MovieChat Forums > The Batman (2022) Discussion > This movie exposes how grossly overrated...

This movie exposes how grossly overrated The Dark Knight has been for years


The Dark Knight is #3 spot on IMDB's top 250 movies of all time? Really?

Honestly the death of Heath Ledger and his performance in the film are the sole reason why The Dark Knight is so overrated and overhyped by many and why it has bafflingly secured it's spot as the best comic book movie of all time and one of the best movies of all time.

But when you really look at it closely aside from Heath's Joker everything else in the movie is rather mediocre:

underwhelming action scenes
poor fight choreography with too many camera cuts to make up for it
under developed characters (Gordon, Rachel, Harvey, Lucious, Alfred)
contrived plot
dull cinematography
an ordinary looking Ghotam (baffling considering how well it was done in Begins)
poorly cast Rachel (Maggie was awful in the role and just failed to make anyone care for her death)
clunky dialogue
poor pacing
etc

Really overall The Dark Knight is a mediocre film whose only saving grace is Heath's performance as the Joker and this performance itself was boosted and praised more than it should have been due to his death.

This new Batman movie to begin with has a better and more faithful to the comics portrayal of Batman and Pattinson is a much better Batman than Bale, a more comic book like Ghotam, better dialogue, plot, pacing and pulls off the whole "grounded in realism" that Nolan was after in his movie without sacrificing the comic book quality of the film. It actually feels like a Batman movie as opposed to a movie that happens to have Batman in it like The Dark Knight does.

In short, The Dark Knight has always been massively overrated, but it is not until now that we finally have a movie in The Batman that helps show this fact.

reply

No, I'd rate it an excellent movie.

reply

Umm no the the dark knight is steaming garbage

reply

No, it's an excellent movie. That is my subjective opinion and as such it's an objective fact.
I can do this all day.

reply

No it's a fucking fact that not only is the dark night overrated but so is christopher nolans whole pretentious pile of shit filmography

reply

Still no.

reply

I hadn't seen The Batman yet but no dude, The Dark Knight is still an excellent movie.

reply

What makes it excellent?

reply

The writing, the direction, and Heath Ledger's Joker.

reply

MINUS HEATH...YOU ARE LEFT WITH A WELL WRITTEN AND DIRECTED FILM THAT IS COMPLETELY UNDERWHELMING AND DULL...WITH BALE SEXY GROWLING HIS WAY THROUGH A SEIZURE.

reply

This guy Kowalski your sock or something?

reply

CHECK OUT MY UNHEALTHY POST COUNT...I AM NO SOCK...NOR DO I HAVE ANY.🧦

reply

Unhealthy is an understatement.

reply

Exactly Heath is the only great thing about this film. Everything else is underwhelming as you said.

reply

Gee, only that? Only the villain/antagonist in a superhero movie? Such a minor aspect to these movies is the "great thing"?

reply

It means the movie is lacking in every other area so it is overrated

reply

That's an opinion rather than "The Batman that helps show this fact"

reply

So what if it is an opinion? Is this a science journal? No, so everybody and their mother is posting their opinion here. Crying about someone not explicitly pointing that out is pointless.

reply

It's not that you didn't explicitly point out that it's just an opinion.

It's that you explicitly expressed that it ISN'T just an opinion.

"In short, The Dark Knight has always been massively overrated, but it is not until now that we finally have a movie in The Batman that helps show this fact."

Your summary statement above is written as though something has just been proven from what is just a laundry list of other opinions. You wrote the whole thing as some proof of your weird thesis, where one movie "exposes" another, when in reality, it's just a long-winded way of saying "I liked The Batman better than TDK."

reply

Yawn...wake me up when you actually contribute to the discussion (like actually responding to the OP).

reply

Cinematography dull? No just no. The film got a best cinematography Oscar nomination and many other things were great also. There is a reason talented film makers in the industry cite it's influence on their work. You can dislike it but you can't deny it's influence to cinema.

reply

In addition to the Oscar nom for TDK, Wally Pfister's "dull cinematography" was also nominated for all these:

BAFTA - Best Cinematography
ASC - Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in Theatrical Releases
British Society of Cinematographers - Best Cinematography Award
Central Ohio Film Critics Association - Best Cinematography
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards - Best Cinematography (winner)
Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards - Best Cinematography (winner)
Houston Film Critics Society Awards - Best Cinematography
New York Film Critics Circle Awards - Best Cinematographer

