I’ve given myself over a week to let these films simmer and stew in my brain before I would allow myself to write this post. The reason: because of what these films do to me. The first was a classic send-up to the genre of 1960s and 70s hackneyed spy films with some great laughs, smart writing, and a sense of self-deprecation that seemed to counter the downright obnoxious Austin Powers character that Mike Myers penned for himself. The first one was good, but the other two were a steady toboggan-ride downhill from there.
Like with most comedy sequels, the later offerings were nothing more than a re-hashing of bits that landed, re-telling old jokes that seemed funny the first time, and a sense that the same ground was being covered time and time again. Myers may have done this as a nod to the fact that many of the spy movies it was lampooning did exactly the same thing, but that’s not what parodies are for. A well-done parody needs to be better than the original in certain aspects to make it more memorable and to help it stand on its own legs. The later films did nothing but tell the same story twice and never really advanced the narrative. Plus, it did what films like this should never do and that’s try and turn great static characters into something more than they are. (SPOILER ALERT ahead) … So, Dr. Evil is good, now? He and Austin are brothers? Don’t get me started on Goldmember’s cop-out ending or with the fact Mike Myers took his dual roles and expanded it to an obnoxious fat henchman and a ridiculous uber-flexible “villain” both of whom helped destroy the franchise. In short, if all you see is the first one then stop there, count your blessings, and move on with your life.
Most Valuable Actor: Though Myers’s attempt to match Eddie Murphy’s comic dexterity in the Klump movies resulted in Fat Bastard and Goldmember, his ability to bring Austin Powers and Dr. Evil to life were strokes of comic genius. Despite the fact he’s going to make a cash-grab with a fourth installment of the franchise, you cannot fault Myers on expanding on characters that have helped define a new generation of parody films.
I rarely see movies in the theater. When I do, it’s usually for a landmark cinematic event or the wife wants to see something especially cute. This post is a document of the former.
First off, I want to make it clear that this first graf will be the only place I will mention the horrific shooting that occurred in Aurora, Colorado last Friday. It’s not that I have not been affected by the shootings, I’m from Aurora and have seen a couple of movies at that movie complex, but I feel that it has been covered sufficiently by outlets both local and national. If you want more of it please go here, here, here, here, or here to get your fill. This blog is about movies, not the actions of those people surrounding movies. For that kind of tabloid fodder, go here.
I want to step back in time to 2007, when the hype for The Dark Knight was ramping up. I was working at a company where I had pretty free-reign over my workday so, once my duties were fulfilled, I sat online and tried to absorb everything I could about the film, the stars, its production, and the insane viral marketing campaign that was starting almost a year in advance of this film. The tension was palpable and I had friends and co-workers who were as excited as I was to see the film. Opening weekend came and my wife (well, soon-to-be-wife) and I went to a Sunday matinee with a few hundred others and saw the film. I’m not going to go into detail about that film until I review it later but, in short, TDK failed to live up to the unbelievable hype.
Coming forward from there to last summer, when more and more details were coming out about The Dark Knight Rises I approached with more caution. I was still interested in everything about this movie, but I wasn’t going to be suckered into devoting a lot of time and energy into every step in this movie’s gestation. Perhaps it was because I didn’t want to be disappointed again, perhaps I knew I set my sights a bit too high for the last movie, but with this one I tread lightly. I swore in 2008 I would be at a midnight showing for the final movie in Christopher Nolan’s Batman opus, but four years later, I found myself seriously thinking about waiting a few weeks to see it. That would prove to be just a delusion as I saw it last night. In IMAX.
As plainly as I can put it, as I don’t want to give a detailed information about the movie for those who have not seen it, this movie lived up to, not only its own hype, but all the hype that was built up for its predecessor as well. the sheer scale of the story, the plot, the intricate and delicate character interactions, and the amount of pure emotion that was put into the film by each and every character. I’m not talking about over-acting, I’m speaking to the wealth of emotion that this story evoked from every character. Without this emotion, without the brilliant screenplay to wrap up the entire trilogy, and leave the audience on the edge of their seats from the first moment until the closing frame, this movie would have been another Spider-Man 3.
For the last week I have avoided any and all reviews of the film because most, if not all of them, have spoilers (especially the spoiler-free ones). However, I was able to discern that there were more than a few negative (or apathetic) reviews of the film. It was surprising to see this considering everything that was done to meticulously craft and polish the script and, based on the negative feedback from TDK, some of the faults of the previous movie were sure to have been remedied. These people did not seem to think so and I have no wish to taint my memory or the reaction to this movie with their negativity. The worst was my friend Nick who said TDKR was the “weakest of the trilogy.” Since he and I do not always seem to see eye-to-eye on movies, I took it with a grain of salt, but the doubt slowly crept in.
My biggest worry with the film was Bane. Not the character (because it didn’t look to be the same kind of Bane that was in Batman & Robin) or the actor playing him (Tom Hardy is quickly becoming a very noteworthy actor in his own right), but the voice. There were reports (one, two, three) after the prologue was released in theaters (a.k.a. the airplane scene) that Bane’s voice was an incomprehensible, garbled mess. As there were sound problems in TDK, I was hoping this was because the prologue wasn’t properly mastered or because it was shown in theaters with inadequate sound, but I had my worries. There were entire exchanges in TDK that were muffled and half-heard when I saw it the first time and I didn’t want to have that happen again. Thankfully, Bane’s voice was crystal clear to my nearly-deaf ears, despite the mask, voice effects, and Hardy’s gypsy-brawler-inspired accent and was almost horrifying to hear.
But the thing that really drew me in, again, was the cast. From top to bottom, the entire cast was exquisitely chosen and delivered on all levels from beginning to end. Every role had a purpose and there was no wasted dialogue. The journey in this massive film (2 hours, 45 minutes) was expansive but also very close to the chest. Nolan’s world drew you in and made you part of the story. You felt every twist, turn, hope, and heartbreak in this film as it made its way to a conclusion that was both inevitable yet satisfying. A truly masterful way to bring this brilliant and powerful story to a close.
There’s so much more I want to say about this film but it would be hard for me to expound without giving away major plot points. I will say that this film should win the Oscar for Best Picture to give homage to the entire trilogy much like when The Return of the King won it back in 2004. It is only fitting that Nolan and the entire cast be rewarded for these cinematic masterpieces. Also, if you want to engage in some chat in the Comments section please feel free but, be aware that I cannot be held accountable for any spoilers released in there. In fact, I’m hoping someone will want to start a comment dialogue about it instead of the usual comments about improving my SEO. This is a wonderful film that lived up to the hype and delivered on all levels. If only all trilogies were so lucky.
Most Valuable Actor: Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, the hot-headed, ambitious officer who becomes Gordon’s right-hand as they help Batman fight Bane. Though the entire cast was brilliant, JGL’s story and arc in the film was something rather exceptional. Despite the eye-roll-worthy quip near the end of the movie, his story and his character really was the glue that held all of the other exceptional characters and arcs together. For the male audience, his character was relatable and recognizable and gave even more realistic depth to the movie. Those who are unable to suspend disbelief in any film could find Blake the anchor of reality in this film and base everything from there.
International Man of Mystery
Starring 
These Things I Have Seen 