes — July 21, 2008
4. 

   I think the divide between the yay and naysayers on this site is pretty marginal… for the most part, its just a matter of how you respond to the hype.

   It is not a masterpiece, but in comparison to a lot of shit that is churned out nowadays it could easily seem to be one. It does a lot of things right but stumbles along the way. I know there was the assumption of a lot of divisiveness but I think of all the films of this summer this could be the one the people on this site are most in agreement over.

   Comment by rot — July 21, 2008
5. 

   Agreed rot. I’d say it has the highest merit of the bunch we’ve seen to date though on pure enjoyment level, I had way more fun with Hellboy 2.

   Comment by Marina Antunes — July 21, 2008
6. 

   I agree. It’s a good movie. Very solid. Does it absolutely rock my world? Far from it, but it’s still good.

   Comment by Henrik — July 21, 2008
7. 

   Agreed, Henrik. In this case, for me, the warts are easily forgivable, but I’m going to tack on the ‘masterpiece’ label just yet either.

   A second viewing (this time in IMAX) will determine if it is ‘all that’ but I was pretty floored that the film was able to cover such ’sticky’ ground so well. And that the emphasis seemed to be on ideas and words over action.

   I rarely see films twice theatrically, and if you’d asked me 3 months ago if I’d see Batman twice in the theatre, I’d say you were sniffing glue. I do indeed like to have a movie that I doubt prove me wrong though. TDK is definitely one of those.

   Comment by Kurt Halfyard — July 21, 2008
8. 

   Well, going from saying ‘it has nice ambitions for an action movie’ to ‘it’s an ambitious movie’ is a move that I would not find appropriate in this case. I won’t pay to see it - I already own the novels.

   Comment by Henrik — July 21, 2008
9. 

   Already seen it twice and I can definately say it was better the second time… mostly because the pieces of the procedural drama made more sense the second time.

   anytime the ‘panic’ ringing music comes in it is awesome, the first confrontation between joker and Batman is awesome, even the final two minutes of the film with Batman’s decision to become the hunted, that stuff worked like gangbusters first and second time.

   Comment by rot — July 21, 2008
10. 

    I find it very interesting how many people have or are planning to see the film multiple times in the theatre. And how it isn’t always prefaced by “Because I loved it”.

    I find it long, and fast. I felt it could have really benefitted from letting the audience have a moment here and there to cheer, gasp, etc. It just kept flying by so quickly.

    It was refreshing to hear some naysaying on the podcast, I didn’t love it (nor hate it). I also felt like there wasn’t actually a lot of tension, other than vertigo from seeing it in IMAX!

    Comment by Shannon the Movie Moxie — July 21, 2008
11. 

    It is quite curious that so many are already planning a second trip. This was always going to be a two viewing movie for me (hubby didn’t want to take it in with the crowds) but I didn’t realize so many others would be following suit. We may wait a few weeks and catch it in IMAX when things die down a little.

    Comment by Marina Antunes — July 21, 2008
12. 

    “anytime the ‘panic’ ringing music comes in it is awesome”

    I disagree. The music in this film was pretty bad, and belittled the on-screen action instead of complimenting it. It doesn’t work when you have the restraint of JNH and the audacity of Zimmer mixed together. The score felt at the same time unfulfilling and overpowering.

    Comment by Henrik — July 21, 2008
13. 

    I’m definitely seeing this again.

    Comment by Cinexcellence — July 21, 2008
14. 

    it is weird because I rarely see films twice in the theater, especially back to back. and I didn’t LOVE the Dark Knight the first time I saw it. But there was so much in it that I didn’t feel like I absorbed it all, everything was fleeting in the shadows. I felt compelled to see it again. If I am any indicator this film is going to break serious records, because I am not the focused demographic, not dressing up in costume, not praising the second coming, and even I am seeing the film twice.

    and Henrik entirely disagree about the music… let me guess, you probably hated the score in Eyes Wide Shut as well? yes its pronounced but when it works, it works. How could you not think the raising tension of the panic music did not compliment the stories that the Joker was telling? Its used three times, twice with his stories and the other time is when the batpod is driving right at the Joker… all three worthy and intense scenes that suited that sort of break with artifice. Kubrick used the same technique in Eyes Wide Shut all perfectly placed.

    also TDK score in general is very good, I love the wing-flapping sound injected into the symphonic rises.

