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bluemeanie
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Posted: July 18, 2008 at 12:00am
There are reasons to applaud "The Dark Knight". What director Christopher Nolan has done is take the "Batman" franchise and focus it more on crime and punishment than any of the old comic book mainstays. The film features some stunning visuals, some amazing performances and an intriguing and involving plot that does not confuse the audience. You might have read some other reviews that have pretty much said the same thing. But, they have also called "The Dark Knight" the best film of the year and the greatest comic book film ever made - a bold statement, by anyone's admission. This I cannot agree with. What I loved about "The Dark Knight" is partially what makes it a flawed film. Christopher Nolan's obsession with turning "Batman" into a realistic and more humanized protagonist kind of takes a lot of the whimsy and wonder out of the whole franchise. Personally, I love the fact that the film felt more Martin Scorsese than Sam Raimi - that's one of the reasons that I enjoyed "Batman Begins" - but I kept getting the sense that Nolan was maybe trying a little too hard to make "Batman" more believable. Guess what - he's a comic book superhero who lives in a city called Gotham - you can toss believability out the window. But, don't get me wrong - I enjoyed "The Dark Knight". It is one of the finer executed comic book films I have seen, but I think it has been somewhat over-hyped and it does not live up to the now impossible standards set forth by critics all over the country and beyond.
We find Batman (Christian Bale) protecting a Gotham that thinks of him more as a crazed vigilante than anything else. Alfred (Michael Caine) is still keeping him in one piece, while Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) is running Wayne Enterprises like a champ. Bruce's former fling, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is now dating Gotham's new district attorney, the fabulous Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), whom all of Gotham - including Lieutenant James Gordon (Gary Oldman) - thinks will help raise Gotham out of the crime infested slums and restore peace and order. Enter Joker (Heath Ledger), a sadistic madman who promises the mob he will kill Batman for half of their funds. A game of cat and mouse ensues between Joker, Batman and the people of Gotham, with Joker constantly testing the moral foundations of all involved. Joker promises he will kill people daily until Batman turns himself in and removes his mask, revealing his true identity. There are some elaborate, but understandable, plot revelations and plot progressions in the film that keep things more than interesting, and it's always nice to see just how Joker is going to handle a situation or keep his efforts moving along. Eric Roberts co-stars as Salvatore Maroni, a crime boss; and Anthony Michael Hall stars as television reporter Mike Engel. By the end of the film, the line between hero and villains seems to have been blurred somewhat.
Let's start out with the positive. Heath Ledger. Believe it or not, he's every bit as good in the film as everyone has been saying. He takes Joker and injects so much life and so much venom into him that he's impossible not to watch. Ledger tackles the role with a sinister whimsy that is sometimes hysterical and sometimes frightening. I don't know that he deserves Academy Award consideration, but I won't be protesting if he receives it. Even stronger a performance comes from Gary Oldman as Lieutenant Gordon. Oldman's role in "Batman Begins" was so miniaturized that it was nice to get to see him really go at it here. He gets some of the strongest emotional scenes in the picture. Aaron Eckhart is also very affective as Harvey Dent, who becomes Two-Face. Eckhart brilliantly shows the downward spiral from decent, hard-working civil activist to jaded, murderous villain. The visuals of the film are also stunning, at times. I loved the chase sequence that comes towards the middle of the film, and I loved the famed hospital explosion towards the end. Nolan overwhelms the senses here and never lets up for a moment with the action. The music, by the always phenomenal Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard, is pounding throughout and makes a real impression. And, finally, the camerawork by Wally Pfister is inventive and makes a nice picture throughout. There is a lot to admire about this motion picture.
