Interstellar

One of my great annoyances when it comes to film criticism, on all levels, is that often a film will be judged not on how good it is or the film itself, but by how close it came to what that specific viewer wanted from the film. So when a film turns out to be different from what they had built up in their mind and the ideas they had fallen in love with, they reject the film, with conclusions ranging from four letter expletives to well written essays.

This was an idea that came to me as I read a number of reviews of Christopher Nolan's most recent film Interstellar (after the film obviously) as half the reviews seem to reject the film adopting for a more emotionally driven, rather than plot driven direction, unlike his previous films where the plot is often more intricate and central focus of the film.

I'll be sparing with plot details and try to avoid any spoilers.

Set in a relatively close future, speaking in science-fiction terms, the earth is quickly becoming uninhabitable, so mankind looks to the stars for salvation. Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is asked to be one of a small team to go out into space in search of a new home. It’s a very basic summary I know, but I really want as many of you to experience this film fresh.

The main character throughout Interstellar is Cooper, a man who, as you can tell from the mission he is given, is forced to leave his family behind so that he can save all of humanity. A necessary choice, but for a father, a heart wrenching one. It is this guilt mixed with a determination to get home that is constant drive for Cooper, a man prepared to do anything, to get back to Earth. Some of Cooper’s best moments are the simplest ones, often a scene with his daughter Murphy (Mackenzie Foy) or one where he is by himself. A moment where he watches videos sent from Earth by his children is as heartbreaking for him as it is for the audience, where Cooper is questioning whether coming here will ever be worth the price it has cost him and his family personally.

When it was announced that Wally Pfister would be moving from being Nolan's regular director of photography and becoming a director in his own right, I wondered just who would ever be capable of filling that spot at the camera. But not surprisingly Hoyte van Hoytema does a frankly stunning job here, bringing to life every environment and new world we set down on or drive across.

The IMAX sequences really come into stand out on Cooper’s farm and the ice planet (both of which are in the trailer). Both are filled with these beautiful sweeping vistas, with the characters barely anything more than a dot.

The moments in space of the Endurance and Rangers (spacecraft within the film) are jaw dropping. Yes they all computer generated, but it just looks so good that for just a second you can imagine that this is as close to the real thing as we will ever get.

Interstellar does take advantage of a number of science fiction tropes. One which I am glad they did was in their use of robots and how they envisioned them looking. Moving away from the Alien and Star Trek approach of synthetic humans or artificial persons, here they are presented as two monoliths capable of altering their shape to meet the task required from them. One of them, thanks to an adjustable humour setting, gets some of the best lines and jokes that make reference to sci-fi classics, including 2001. Achieved through a mix of practical and computer effects, the robots TARS and CASE, are one of the films great successes.

One common complaint that is often levelled against Christopher Nolan is that his films are cold and emotionless. This is a grand statement based on little factual proof, especially when you consider his previous films. A scene that debunks this rumour and springs to mind is where Leonard in Memento created a lie for himself whereby he thinks his wife is still there, even if it only fools him for a second. Or Alfred’s apology in the Wayne cemetery at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. If these moments didn't get to you, then maybe the problem isn't with the films.

Interstellar goes in the completely opposite direction to Nolan’s previous work, at times forgoing plot, or at least leaving it in the background, as the focus stays on the relationship between Cooper and Murphy. This is the key relationship in the film. This relationship is the film’s engine not its plot.

Whether you go along with the power that the pull of love has, a key idea within the film, is up to you. It will divide, and will probably be the major reason for someones opinion on the film. For me, the reason for Cooper’s drive is understandable, his mission into space is a means to end and a grand sacrifice on his part. To keep his family safe is all that matters to him. That link he has back to Earth, the thing that is pulling him home is something that we have all experienced, just not on quite as grand a scale.

Exposition, as an unproduced screenwriter, is something that at times,  you just have to do. You need the audience to know something and more than likely a few of your characters, so you try and dress it up, but it's still just a case of getting the information to them in as quick a time.

Now with Interstellar, there is a bit of exposition, not nearly as much as some reviews would have you believe, but when you are dealing with complex ideas, it's just best to rip the plaster off as quick as you can and get it over with.

During the final act of the film, Cooper makes a discovery (I'll be vague) and then begins to suggest who made it, now whether you believe what he says is really up to you. Cooper, has no way of backing it up, it's a good theory, but no way of proving it. This is something that harks back to an early conversation with Murphy.

How you approach the ending and overall message of the film, will for me have a big bearing on your opinion of the film. Whether you believe it is the truth, or just a wild theory to help understand where he is.

Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan have worked together on the majority of the director’s films now, starting with Batman Begins (where they were joined by James Newton Howard, also on The Dark Knight) and, barring The Prestige, all the way through to Interstellar. Here, we get a really interesting and at times perplexing score. As always with Zimmer, he isn't afraid to go big. And big they go, especially during the film’s high tension moments, we get a deep booming organ-esque sound, mixed in with some unsettling melody, that continues to ratchet up the tension still further. When it comes to the really small moments though, Zimmer dials it down and strips away the grandeur, giving us simple pieces that put the focus on the actors and the moments between them.

Nolan and his co-writer Jonathan Nolan have clearly been influenced and drawn from a real mix of films and real world events. A lot of these have been referenced by them in interviews (easily found on the internet). 2001 is an obvious one, not least because of Interstellar's finale, which certainly nods to the end of 2001, but it goes in a different direction with it. But where 2001 focused on humanity as a whole largely, spanning millions of years, Interstellar instead chooses to use the galaxy as a backdrop for the sacrifices a father and his family has to make.

