To me, TDK upped things from Begins in the intensity of sequences in music and filming and really delivered an exhiliarting film to watch. However, I find it lacked, and what I liked most about Begins, strong human story elements. The pacing was so balls to the wall in TDK, there was no time for the human story. I was expecting deeper scenes and moments of Bruce coping with everything. It delivered enough to know what was going on with him, but I thought there was a great potential to delve into the struggles of Bruce Wayne and Batman, but in telling Harvey Dent's story as well, Bruce was a bit ignored. I think if a third film keeps sequences at TDK intensity but brings in more of the humanity of Begins, that'll be a recipe for one of the most well done films in all genres.
Fiirst of all I'd like to thank you for the intelligent response, with well thought out ideas. Don't see that too much on message boards now.
Anyway ... onto the discussion
But that's comparing apples and oranges. I totally get what you're saying. But, BEGINS is a character piece and Christian Bale carries that film. This was a story about a city, and it being caught between a war of good and evil, with the protagonist and antogonist fighting for the rights to the citizens soul and minds, and their respective ideologies as the weapons.
I thought TDK was very emotional though, even though it did move briskly (which it had to considering it pushes 3 hours). The story's core and heart was with the story of Harvey Dent. He was the one with the ultimate tragedy character arc. Bruce Wayne had some very emotional and tender scenes on his own though as well. I loved how after Rachel dies, Alfred approaches Bruce Wayne and literally beat for beat repeats the lines he did to Bruce that he did when Bruce was a child right after his parents died. And with Rachel's death, we get a story parralel to BEGINS when his parents died and how he felt it was fis fault. Bruce Wayne definetely was not ignored in this film, IMO Bale's performance was right up there with Heath, Eckhart, and Oldman. He's getting slept on because he was subtle with things. But he was very much there in spades. It takes repeat viewings to get the full flavor of it ... but I find it depressing people are sleeping on his performance. He was much more subtle this time around, and because he doesn't have a loud character arc like Harvey Dent, or a colorful character like the Joker, he's acting that isn't screaming "Hey look at me, I'm acting" ... which ultimately is the point. I thought for balancing so much story wise, Bruce was very well played in this film. But MaulFan you had to know going in he'd be giving up alot of screen time considering they were introducing the Joker as this character that moves the plot along, and it had been talked about for sometime that Harvey was the heart of the movie.
But I could see where you thought there wasn't enough focus time on Bruce. But that wasn't the issue I had with what you said. This movie is BY far a superior cinematic piece of art compared to Batman Begins. And when you said it isn't the pinnacle, or there is alot better they can do then this film. Totally with out a shadow of a doubt ... false. This film is head, shoulders, and toes above it's peers. And it will be hard for a perfect storm to come together to equal or surpass this film. Especially a future Bat-film to outdue this in terms of story, characterization, cinematography, action set pieces, performances etc. VERY difficult. But as of right now, this film is easily the cream of the crop. EASILY.
With that said, maybe if Nolan does decide to do a 3rd one ... I would be done for the film to settle back down to Bruce's perspective. Which I think is planned anyway given the ending, and the fact that Nolan / Goyer said the third and final film in their series was supposed to be about Batman's "redemption" ... and even if it gets made and all the pieces align. I bet it will hover around BEGINS quality. Which s very good, but not sheer greatness the way The Dark Knight is, that film is the ultimate in so many terms. With the two classic iconic characters, themes, etc. You'd be hard pressed to top this film. No where to go but downhill, but one would have to pray they make it just good enough to match BEGINS. But The Dark Knight was a creative storm of epic perportions. Everything hit the right flavor and stride. It won't be beat for sometime, unless Watchmen which doesn't have the commercial appeal of Batman, hits the exact mark that the graphic novel does. But we'll see if they can get a translation to film that matches.
