Along with just about everyone else in America we went and saw The Dark Knight this weekend. I am a big fan of the Batman series (Actually, I don't really recognize the middle 2 - Batman Forever & Batman & Robin as a legitimate part of the series. So lets pretend those never happened for the purposes of this blog) Little known fact: Batman is my favorite super hero, and the original 1989 Batman movie is probably one of my all time favorites, one of the few movies that I've seen over and over gain. So anytime there is a new Batman movie made it has a lot to live up to in my eyes. I refused to even see Batman Begins until long after it had been released on video, because I didn't want to be disappointed again. Long story short, The Dark Knight did not disappoint. I really enjoyed it (although it was probably about 30 minutes too long.) and it got me thinking about two things: 1) What makes a great sequel? and 2) Which version is better? So here goes:
- A great sequel must be able to stand on it's own. It should be enjoyable to watch and make sense even if you haven't seen the first one.
- A great sequel should capture a similar style and vibe as the original - they should fit together.
- A great sequel should leave you wanting to go back and see the originals again.
Batman was actually on TV last night, so we ended up watching that again, and it was really fun to compare the two. It got me thinking about which Batman, Joker and Batmobile I prefer. So check out the pictures below, and then vote for which one you like best!
Michael Keaton, pictured above as the original Big Screen Batman - Or Christian Bale and his moderized version?
Jack Nicholson's sophisticated psycho - or Heath Ledger's Batshit Crazy rendition?
The original Batmobile -
Or the new big wheels version?
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3 comments:
Ditto on Batman being my favorite superhero. I also loved the Tim Burton films from childhood (used to watch the first one with my neighbors all the time, totally creeped out by the way The Joker's victims die with those grotesque smiles on their faces), and I really like the edge of authenticity Nolan has instilled in this Batman reboot. I also agree with your 3 sequel rules.
I really liked "The Dark Knight" - though because of a certain reported texting incident, I think I need to see it again to fully grasp the entire mood and plot trajectory. I loved Heath Ledger, and whether it's because I'm still bummed about his death, or because he's just such a great Joker, I didn't want him to lose in a weird way and I was only completely satisfied when he was on screen.
I was also surprised at how affected I was by the love triangle (honestly torn and didn't see it coming) and also by the character of Harvey Dent in general - Aaron Eckart was great and I really liked his character (although I wish they'd saved the Two-Face part for the next film where it could have taken a more center stage and be carried out in a slightly more satisfying manner).
However, small quibbles.
http://www.imdb.com/chart/top
It's #1 on the imdb list
I saw that!!! I loved it too, but it's not better than "The Godfather"! I think everyone's feeling a little overzealous right now.
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