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/awards/?ref_=tt_awd

reply

Why do people have to dump on other visions of a character simply because they prefer another? I prefer Nolan's Batman over Burton's but I still can enjoy the Burton films even though I prefer Nolan. I personally loved the Batman but I still adore the dark knight. I feel every vision has it's strength and weakness. I am not blind to flaws even though I might have a preference.

reply

I don't care if he doesn't like TDK or loves The Batman. I just find his kind of post funny, b/c of the bullet point list, and other claims ("when you really look at it closely"), presented as though they constitute irrefutable proof of something. And the idea that one movie "exposes" another -- as though TDK, a film from 2008, is now finally revealed in its true light or something -- is hilarious. Like you say, he desperately wants TDK to be defeated, so much that he needs you to feel the same via this weightless attempt at proof.

reply

I don't care either, like what you like. Prefer what you prefer, dislike what you dislike. It's just dumb though to act like your view is fact. I can openly say I do think there are things the batman did better than the dark knight but there are things I feel dark knight did better than it also.

reply

MAN...YOU TWO HAVE SOME BIG FAT ERECTIONS FOR THE DARK KNIGHT...CAREFUL YOU DON'T PUT EACH OTHER'S EYES OUT.

reply

Not actually true, if you read more than glance and react.

reply

I READ THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE...MY FIRST THOUGHT IS YOU ARE IN NEED OF A TAMPON.

reply

Since you had just mentioned my erection, your thoughts are less than consistent. But my thought is that you've shown a blind eye to the OP's throbbing thesis hard on against TDK -- b/c you have that same hard on. And that drew you to sift through this thread, looking for a sword fight with those who dare to distinguish opinions from facts. But even with a semi, I'd still chop down your rock hard micro.

reply

LMAO...I LAUGHED BUT YOU MAKE NO SENSE...THE OP LISTS HIS OPINION AND I AGREED WITH IT...THEN YOU AND YOUR GANGBANG PARTNER SHOWED UP AND STARTED GOING APESHIT OVER WHAT YOU PERCEIVED AS OPINIONS IN DISGUISE...VERY WEIRD EXCHANGE ALL THE WAY AROUND.

reply

And you show up to give it a jump start to keep it going. Yeah, nothing over-the-top about the OP's opinions that he explicitly says are "fact." It's so measured, with lots of supporting examples, no baseless assertions to simply be accepted as true. Right.

And I love the idea that one film "exposes" another. Makes perfect sense. No one will ever like TDK in the same way again once they see The Batman, along with his senior thesis that proves it all. Nothing weird about that...

So you don't have to read the entire study again, here's the summary statement.

"In short, The Dark Knight has always been massively overrated, but it is not until now that we finally have a movie in The Batman that helps show this fact."

I see it now. Irrefutable. I concede to the logic.

reply

SEE...YOU PUT YOUR GIANT ERECTION AND NEED FOR A TAMPON ON FULL DISPLAY IN ONE CONCISE COMMENT...WELL DONE.

reply

I'll send you a copy of TDK on VHS as a good will gesture. But you must see The Batman first in order for the TDK to be revealed as it really is.

Oh, and don't forget. This is key to see all the self-evident truths about TDK:

"when you really look at it closely"*

*excerpted from "TDK: EXPOSED" by ElSofoqueDos, 4/20/22

reply

Funny you say I have an erection for the Dark Knight despite me saying that there were things I felt the Batman did better than it? Interesting leap you made there. I actually loved the Batman. I thought it was a great film. However just because I loved it does not mean I need to think any less of the Dark Knight. The fact that you made that leap shows you are insecure person. Anyway we done here?

reply

NO...NOT REALLY...YOUR ERECTION IS SHOWING.🍭

reply

Okay celebrate your ignorance. I actually loved The Batman actually almost as much as the Dark Knight but whatever carry on. I actually rank the Batman films like this. Batman 1989 8/10 Batman Returns 8/10, Batman Begins 8.5/10 The Dark Knight 9.5/10, The Dark Knight Rises a 7/10 and the Batman a 9/10. Whatever though I guess that means I hate The Batman.

reply

YOU SEEM COOL,BRO...CALM DOWN...WANT A HIT OFF MY BONG?...WE CAN BE AMIGOS.😘

reply

Sure can what type of weed you got?

