MovieChat Forums > The Dark Knight (2008) Discussion > Main problem: expository verbosity

Main problem: expository verbosity

posted 6 years ago by lolkatz (498)
3 replies | jump to latest

The characters do what the movie wants them to do. The movie wants to ponder certain morality conundrums, so its characters, mostly Dent and Joker, but also Batman, Gordon and Alfred, spurt out expository dialogue to move the plot forward and give the characters meaning and motivation.

Example:
Batman: This city just showed you that it's full of people ready to believe in good.

Joker: Until their spirit breaks completely. Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent, huh? And all the heroic things he's done. You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for Gotham's soul in a fist-fight with you? No, you need an ace in the hole; mine's Harvey.

Batman: What did you do?

Joker: I took Gotham's White Knight and brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. See, madness, as you know, is like gravity: all it takes is a little push. (Laughter)
***
etc. etc., and loads of lecturing, instead of allowing the viewers work out the morale of the story themselves.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

TBH that's the problem with a lot of these movies.

[–] AnubisRaydeen (7897) 6 years ago

In my opinion, the script of this movie is what elevated it above Begins. TDK is not flawless but scenes like the one you specifically complained about go a long way to cover it all up. However, I do get your complaint. There is a limit to spelling-it-out. I didn't feel that this was overdone .... BUT, I only watched it the one time in the theater. I left with mixed feelings. Overall happy but some ill-defined things scratching at my subconscious. Things I didn't like but couldn't yet put my finger on. Perhaps this is one of them. Some day I'll watch it again, I guess.

Never mind Rises. That one is an embarrassment.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

It's a conundrum. More simple minded viewers sometimes need all the nuances of the ethical issues spelled out or clarified for them.

Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War does a lot of the same thing. In fact, he explained his POV so well that at times I was thinking to myself: "You know... he's not wrong about that!" It was a tribute to the script and Brolin's acting that they managed to make Thanos sympathetic. Had he simply gone around beating and killing with a thoughtful look on his face, a lot of that would have been lost.

The script and Ledger's performance did a great job to my mind of getting us inside the head of the Joker. The only bit where I thought it wobbled was the hospital confrontation between Joker and Two-Face. Suddenly Joker seemed very nihilistic, not caring if he lived or died. It wasn't consistent with his purpose or plan to that point.