Jah:

It was my first IMAX movie. The audio was great, there were MASSIVE speakers in the upper corners of the theatre. We showed up about half an hour before the movie so we didn't get premium seats. The screen is somewhat curved I assume to reduce the effect of not having the greatest seats. It's also so large I found myself turning my head and not just moving my eyes. This could've been due to my seating though.
There are many overhead views of the city in the film which I thought were stunning in IMAX. It also gave a sense of "bigness" to some of the places Batman hangs out. With the right friends, a two hour drive would be worth it.

Saw it again today. Still loved it, but I'm now less of a "OMG BEST MOVIE EVAR!!!" guy than I was after the first time. Some of the flaws were more glaring this time, and the length was more of a factor the second time around. A few things I think could've been shortened or eliminated:

-The beginning subplot with the Chinese dude. I understand his importance to the setup of the story, but he had a too much screentime in the beginning for what was ultimately a minor character. His capture by the Joker and subsequent death were practically glossed over (not even sure why Joker made it such a point to get to him), so I don't think so much time needed to be spent in the beginning emphasizing his importance. Might even eliminate the scenes in China entirely.

-The courtroom scene with Dent punching the mob assassin was unnecessary and cheesy. The only point I can see it having is demonstrating how he is such a badass that later people could conceivably believe he's Batman. Otherwise Dent's importance is more than illustrated by the many, many conversations people have with and about him, telling him he's Gotham's great white hope.

-The subplot where Batman tracks down the apartment via Joker's fingerprints on the reconstructed bullet, and almost gets killed by a police sniper in the Joker's trap. This didn't really add anything, and it seemed like a pretty elaborate trap with a ridiculously small chance of success (how did Joker know Batman could put the bullet back together, get the print, and track down & get to the apartment just in time to get shot?).

Also, I still can't answer my previous question. I now know for a fact that Gordon says there are 5 dead because of Dent. The only way I can account for it is if Eric Roberts & his driver are dead, the old cop is dead, he assumes the female cop is dead, and then counts Dent as well. Either that or Dent kills some people on the way over but they weren't important.

Also, as far as future villains go, the FAQ on imdb points out that the guy who was gonna reveal Batman's identity was named "Mr. Reese," which sounds like mysteries, which may mean Riddler. Was his name Edward Nygma in all the Batman stuff, or was that just something they made up for Batman Forever?

Nolan has seemingly stuck to the comics thus far in regards to that stuff, so it may be nothing. Either way, it seems pretty clear that, if they make a third one, one of the primary villains is going to be Batman.

jester, glad to see that you're seeing it a little differently this time around.

I'm also glad that you were able to pinpoint some of the scenes that seemed a little unnecessary. If they had cut those scenes and added some more emotional depth to the two scenes where Wayne talks to Alfred while he (Wayne) is sitting in that chair, I think that the moral depth of this movie would have improved a lot.

People keep talking about the morality issues brought up in the movie and I still really don't see it. I think it was pretty thin, at best.

People hating on Maggie G. must not have seen The Secretary...

i really did not understand what was going on in at least half of the movie.

Also saw it again today and this time around I realized the "Batman voice" is totally fine throughout the entire movie until the very end (I think it was actually the last two speaking scenes that Batman had where Bale suddenly turns up the juice and it starts to sound pretty awkward).

I kind of agree with jester on a couple of his points, particularly the whole bullet reconstruction sequence. As for the Chinese guy...I think the Joker went for him because he was the only one who knew where all the money was. Of course, he burns the money but this appears to be all part of his general plan to crush the reigning criminal element in the city (so he can give Gotham a "better class of criminal").

I just saw it, liked it, but I was kinda confused through lots of it. lots of little plot points/stories were glossed or skipped over.

I've gotta agree with citanul that these complaints are more based on not being observant than any fault of the film. (edit: or not just observant, but thoughtful, looking at what angles each character has, etc.)

It would have made it easier, but it would have hurt the movie, if a bunch of lines were inserted where rando cops explain what just happened, how the Joker is tricking people, etc.

WHY SO SERIOUS?

What a great movie....but where do they go from here? I hope the WB doesn't dump all over this if Nolan doesn't sign on for the third.

I can see it now....Shia LeBeouf as Robin! Robin Williams as the Riddler! ughhhh

I saw Batman Begins yesterday and The Dark Knight today. BB was imo clearly a superior movie, but first movies in a series have inherent advantages. I concur with those who thought this was too lengthy. Haven't read the whole thread but there are pretty clear issues which should cause Batman to reflect on his own meaning/morality/hypocrisy/decisions. It (his own self-questioning) definitely needs to be explored in more detail (this movie did an outstanding job of presenting those issues).

This post is really close to how I feel. I felt like they basically threw away tons of Two Face potential in an underdeveloped, almost tacked on subplot at the end. Also contributed to the length.

kind of agree, I enjoyed the scene with the ferry passengers, but that should have happened, then Joker would be arrested, at which point Rachel and Dent are then abducted, and then everything should have happened as it did. The movie should really end with us seeing Dent in the hospital.

? People killing Reese to save a hospital, blowing others up to save themselves, spying on innocent people (Patriot Act), etc.

I was under the impression that the Joker had no idea that Batman was going to track him down via the bullet. Joker's plan was to create a distraction by using a timer to open the blinds in the apartment. This would grab the attention of all the police sniper's around the area, giving the Joker a quick chance to get a clean shot at the Mayor. Batman (in Wayne form) being there was just random luck I thought.

Also, I thought the binoculars in the apartment (or whatever it was) was supposed to make the police think it was rifle

Saw this last night in Imax and thought it was pretty awesome. This might be kind of dumb but one scene that bugged me was when the joker dropped Rachel off the roof and batman dove after her. Did they really fall like 30 stories and land on a car and werent even hurt? Did i miss something there?

Like I said I need to see TDK again since there was just too much to process, but at first look I agree. I enjoyed Batman Begins a little bit more.

This.

Yes, you missed that you were watching a movie about Batman.

No one has answered my original question about this scene. WTF happened to the Joker after this? Just strolls out of the penthouse? That was weak I thought.

This was bugging me as well.
Joker's bus slipping into the line of buses at the beginning also bugged me.

What, did you want him to pull up a chair and have dinner with all the guests. He just upped and left.

What was more bothersome to me was the fact that we see police cars showing up at the scene as the bus pulls away instead of some mafia-enforcer unit.

At the beginning of the movie the alarm guy remarks at how the silent alarm didn't dial 911 but rather a "private number"...obviously hinting right away at how this was a "mob bank" but yet the cops show up. I guess we could assume these were cops working for the mob, but still...

Also, erroneous is dead on about the Joker not actually expecting Batman to find that apartment where the binoculars were set up. It seems obvious the whole setup was to distract the snipers while the Joker and his crew went in for the kill.

Thought TDK was incredible.. but as well as the acting, dialogue and wotnot,

i really enjoyed how the films journey made it completely possible that two face might have killed gordons boy or gordon himself... i really wasnt sure, and in any normal movie its clear that the innocents are going to be fine.. but i was not confident.

the message seemed to be that being a good person or making the right choice IS NOT garunteed to deliver the right or good outcome and that is a lot like life. and you could really feel Dents pain and why he was doing it. i was literally gripping my chair and planting my feet on ground holding on...thinking hes gonna blow this kid awaaaaaaay!

but maybe i took it to far.,

either way was awesome and ill be back for seconds


p.s. random funny part when Wayne starts pulling over chairs in the restaraunt and dent says not to, " dont think theyll mind, i own this place".