Now, here comes the negative. Christian Bale. First off, I still don't buy him as Batman. His Bruce Wayne is boring and bland and he delivers his lines with all the emotion one would expect from Bill Pullman in the role. His Batman looks like an action figure and sounds like he has tuberculosis - like Harrison Ford from "Air Force One". Did someone not listen to Christian Bale's Batman voice and think, "Ouch. Not good"? I also have a very difficult time with the fact that, evidently, Batman can fall ten stories or get shot and be as spruce as a goose, but can't handle a couple of dogs? Batman receives more damage from dogs in this film that he does any of the other conventional villains. And, when Harvey Dent catches fire - does Batman really not know how to put the man's head out before it burns him all the way to the bone? If Batman's afraid of dogs and can't put out a fire, what good is he to Gotham in the first place? I also had a problem with Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes. On the whole, I suppose she was better than Katie Holmes, but she has absolutely no chemistry with either Bale or Eckhart and she plays the role one-note throughout. And what was with Nicky Katt during the chase scene, right before the helicopter crash, spitting out those cheesy one-liners and ruining any tension that was being built?
The biggest issue is that Christopher Nolan wanted to make Batman more realistic and a more humanized superhero. Fine. But you cannot take away everything that makes a superhero a superhero. I'm sorry, but Batman didn't seem very 'super' in this film. Luckily, we had Joker and Lieutenant Gordon to keep us interested and to offer some real emotion and some real conflict. "The Dark Knight" is a good film, and an entertaining film, but it floats on a suspended logic and constantly asks the audience to believe something simply because it's a comic book movie, even though the filmmakers go out of their way to try and make anything but a comic book movie. What's always separated Tim Burton's "Batman" from Christopher Nolan's "Batman" is the sense of whimsy and fantasy that Burton brought to Gotham and the characters. Once again, Nolan's version is not as strong as it could have been because it ignored those principles altogether. I want some whimsy when it comes to my comic book movie. I want some fantasy and some color. In the end, as much as I enjoyed "The Dark Knight", it's a mixed review from me, even though I know most of the audience out there will swoon. This one isn't as grand as you're hearing, but strong performances from Ledger and Oldman do make it definitely worth your while.
7/10.
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Mr. Mistoffelees
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Posted: July 18, 2008 at 12:00am
There are few movies that I would go to the midnight showing for, not because I'm not an avid fan but because I figured the movie will be around the next night and none of my friends like to ruin movies. However, being that I am a huge fan of not only Batman but his recent movies, I knew I had to get the first showing in anticipation of the Joker. Now, having seen it and gotten little sleep because of dreams about it, I can say that it just may be the contender for my favorite superhero movie of all time.
For the three of you that don't know the story for this one, let me flesh it out. The Joker (Heath Ledger) has become a rising star of a criminal in Gotham, a psychopath who kills his own henchmen and whomever he wants, either for chaos or his own ends. As he robs banks and destroys lives, Batman (Christian Bale) is doing his usual badassery against crime; however, some other people have decided to dress up in the caped crusader's outfit and fight crime in his name. This obviously angers Batman, for while they use force and guns, he is trying to make the streets safer and less violent. Meanwhile, Harvey Dent (played here by Aaron Eckert) is the new DA working just as hard (legally top-side) as Batman to bring justice to Gotham, but him and Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) are encountering fierce resistance from said criminals.
The Joker quickly becomes the crux to Gotham's criminal leadership, for he comes in on a meeting to not only doing a spectacularly gruesome magic trick but to inform them that he can destroy the one thing standing in all of their ways- the Dark Knight. Through much deliberation and struggle, the Joker becomes the obvious mastermind behind everything in Gotham. And it's always up to Lt. Gordon (Gary Oldman) and Batman to stop him.
What a roller coaster ride of a movie. It gets going immediately and never stops until the end. The action was amped up for this one; Batman Begins had a good amount of action but less flowing on-screen. This movie features full-out fistfights and gunfights between Batman and the villains. Not only that, but if you have seen the trailer, in which the Joker says "Come on, HIT ME!" I can tell you first-hand that the scenes leading up to and including that are probably my favorite action scenes since Iron Man.
But let's get to what everyone really wants to know: the acting. Let me assure everyone who reads this that Heath Ledger literally gave his life to perfect this character. He was absolutely incredible; you cannot tell for a second that it is him playing the Joker. He IS the Joker, through and through. Every mannerism, every line of dialogue is seething with malice, insanity, and chaos. With all due respect to Jack, because he started it all, I have to give the character entirely to Mr. Ledger. Saying otherwise is a falsehood. Now, to talk about everyone else. Most actors and actresses reprise their role, and of course naming them all would be too much. Let's just say that there is not one poorly cast person in the movie. Every single person is an incredible actor in their own right and did exactly what was asked of them. Eckert as Harvey Dent was a perfect choice. His transition from DA to...well, if you know the name you know the person, is expertly done.
