No. No he should not.
The opinionated and the ignorant are assuming Burt Ward or Chris O'Donnell are going to be asked to reprise the role of Dick Grayson/Robin in the new Batman movies and have the realistic series be suddenly camped up. An informed opinion would see the reality and trust the new film-makers to add the central character in a mature and realistic fashion.
Jeph Loeb (who I've met in person, yay me!) correctly defends the boy wonder. Loeb's books "Dark Victory" and "The Long Halloween" were inspirations for the new Batman movie series and Dick Grayson is a central, necessary character.
Anyone insisting there is no need for a Robin/Richard Grayson character clearly doesn't, or has never, read the source material. Batman is a central character to a grand storyline that he set into motion and ignoring his impact on the world, including Grayson's origin, is being ignorant. Robin is as essential as Commissioner Gordon or Alfred. He is the lifeline that keeps Bruce from falling into an abyss of darkness and if the movies keep going the way they are, he'll be more needed than ever.
I'm not saying he has to show up in this movie series at all, but getting all up in arms about speculation and writing off the very idea of Robin is ridiculously stupid. Even Batman: The Animated Series introduced the character in a believable way. I get very angry at the outrageous opinions of people who never read the comics but insist they're opinion is an educated one. Robin is Batman's better half and should never be brushed off because of one horrible 60's tv show's version of him.
There's nothing completely outlandish about The Dark Knight (TDK), which is a little frightening. Easily the best thriller of the year, it's a morality play for the new century with the backdrop of a superhero film.
We still get Batman beating the crap out of bad guys and jumping off of rooftops (Batman isn't Batman if he doesn't do either of those) and we get his insane arch-enemy The Joker being as crafty as he is in the comics. This movie is the second best nod to comic book storytelling this year (Iron Man being the first) in which we get to see how fun and thrilling their stories can be while drawing completely different stories from the same genre. Batman Begins was almost there but origin stories are origin stories.
Is a comic book movie that doesn't feel like a comic book movie still a comic book movie? It is now, thank the gods. It would be insulting to file this movie under a 'comic book movie' due only to the stereotype that horrible films like Daredevil and the early Batman failures have set up in people's minds for "those types of movies". These new movies should wipe those thoughts from the general public's mind soon enough. Iron Man, Batman Begins and Spider-Man 2 showed us these heroes can still be relevant today and are, in fact, more needed than ever. I look extrememly forward to next year's "Watchmen" (to which we get the trailer before TDK) which should be the best thriller of NEXT year. Not once during this movie do you think "Well this is just silly", it's just too damn fun and interesting, not to mention the constant distraction of your brain asking yourself "What would YOU do in this situation, smart guy"?
Dark Knight isn't as action-packed as some reviews might make you believe (one review I read said 'constant action from start to finish', and there wasn't) but there is plenty enough of it during the 2.5 hour story. There's just so much else going on that you don't need it, nor miss it. The plotline is almost that of Die Hard: With a Vengeance, with everyone on their toes wondering what the next problem is going to be. Though unlike Die Hard, there is no secondary distraction here, The Joker simply wants to watch the city squirm. But then the story changes, then it changes again until you have no idea who's going to do what.
Batman/Bruce Wayne is portrayed more human in this film than I think I've ever seen Batman handled (and I've been reading comics for 15 years). Though he never questions his mission, he questions the methods through which he may have to go by to get the job done.
Harvey Dent is The White Knight of Gotham, giving Bruce hope that Batman may no longer be necessary with such a good man as district attorney. Harvey is truly likeable and is a Batman of the real world in the truest sense of Bruce's definition. He can do legally (and in broad daylight, no less) what Batman can't.
This movie features The Joker how he should be done, completely unpredictable but always with an underlying motive while seemingly having no idea he's doing any of it. He's insane but gets more done in a day than anyone.