    Comment by rot — July 21, 2008
15. 

    Hellboy 2 and Dark Knight are yet to open in the UK, I’m very alienated and pissed off at the minute. Luke Goss may have recently diversified into a dancer/Actor but I would encourage you to check out the abomination that was his band Bros, they were huge with young girls for about a year in the uk, in the late 80’s. I will try to erase it from my mind when hellboy gets to these shores, but the horror of ‘when will i be famous’ rings in my ears.

    Comment by Captain Billy — July 22, 2008
16. 

    @Rot: Funny you should mention EYES WIDE SHUT, Andrew & I finally got our internet/audio connection working again, and EWS comes up on the Dark Knight edition of the Podcast, which should be up some time soon.

    Comment by Kurt — July 22, 2008
17. 

    Haven’t seen Eyes Wide Shut.

    I didn’t really feel The Dark Knight was intense. I appreciated the hardcore-ness of it, but it never broke out of the kids movie feel for me.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008
18. 

    a man talking about swishing a razor blade in his mouth to look like his deformed wife… I mean I know you are a nihilist Henrik but what exactly needs to occur for a character to be perceived as intense?

    and you haven’t seen Eyes Wide Shut?!!! I thought you were like the biggest Kubrick fan around, you arr quoting him endlessly.

    Comment by rot — July 22, 2008
19. 

    I don’t own it. I would like to see it.

    I think the story was alright, but I certainly didn’t sit there grabbing my seat when he was talking. The Joker felt neutered to me, his perceived persona not really coming to full fruition on screen. Had he actually ever cut somebody with his knife, that would probably have helped.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008
20. 

    Hey Henrik, “Eyes Wide Shut” just happens to be playing at our local theater at midnight on Saturday. I can show you the town. Stop on over.

    Comment by Andrew James — July 22, 2008
21. 

    Hey if I was rich, I’d go. I bet I’d enjoy Minneapolis. Unfortunately the cinematek has summer closed in July here.

    I am looking forward to August though. I will get to see The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari with live music and the newly restored ‘Elsker Hverandre’ by Carl Th. Dreyer with live music. I may go see Gates of Heaven on the big screen. There’s a double feature of Le sang des bêtes and Nuit et Brouillard which is what needs to occur for me to feel intense. And maybe if I’m up for it, I will go and see FREAKS, just for kicks you know?

    So Eyes Wide Shut can wait. I still have Jørgen Leth boxes to go through, Bergman movies to watch etc.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008
22. 

    I love Leth’s The Perfect Human, and of course only know him from The Five Obstructions.

    as from Joker cutting someone, he did, he sliced open the mouth of the Spawn dude, which was the climax of his story and was when the panic music came in.

    you should probably see it again.

    Comment by rot — July 22, 2008
23. 

    Right… He also slammed a pencil into somebodys head. Not really done in a very intense way though was it? Basically offscreen, sped up to the point of being unintelligible.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008
24. 

    there is intensity in the cavalier execution of the pencil trick. I do not equate intensity with graphic depiction, maybe that is where we differ. The lack of conscience is intense, the same goes with the rather indifferent performance of Chigurh in No Country… there is intensity in someone who does not abide by usual rules, its a mad dog in implication whether or not its shows it teeth.

    Comment by rot — July 22, 2008
25. 

    All I can say is I didn’t feel it, and I at times felt like the villains deserved a bigger movie than a made-for-TV looking PG-13 crime thriller. Like I said, maybe the lack of actual heinous acts has something to do with it, maybe it doesn’t, I haven’t got a clear answer.

    “The lack of conscience is intense, the same goes with the rather indifferent performance of Chigurh in No Country… there is intensity in someone who does not abide by usual rules”

    I didn’t feel any intensity watching NCFOM either.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008
26. 

    @ Henrik - “I didn’t feel any intensity watching NCFOM either.”

    Baffled. That movie simmers with a quiet intensity that delights in occasionally bubbling over.

    WHO’S THE FUCKING NIHILIST HERE! WHAT ARE YOU, A BUNCH OF FUCKING CRYBABIES?

    Comment by Kurt Halfyard — July 22, 2008
27. 

    NCFOM was a big joke to me. A funny one. I liked it alot, but it’s just an action movie where the sound effects are genius.

    Comment by Henrik — July 22, 2008

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