I cannot possibly say more without ruining the movie for you. However, there is one small gripe. Remember how Bale uses a guttural growl when speaking as Batman? Yea, he emphasizes it more in this one, kind of giving a pseudo-comical feel when he's not kicking ass or yelling. However, it is a SMALL gripe because it didn't take away from the overall feel of the movie or hurt it at all. With all of this said, SEE THIS MOVIE ASAP!
(Can I give it higher than a 10? I want to.)
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Nirrad
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Posted: July 18, 2008 at 11:38pm
I agree with parts of both reviews. Bale's voice annoys me. Some of the editing was weird in some places, most noticeable during the bat bike scene. And believe it or not, I expected a little more from Ledger. Maybe a little darker, but then again his performance is nothing short of amazing. Like Bluemeanie said, I don't know if he deserves the Academy Award, but if he did win it, it wouldn't bother me. Oh, and I thought the first 30 minutes or so were kinda lame and boring. There are a few more problems, but those are easily overlooked or have already been discussed. I'm not sure if I want to give it a 9 or a 10. But it's still awesome none the less.
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Tristan
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Posted: July 19, 2008 at 12:00am
With a few exceptions, none of you know me in real life. Therefore it's a little bit hard to honestly express my undying love for the Batman comics, shows, toys, and of course the movies. After watching Batman Begins on opening night and finding out The Joker was going to be in the next movie, I literally broke out in goosebumps. You know the feeling you get when you see your favourite band in concert? That's the feeling I get when I see The Joker on the big screen. To be perfectly honest, this is the "movie" of my life. This is the do all and end all of films. This tops any movie I've ever seen, and is essentially the ultimate dream of myself and millions of comic fans around the world. I appreciate Tim Burton's attempt at the rivalry between the two, but Nolan's 'Joker vs Batman' is the best match up I've ever seen in my life. It's going to be hard to review this film without rambling on like a 13-year-old fan boy, but bear with me folks, I have your best interests in mind.
Where to begin. We've all seen Batman Begins, and we know what the movie was about, and how it ended. If you saw it in theatres like I did, I'm sure you jumped for joy when The Joker card was revealed in the final moments. Three years later, we comic fans finally get what we've been craving. Just moments after the opening credits we're treated to The Joker's (Ledger) minions robbing the Gotham City Bank. After a slick getaway, we find out that The Joker has become a real menace - for both Gotham's finest and the mob. In a brief conversation between Lieutenant Gordon and Batman (Oldman and Bale, respectively) we find out that The Joker has been hitting up mob banks all over Gotham, stealing their cash before the police can get to it. At the same time, Gotham's newest District Attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), is starting his crusade against the mob bosses and corrupt officers as the city's "White Knight". Just to complicate things, Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) has moved beyond Bruce and fallen in love with Dent. While Batman struggles with his love for Rachel and passing the torch onto Dent so he can finally have a normal life, he is plagued by his guilt. It would seem The Joker has devised a plan to rid Gotham of Batman once and for all. Until Batman removes his mask and reveals who he truly is, the maniacal madman will kill a person every day. He's a man of his word.
All fanboyism aside - seem to be using that word far too frequently - Heath Ledger's performance as the Clown Prince of Crime is the most charismatic and perfectly played character I've ever seen. Everything from the weird facial expressions, fantastically delivered lines and of course, the maniacal cackle of an insidious madman were all spot on. Until now, Nicholson's Joker was considered to be the best, but I think it's high time he step aside and pass this title on to someone far more deserving. There are a lot of rumours circulating a potential Oscar nomination for Ledger's performance. Oddly enough, I could see him winning it. At first I couldn't believe he won the role - in fact, I was downright mad - but after finally watching the movie 2 years after the announcement I couldn't be happier. Nolan is a fantastic director, and knew he'd found the right man for the job in Ledger.