Minor characters are well used in this film, Lucious Fox and Alfred Pennyworth are always a treat but we see a wide range of people in the Gotham Police Department as well (yet another possible nod to "Gotham Central", an award winning comic series surrounding the Gotham Police Force working in a city with Batman making them look bad). Everyone has a role to play and as the story unfolds, it's amazing how everything goes like clockwork in this intricate tale. There are definitely a few moments where it could have used an extra pause to let the emotion of the scene sink in but there was always something else to get to.
The Dark Knight is the best thriller of the year as much as Iron Man is the best Action/Adventure of the year. I wouldn't be surprised to see The Dark Knight reign supreme at next year's Oscars as one of the nominees for Best Picture. It's a brilliantly told story that speaks to our core motivations as human beings performed by great actors who wear white face paint and a bat costume as if they were jeans and t-shirts.
"Aargh! My physical self!"If you don't understand the significance of "The Watchmen" then you need to go to a comic shop or Chapters and buy a copy of the 12-issue collection immediately. If you plan on seeing the movie next year, I beg you to read the book first, so this is plenty of time to plan.
You'll be sitting through a 3+ hour movie so you'll probably want to have a bit more of a stake in what's going on, you'll thank me later. The attachment to this book and story is historical, political and emotional for millions of people and with good reason. Released in the 80's, it quickly got the reputation as the anti-comic book, displaying a 3 decade span of the trials and tribulations of costumed superhero wannabe's, inspired by Superman's comic book debut. Having no super powers other than a passion to fight crime (aside from the later arrival of "Dr. Manhattan"), they all discover that they are all too human after all. With sexy results.
To the rest of us: Holy shitballs, Dr. Manhattan looks awesome! He's the one thing I didn't think would look right but there he is! I sold a furniture set to the lead sound mixer working on the film and I picked his brain for a good hour about the movie. He couldn't answer a lot of my questions but he assured me it was being true to the book from front to back.
If you missed the imbedded link above, here is the bitchin' trailer!
World Youth Day (WYD) in Australia is being blessed, if you believe in that kind of thing, by a visit from Pope Benedict XVI. Generally, I'm a 'to each his own' kind of guy but there are times when I just can't understand people's devotion to mass religion.
An article regarding the upcoming "WYD" I've read have really got me shaking my head that the subject of sexual abuse is being reported on so casually.
The article opens with: "Pope Benedict has begun a nine day visit to Australia, where he is due to apologize for decades of sexual abuse of children by priests." Now read that opener again and emphasize the word 'decades'. The story continued that "Climate change will also be a leading theme...". Are we that de-sensitized by the church being full of sexually perverted old men that all that we can think to consider is 'an apology is in order'?? Is that it? 'I think the Pope himself should apologize. You know, when he's here. He doesn't need to make a special trip or anything but definitely an apology if he's in town'. On a flight down to Australia, the Pope was bold enough to say to his mass of reporters, "It must be clear that being a real priest is incompatible with sexual abuse because priests are in the service of our Lord". A very open-ended, non-apologetic comment which I think he was basically trying to say "Priests aren't supposed to fuck young boys". Yeah, Pope, I think we were all kind of thinking the same thing already.
And speaking of climate change, "We have to face up to this great challenge and find the ethical capacity to change the situation of the environment for the good," said Pope Benedict. He also "made it clear he had no intention of addressing any specific political or technical questions about climate change". Well sure! That way, once generation after generation of the common man repair the damage that has been done, the church can say "Ooh look what our Lord has done for us!". In the meantime, thousands of little boys will have been sexually raped.
One priest making a big mistake is one thing but sexual abuse simply being commonplace is completely fucking ridiculous. I'm anything but religious, though I believe religion has it's place for personal peace, meditation and community...but this is just bullshit. Tomorrow someone will probably call me immature because I read comic books and like cartoons. At the same time, a man twice my age who believes "God" made everything (just as we see it today) in a week will convince an innocent young boy of the same thing...and then get that boy to suck his dick. This man will be well respected by his followers and make far more money than I will ever see. Meanwhile, I read my comics and people shake their head and wonder how I got to be this way.
Perhaps I need guidance...any suggestions?
