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Comment count is 19
jangbones - 2012-04-15

The guy makes some good points but he's really over thinking it. This is an action movie about a dude who dresses up in a rubber suit and beats up another dude in clown make up, so try to relax. This little harangue belongs in film school, All the time and effort in the internet crusade just seems like a waste.

(Although the dude is right in one way...the 180 degree rule is broken way too often in film and television today...but who cares but strokey beardos?)


That guy - 2012-04-15

My beard is not long enough to stroke, but I have to disagree. I think the commenter is right on most points [not all].

Hooray for these critics [list in the credits] pointing out flaws in any movie, let alone one that was a box office and critical success with little more to recommend it than that it's a fun franchise.

Even more, most other film critics review genre movies as genre movies, as opposed to holding up ANY kind of positive standard, artistic or humanistic. TDK has to beat Superman Returns; an indie drama has to beat Cassavettes.

Check out Zacharek's review of Avatar:
http://www.salon.com/2009/12/18/avatar/
for a heroic "fuck you" to a screenfull of bullshit.
[TDK was just flawed, not bs]


Hooker - 2012-04-15

It would be nice if these problems didn't exist, but the first time I saw the movie, the scene had kinetic energy and tension to spare. I don't really see these problems as "flaws," since if they were fixed, I don't think they would have added substantively to the effect.

Poorly planned at best or lazy at worst.


Hooker - 2012-04-15

Although, I agree with That Guy. The Dark Knight is compared to Spider-Man or Transformers. Comparing it to a much better composed film like -- I'll even take an action movie -- The Seven Samurai, seems to be missing the point.


badideasinaction - 2012-04-15

Okay, applying a film beard for a second...

There are some reasonable points and some where he's applying the 180 rule in a ridiculous extreme. Also, to quote wikipedia,

"Sometimes a filmmaker will purposely break the line of action in order to create disorientation."

Just saying, a scene where the police are confused and ambushedtargetting a blind van passenger (i.e. Harvey in a windowless van) might be trying to add a bit of fog of war to the situation as well. The entire theme of that scene is the cops being confused and overwhelmed by what's going on. Also, despite being in the same global scene, I'd argue the cops driving, Harvey in the back, and the Joker truck all are their own separate scenes going on, especially the bits in back of the truck, where they're blind to the other action.

Are there some issues with the physics and car alignment/placement, plus possibly some continuity issues? Yeah, there are, but I think the commentator is also trying to ran TDK's action scene into a very narrow mold for the sake of pedantry. Nobody's confused when a van is hit in an exterior shot and a completely independent shot on the inside shows someone being pushed in a direction. TDK is full of overlapping narratives, and having them all shot from their own independent orientation is reasonable in my opinion.

Also, I'd argue the early reveal of the Joker comes down to the old Hitchcock adage of suspense versus surprise (i.e. showing the ticking bomb under the table or just having it go off). Nolan was wanting suspense, the commentator wanted surprise.


badideasinaction - 2012-04-15

Oh, and I prefer the Cracked review of Avatar for being pretty much right to the point:

http://www.cracked.com/article/240_avatar-horribly-written-way -too-long-totally-worth-it/


FABIO - 2012-04-15

What Badid said. Spacial and 180 goofs are only a problem if they make a scene incoherent. Nobody was confused by this.

The only thing that confused me about this scene was "why is there a giant steam hydraulic under the truck?"


That guy - 2012-04-15

I agree with the disorientation effect of breaking the 180, and its use in TDK being somewhat artful.

In the interest of brevity:
-I think the sequence has too much confusion and formalism [rapid disorienting montage] in the service of this movie.
-I resent that good 'popcorn movies' tend to get higher ratings across the board than movies with more art or more to say.
-do not hate Dark Knight or fun or popcorn or breasts


Blue - 2012-04-15

It's millions of dollars in investments and about 11 of my dollars. If I pay you five bucks to make a sandwich you should fucking do it right or get goddamn fired. These movies are often shitty, but no, they shouldn't be and you shouldn't be condoning that.


Hooker - 2012-04-16

Someone should be fired if you're unhappen with a sandwich? What?


Hooker - 2012-04-16

Unhappy, too.


Toenails - 2012-04-15

I'm not saying it's aspergers...

but, it's a cliche saying by now.


theSnake - 2012-04-15

In episode 2F09 when Itchy plays Scratchy's skeleton like a xylophone, he strikes the same rib twice in succession, yet he produces two clearly different tones. I mean, what are we to believe, that this is some sort of a magic xylophone or something? Boy, I really hope somebody got fired for that blunder.


gambol - 2012-04-15

is this a dupe or did I just see it ages ago


SkeletonMichelle - 2012-04-15

Totally agree with Emerson. I've always thought Nolan is a lousy director of action scenes. They're incoherent, and as a result they do nothing for me, and to me, his breakdown here is spot on. Even in comparison to something like Spider-Man 2--Raimi knows how to shoot action; it's crystal clear where all the players are in relation to each other, and that helps make some of the action scenes exhilarating. Not saying Nolan makes bad films; just good films with crap action scenes.


StanleyPain - 2012-04-15

I kind of like Nolan's take on action scenes. He's more an "Art" director I think and when he does these sequences, he does them in a style that makes for a nice change of pace from the usual "slow motion bullt time shit mixed with ludicrous editing and pacing and CG being thrown at you" sort of thing most directors do nowadays. I dunno..in Nolan's action scenes it feels like someone set up the shots and thought about the visuals how the camera coverage would look cool and stuff.


Robin Kestrel - 2012-04-15

"Nolan appears to have no clue how to stage or shoot action."

- David Edelstein, New York Magazine


roughnready66 - 2012-04-15

I couldn't make it through the whole thing, but his suggestion to cut the Joker shotgun shot is just silly. However, the objective stuff, like the extra cop car, there's really no arguing with.


memedumpster - 2012-04-15

Why pick the least thing wrong with the movie to make a video about?


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