Ledger isn't the only one who pulls off a great performance. Gary Oldman is yet again, a perfect choice for the role of Gordon. I never once see him as anyone but the idealistic, hard working man that Gordon is. Eckhart also did a fine job as Dent. I was a little sceptical at first, but after watching the movie a few times, I think he did a fantastic job portraying the character's fall from grace. Pity he didn't receive a whole lot of screen time as Two Face, but what he did get was excellent.
As far as behind the camera, Nolan has proved yet again that he is one of the few people who "gets" Batman. Being able to combine a comic book world with the real world is no easy task, but he somehow pulls it off. There are some fantastic visuals in this film, and some really great action sequences. A personal favourite is the chase sequence that happens mid-film, and involves The Joker, Batman, Dent and some of Gotham City's finest. Nolan also did a great job of layering this movie so that there's more to it with each viewing. It's a comic book movie, but it can also be so much more. It constantly tests the morality of mankind, and The Joker, while completely insane, never stops testing Batman's limits. I've already seen it a few times, but I know that this is a movie I could never get tired of seeing. All the pieces come together nicely, everyone does a great job, and it's just a shame that Ledger won't be around to play the role again. I could not have asked for a better Joker.
This isn't to say the movie didn't have its problems. Even though Bale's Bruce Wayne is spot-on, he leaves something to be desired in the Batman department. He's good, but there's times where he just bothers me. I can appreciate him going for that "dark and menacing" voice, but it just always seems like he's out of breath and gasping for air. Small point, but this is Batman after all. Also, there seemed to be a few too many one-liners for my taste. Almost everything Lucius Fox and Alfred said was some sort of jab to make the audience laugh, and the police officer in the SWAT van transporting Dent made me want to puke. There were a few small editing problems I noticed, but aside from that this movie was excellent.
This is the most well deserved perfect I've ever given, and should essentially knock all my past 10/10's down a few notches. I'm 21 years old, and I think my movie watching career has peaked. I could not wish for a better movie, and I don't imagine I'll ever see one. Might just be the fan boy in me, but I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Two and a half hours in length, and not a minute too long. It's rare that a movie can keep me so glued for that amount of time. So if you haven't already, get out soon and see the one movie this year that's guaranteed to put a smile on that face.
10/10
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Ginose
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Posted: July 19, 2008 at 12:33am
I would say that several moments sort of drug on, but the fights were well done and alot of the plot was appropriate. The effects were key, but Bale's Batman voice made me want to stab my eyes out, that and alot of the filming style was irritating (especially the tunnel scene). All the performances were good, amazing? No. Not at all. Possibly Ledger's best performance, but I will NOT say he was an excellent Joker. Heath played the \"new\" Joker all the way home, but he didn't \"sweep me away\" in his performance, he was definately impressive but over-shadowed by Eckhart who played Harvey Dent in a way I didn't think anyone could, I'll be damned if he doesn't make it to the sequal, regardless of the ending (hell, how many villans can Nolan pull out and still keep this half-stupid \"realistic\"theme). I can't say I love where Nolan has taken the franchise (in such a direction that he will accept atmosphere and theme to entertainment, logically depriving us from most of the more outlandish villans in the series) but I certainly can't hate it. It's just dark enough for the Batman name and entertaining enough to contiue being good action movies, but it'll never try to be more than that. I, personally, am with Billy Ray in that I'm sick of this idea of \"humanizing\" the charecters to the point that they aren't even their charecters anymore. We've now got a standard psychotic-thug in the place of the Joker and an emotionless blob as Bruce Wayne... and a throat-cancer victim for Batman...
Honestly, \"Hellboy 2\" was much more fun. Maybe not the better of the two, but I enjoyed it much more.