reply

Hey, a reply without "ERECTION" or "TAMPON" -- now that's progress.

reply

What's to discuss? Your big thesis is the yawn here. You just assert opinions as facts, as though they're obvious, but you don't provide support for them at all. Post something of substance to respond to, instead of this nothing burger. I get it. You don't like TDK, and you like The Batman a lot, b/c it's more faithful. That's all you've said. TDK's quality doesn't rise or fall b/c of The Batman or any other movie. If you like TDK, you don't watch The Batman, then say OMG, TDK has been "exposed" now! I don't like it as much after all this exposing! Absurd.

reply

Yes to all three. And Gary Oldman's Jim Gordon and Aaron Eckhart's Harvey Dent. Also the film's epic score by the ever so lovable Hans Zimmer. 🎶🎵😉🎵🎶

reply

Dark Knight Batman = Michael Mann rip-off Batman.
The Joker = Scorsese rip-off Batman.
The Batman = Batman.

reply

Please look up the word subjective, and understand how it applies here.

reply

The only thing exposed here is your personal dislike for TDK.

reply

Yeah...like I was kinda agreeing with the title and then I read the post, and I'm like okay. This is an outlandish take. It's just personal dislike for TDK masqueraded as some inspired analysis.

reply

The Batman is a good movie but The Dark Knight is a masterpiece.

reply

How is it a masterpiece? It drags (poor pacing) and has an underwhelming third act and a crucial moment (Rachel's death) doesn't works because of the poor casting choice.

reply

In what way is the dialogue somehow better in The Batman? Is it the cringe worthy line we get in the first 15 minutes that has Batman telling Alfred “you’re not my father” ?

reply

Better than "no more death cops!"

reply

Indeed. The dialogue is chock-full of terrible on-the-nose, clichéd lines like that. Nothing interesting in the least.

reply

The villain I think.

The joker is crazy beyond reasoning, that is easy to play. There is no real depth of the character other than he was incredibly smart and crazy.

The riddler here is very real, a nobody, overlooked and marginalized by the society. Fighting back in his desperation. Paul Dano was perfect in that role.

Can you really relate to the joker? He is just a bogeyman.

reply

The joker is crazy beyond reasoning, that is easy to play.

Tell that to Jared Leto.

reply

I did not watch Justice League, but I bet that was a different Joker.

The joker I was referring to was not the joker in "Joker" or "Justice League", it was the joker in "The Dark Knight".

reply

Well, you need to watch it first then.

reply

I finally watched "Justice League", it was unimpressive. I never liked Ben Affleck version of the batman.

But I liked the beginning soundtrack "Everybody knows" by Sigrid, perfect for mode setting of the movie. Then I found out Jared Leto wasn't in it.

I then watched the Zack Snyder's Justice League, did not finish it. I was immediately turned off by the fact that it did not use "Everybody knows" in the beginning to set the mode.

But anyhow, I also watched "Suicide Squad" where Jared Leto played the Joker, again unimpressive, even less depth. Basically the same character but with less creativity.

I guess there is a reason DC movies are not as good as Marvel ones.

reply

#3 on IMDB's Top 250 Movies of all Time? Is that correct? That's way off - as a matter of fact it's not even close. "The Dark Knight" was good - it was a good film. But it's not even close to #3 all time. If we are talking all time, I could probably find a spot for it in the top 100. If IMDB thinks "The Dark Knight" is the 3rd greatest film of all time - then I can disregard this opinion going forward.

reply

"If IMDB thinks "The Dark Knight" is the 3rd greatest film of all time - then I can disregard this opinion going forward."

That's where the site has it ranked at the moment, see:

https://www.imdb.com/chart/top/?ref_=nv_mv_250

Preposterous how overrated that movie is.

reply

Whoever put that list together is absolutely delusional. I realize it's (ultimately) all a matter of opinion, but by almost ANY metric, it's easy to put together a list of films FAR better than The Dark Knight:

Casablanca
The Wizard of Oz
Empire Strikes Back
Citizen Kane
Seven Samurai
Magnificent Seven
Pulp Fiction
Goodfellas
Raging Bull
Usual Suspects
Vertigo
Apocalypse Now
Singin' in the Rain

etc, etc, etc. . .Impossible to take IMDB seriously.

reply