Fun and entertaining, an amazing fantasy adventure that doesn't let up and gives the little geek in all of us something to love. However, this movie often feels like it is doing it's own thing whether it involves the Hellboy team or not. I was often wondering: which is the backdrop in this movie, the scenery and creatures? Or the heroes of the BPRD?
I feared the film was simply going to be a creature feature with shot after shot of "ooh, look at the wierd beast I dreamed up" (as I'm not traditionally a fantasy fan) but each had their place and nothing was over-used. The only thing I didn't really like was the quick use of subtitles mixed with english in the elfling hall early in the film. This was our first introduction to a few characters and their backstory and the subtitles made it difficult to place faces with facts as the argument sped by quite quickly.
A few character flaws were present in that Liz, this time around, was almost completely unlikable. Part 1 had her backstory, explaining her torment, in part 2, she and "Red" are lovers and roomies and she comes off pretty annoying. As one reviewer put it, "She's the girlfriend you desperately hope your pal is going to dump soon."
Abe gets some time to shine in this movie, which is great because Doug Jones deserves the spotlight. He was voiced over by David Hyde Pierce in part one and again by Laurence Fishburne in the "Rise of the Silver Surfer" (a last minute decision that was a slap in the face, which Jones, taking the high road, refuses to speak about in interviews). This time he has as much screen time, dialogue and character development as Hellboy. He also gets double billing, playing a character listed as the "Angel of Death". You'll know it when you see it.
A new addition was Johann Krauss, a deceased entity existing inside a containment suit resembling deep-sea diving gear. The character is nothing like the comic version aside from his name and appearance. Used solely as the beareaucratic pain in the butt, replacing Jeffrey Tambor's main role while on field missions, this version did work in the comedic format he was clearly placed for.
I don't think there is a dull moment in this movie until the end when everyone gets a moment to reflect on the adventure, which isn't dull really, it's just giving the characters their moment. Though there is no major climax I would ever skip to on a dvd, there is constant action and interesting character growth throughout. Humour is well-placed, especially when Hellboy and Abe Sapien share a six-pack and are "whisper yelling" in the middle of the night, drunk as skunks.
Unique from part one, I would definitely call this a fantastic followup and propose this series worthy of a trilogy (at minimum).
If Hancock came out in the 90's, it probably would have kicked ass. However, this is 2008 and this movie really feels forgettable even as you're watching it. I did like a few of the comedy aspects such as the drunk flying looking a little wobbly (on purpose) and the YouTube footage of his past exploits but the constant 'Who am I' plotline got a little old, fast. Superman is iconic and he always will be. Hancock is some drunk-ass super powered guy who I'm never going to connect to in that way in an hour and a half movie. If Superman gets hurt, you care and it's worth a few moments of quiet contemplation but Hancock (who himself gets hurt at one point, despite being invincible) is just some guy I just met and hasn't earned 14 minutes of slow motion awe. I get it, he got hurt, oh my god, he's always been impenetrable, yeah, I can see he's taking twice as long to realize what I figured out in two seconds, don't make me go on the thought process journey with him if he's that dumb, just cut to the next shot, please.
Even when we find out a little more about Hancock's origin, which I didn't see coming, I still didn't feel connected to the character at any point. There was a unique idea thrown in but other than that, I had the movie figured out within 15 minutes. I knew how it was going to end and I was right on the money. The villains, if you can call them that, are just the old campy villains from the old Adam West "Batman" tv show from the 60's, disguised as modern day thugs. Give them a moment of pause and they'll explain their entire origin and even explain how you should be feeling at that given moment, based on the series of events that have unfolded.
I like and trust Will Smith to do smart or entertaining films and with this one, he went for entertaining. I did enjoy myself but will most likely not watch this movie again or buy the dvd. Too many long pauses where I'm supposed to feel what the character is feeling ate up most of the run time and I was almost begging for the credits to roll during what I was disappointed to find to be the 'climactic action sequence'. The first 3/4 is better than the ending.