7.9/10
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Luminaire
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Posted: July 20, 2008 at 10:22am
bluemeanie hit it right on the head as usual
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Bliss From A Dead Embrace
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Posted: July 20, 2008 at 5:33pm
This movie was epic. Batman begins was great but it wasn't entirely a batman movie. It was more Bruce Waynes transition to batman. This movie was 100% batman and rather then spending time getting to know the main characters, Wayne/Gordon/Alfred you got to see batman in action. Anything I could say about Ledger as the Joker has been said. He was perfect. Harvey Dent/Two Face was good for his role and served his purpose. The action was intense, the fight scenes were viciuos and fast and gave a real feel to them. Its nice to see a batman movie where he gets his hands dirty and busts some skulls. Bale's voice didn't bother me. It could be better but I think it also adds to the character. Bruce waynes a well known guy so batman needs his voice to be diffrent. Would a guy fighting crime with his bare hands care what he sounded like? As long as it got the job done I don't think he would. My only concern is who they will get to play the joker next. His characters alive and after all the chaos he caused in this movie I think it would kind of suck for the next movie to pick up with some crap saying he died in jail. Then again that might be better then having someone else fuck the character up. Maybe they will leave his character locked up for the next movie and search for a new one. Either way, this movie was epic, badass, thought provoking, dark and thrilling. 10/10
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Edd
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Posted: July 21, 2008 at 9:01am
I was blown away by the film, and only have one gripe. It's becoming more evident that Bale cannot be an accurate or convincing Bruce Wayne. Whether or not it was the movie itself not really showing off Bruce in his billionaire playboy environment, or him just not really giving his all, he still can't do it. 8/10
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 22, 2008 at 1:03am
I'm really disappointed that anyone would dare have the gull to say that Christian Bale can't play a convincing Batman or Bruce Wayne. Compared to the last three actors who attempted to pull it off I would say Christian Bale is, by far, the best. Humanizing the role of Batman is bringing it back to the comics considering the comic book of Batman was to humanize the role of your standard superhero. He's not supposed to be whimsical or fantastic, he's a cunning individual with tons of training and a tragic background. Those of you who would demean Ledger's performance by suggesting he's nothing more then a \"psychotic thug\" or \"this and that\" really have no idea who the Joker was in the first place. The Joker WAS nothing more then a psychotic thug and Ledger played him an absolute tee. And for those of you who would call Bale's performance as \"emotionless\" you watch your parents get shot and see how \"emotionless\" you seem when you look in the mirror. Considering the story and background Christian Bale is perfect.
If you know your comics, this movie is a 10/10.
PS: Ledger is a superior Joker when compared to Nicholson. If you want campy then call Burton but I prefer my comic-book movies with a bit of canon and just a smidgen of good acting.
PPS: Burton is a cunt.
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bluemeanie
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Posted: July 22, 2008 at 3:43am
I am a huge fan of the comics...and didn't love the film.
And, sorry, but Michael Keaton will always be the best Batman.
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Luminaire
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Posted: July 22, 2008 at 8:28am
Bruce Wayne's parents were killed when he was a child, so props to the kid they had playing Bruce Wayne, because he acted with emotion. NOT CHRISTIAN BALE.
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 22, 2008 at 1:26pm
Michael Keaton is a hack compared to Christian Bale because Michael Keaton had the unfortunate circumstance of starring in a Tim Burton film. It's amusing how a fan of the comics would prefer the campy crap that's been produced pre-Nolan. Are you even familiar with the concept of Bruce Wayne becoming \"Batman\" and \"Bruce Wayne\" becoming more of a costume compared to his attire as Batman? Are either of you even aware of the psychological motivation behind Christian Bale's so called, \"emotionless performance?\"
And I'm sorry, but Christian Bale has set the standard for what the role of Batman requires and is by far the best there is when it comes to the role of Bruce Wayne and Batman.
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bluemeanie
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 12:02am
Yes...the end...but not for you, sir. Christian Bale is lifeless. A blank slate. Sorry, but it's true. If you can honestly say Christian Bale showed any real emotion or range in \"The Dark Knight\", then you have zero concept of either term. Sorry, but it's true. Michael Keaton was the perfect Batman because he portrayed Batman as a tortured hero. I could see the torture in Keaton's eyes. I cannot in Bale's. And just because you think Burton is a hack, doesn't mean he is, let me assure you. No offense to Chris Nolan, but go watch \"The Prestige\" and see just how much Burton has even influenced him. Burton's Batman worked best because it kept the flash and the comic book feel of the comic book, but still had Burton's insanely original imagery.
