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WAUKESHA
- For those who thought that “The Avengers” was the movie of the summer,
listen up: The season’s headliner hasn’t even hit the screen.
When
“The Dark Knight Rises” opens July 19 with an array of midnight screenings
across the country (several of which were sold out back in June, sparking a
bidding war on eBay), it will kick off Hollywood’s biggest weekend of the year
- both in terms of business and pop art.
Yes,
there may be no better point of agreement this summer between mainstream critics
and audiences than when it comes to Christopher Nolan’s dark and complex
reimaging of the Batman franchise. In 2008, “The Dark Knight” not only
cleaned up at the box office to the tune of $533 million, but topped many
critics’ year-end top-10 lists, including mine.
That
being said, it took a while for word about “The Dark Knight” to spread.
Christopher Nolan had already dusted off the legend of Batman with the grimy
Gotham vision “Batman Begins” in 2005, but there was almost something
intangible about “The Dark Knight” that elevated it as one of the greatest
superhero dramas of all time.
At
the core, of course, were the performances. Heath Ledger was bestowed with a
posthumous Oscar for his terrifyingly demented turn as the Joker, and Aaron
Eckhart became unhinged as the vengeful, critically wounded Two-Face.
Unlike
so many other Batman renditions, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) was not a
throwaway character but a conflicted lover who had to choose between rescuing
the woman he loved and the public official he admired.
And
there were complex themes that emerged near the end of the tale. Issues of chaos
theory and random chance, and the challenging of Gotham citizens to think beyond
caped crusaders to save themselves and their city.
Nolan
swung big and nailed it. That’s precisely why the world is now eagerly
awaiting his final “Batman” vision. The trailers have already depicted
apocalyptic showdowns - a football stadium being bombed, two bridges exploding,
and Batman’s mask, torn from his body.
For
die-hard fans of the hero, the bigger buzz surrounds the supporting cast, the
death rumors and the running time.
Anne
Hathaway steps into the shoes of Catwoman. Can she pull a Ledger, in redefining
a familiar face?
Tom
Hardy plays Bane, the character who broke Batman’s back in the comic series.
Will he kill our hero on the silver screen?
And
it has already been announced that “Dark Knight Rises” clocks in at 2 hours
and 45 minutes. Is it possible that Nolan will take this franchise into even
darker and smarter territory?
The
buzz couldn’t be more palpable. The movie of the year is nearly here.
Email:
SnyderReviews@hotmail.com
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