Now, the end...
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 3:13am
Lol. No, it's been the end since you started trying to prove me wrong and failing utterly at it might I add. Are you sure you're a film critic because if so where do I sign up because apparently it's not that hard of a job considering. It's been the end the moment you suggested you were a fan of the comics and ignore the realism that was supposed to be in the first four but was neglected, horribly.
No. Burton isn't a hack because I merely believe he is because that would suggest I have some sort of complex where all I say is true. He's a hack because my sixteen year old brother could direct a better movie then he could. Burton should stick with the animated films, anything else he's out of his league and facts speak for themselves -- Nolan outdid Burton, period and Bale outdid Keaton, period, and Ledger outdid Nicholson by leaps and bounds, period. :D Keep your opinion, Burton and Keaton but as a TRUE fan I'll sit back and acknowledge Nolan, Bale and Ledger for the massive achievement they've made and that was bring the Batman franchise from the grave the other three movies dug for it. Not only did they resurrect the franchise but they did with being the truest to the source material -- something you should consider picking up. Especially the graphic novel from which the movie derives it's name from.
Trust me, it's been the end for quite some time now. Not the end because I had said it was, but merely because you hadn't been aware of it. xD
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Crispy
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 4:58am
Haha, I must be the only one who liked Batman's voice. And I'll agree with the thoughts on Ledger, his Joker was fucking spot on. I hereby apologize for all the naysaying I did before hand. i could see him picking up a few awards when the time comes. And not because \"Oh God, he died,\" he truly earned it.
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 5:04am
I loved Bale's voice! Lol. xD
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bluemeanie
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 2:31pm
You're cute. And I am glad you think your 16-year-old daughter could direct a better film than Tim Burton. You obviously have your head so far up your own ass that you can't even see what your family's true talents are. That's fine -- you keep with your Christian Bale support -- that's just fine. At least I can keep solace that when I saw the film, there were more than a few people laughing every time he pulled out that ridiculous voice. Why? Because it's laughable. And ludicrous. And embarrassing. Maybe that's why you like it so much...
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 3:10pm
I apologize that I don't swing that way but I do appreciate the compliment. Though if you intend on quoting me it says right there, \"sixteen year old brother.\" He is quite talented but it doesn't take much talent to out-do someone like Tim Burton. I enjoyed Bale's performance not because it was embarrassing, as you would claim, but because he's a great actor and he did so well with it. I acknowledge and understand his portrayal because I am a \"fanboy\" and not a critic. You know I wouldn't believe your so called \"credentials\" until I realized that you're just like any other pathetic film critic -- Not a single person has found your review useful.
Written like a true critic, huh. A review about a movie you only understand on the surface while displaying your wannabe fan-hood of the franchise. I take solace in the fact -- and yes, fact, that you're nothing more then a pompous, ignorant peon with an unfounded sense of arrogance that borders on delusions of grandeur. Proof? The fact that while your review hasn't been useful at all, the review written by a \"fanboy\" has been. Resort to petty insults all you'd like but it only shows how desperate you are to pull yourself from the utter beating you've been given.
Reply if you'd like but I've not only made my point but crushed your's. You're fighting an up-hill battle you won't win, so tend to your wounds and seek someone else to debate, someone more your league -- someone a tad bit lower towards your own level.
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The Red Clover
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Posted: July 23, 2008 at 3:19pm
Do have a good day, evening, which ever time of the day you've chosen to read my reply though! :D
PS: Don't look at my lack of a reply as if you've gotten in the last word. Try and prove me wrong about my claim of your pompous behavior instead of lashing out. I am merely done with you and poor opinion. So while you may literally get in the last word, \"the last word\" was given when you claimed a false fandom of the franchise while preaching a \"7/10\" and a love for Burton. Really this had been over since then, but I couldn't help myself toying with a \"critic.\"
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