The work of David Lean, in general his epics such as Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and more closely The Bridge Over The River Kwai, seems to have been an influence, especially on the narrative side. Kwai, in particular, where the plot starts off in one location, the prison camp, before switching to the effort to blow the bridge. A very stripped down narrative that lets its ideas come to the fore. Also, the sweeping landscapes of the farm and the planets in Interstellar, both on the ground and in space are shots worthy of any Lean film.

As with any Christopher Nolan film, the cast is packed with big names and award winners, some occupying only small three or four scene parts. One uncredited big time actor shows up for twenty sequences in the film that comes out of nowhere and really takes the film up a notch. Jessica Chastain, stuck on earth and working with Michael Caine's Dr Brand, is brilliant as she struggles with the seeminlgy endless cycle of failure when it comes to one vital part of the plan to save humanity. It's hard to go into anymore details about Chastain’s performance without giving much away, but her performance in the second half of the film comes at the right time to give us some perspective about just how bad Earth has become. Other stand outs are John Lithgow, as Cooper’s father in law, who is a man at times left to look after his dead daughter’s (we learn this in the third or fourth scene of the film) children, but also encourages his son-in-law to keep repopulating the planet.

Interstellar is a film filled with so many ideas and great performances that it needs all of its near three hour run time to give you everything you need. At times it may baffle you, especially during its final thirty minutes, but it is a film unlike anything you will see for a while. It reaches far and trusts that you go with it.

It may not be Christopher Nolan's best film, but when a film is this good, that kind of comparison seems utterly redundant.

Director: Christopher Nolan

Writers: Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan

Worlds Finest?

Earlier this week a story broke regarding Warner Bros and their hopes for a Justice League film. Initially, with the throwing out of Will Beall’s script, that the project was dead, how wrong we could be, as El Mayimbe from website Latino Review broke news that the project was still alive, but looked a little different, it was no longer the full Justice League but instead a World’s Finest film (Superman and Batman). The obvious casting of Henry Cavill as Superman had long been accepted in any version of this project, but when the name of who would be picking up the Cowl came out, that was the big news. Christian Bale was returning and if rumours were true, Christopher Nolan and David S Goyer were coming back with him.

By the sounds of it, the cast would feature Bale as Bruce/Batman, Cavill as Clark/Superman and I imagine some sort of composite of the cast from the previous films, plus some new faces. I wouldn’t bet against a certain bald man turning up during this film. Behind the camera is where it sounds the most promising, early indications are that Zack Snyder will take the directors chair, with David Goyer writing the script and Christopher Nolan producing, although with Goyer and Nolan’s track record of working together, I’m sure we will see them both working on the story.

With Bale and Nolan returning and Batman being involved, it seems as though it will be their Bruce Wayne that is returning to the screen , bringing back their version of the character, whose arc was so perfectly tied up at the end of The Dark Knight Rises. Essentially what we are getting here is both a sequel to TDKR and a sequel to Man of Steel.

As The Dark Knight Trilogy was brought to an end and most of it’s storylines concluded, bringing back this world, which admittedly looks similar  (at least in the trailers) to the world ofMan of Steel, means opening up these characters lives once again and following them through some new ordeal.

The main problem is that you have to essentially bring Bruce, as well as Selina, out of retirement in a certain way that doesn’t compromise the end of their story. As for how this could be done, I have no idea and thankfully that responsibility is not on my shoulders.

The other big issue, which the first would ultimately be tied to, is what happened to John Blake after he gets into the cave. Any continuation of this world has to deal with what became of him, as it promised so much possibility as to what kind of person he would become. In World’s Finest, we will need some sort of answer to this question, maybe he has failed, maybe he needs help, or maybe the threat doesn’t affect Gotham City.

Also, the belief that both Bruce and Batman are dead could be a problem, but one that would be fixed relatively easily. Especially considering that it’s easier to bring back Batman, than it is to bring Bruce back in the eyes of the world. We’ve also seen Bruce sneak around the world in each of the three films with and without his vast resources. Bringing back the Batman, would probably only add to his legendary status.

Finally, you would have the fallout from Bruce’s three surrogate fathers (or rather father and two uncles) in Alfred, Gordon and Fox. All of which would have something to say, all would be on different places on the happy and angry scale. In terms of character moments, these possible confrontations increase the potential for Bruce’s arc in this film. Although it could risk retreading some ground covered in The Dark Knight Rises.

As this speculation is all before most of the world has seen Man of Steel, it’s hard to judge what affect Worlds Finest will have on it. The biggest is that it could take the place of a potential sequel, or at least slow down production/release of one. But if the character arcs are carried across into Worlds Finest, then this obstacle may not be as big as we think it is. for example, Iron Man 3 seems to be attempting this, but in reverse, with the events of The Avengers affecting it’s story/characters in some way.

Most of the arguments against doing this come down to either personal preference in not wanting DC and WB to cram all their characters into film, or not wanting to damage The Dark Knight Trilogy. Both of which are valid concerns, THE trilogy was ended so that this world and it’s characters wouldn’t be run into ground like it was in the previous incarnation with no development on your main characters and a revolving door of villains.

Others would say that some characters are best kept away from the more fantastical characters, such as Batman and pretty much the rest of the Justice League. As it doesn’t suit Batman to have him meeting with these guys or interacting with them, he is at his most successful in a relatively realistic world, where he and his villains stand out all the more. There could be a risk of dwarfing or undermining his ability when you so closely put him next to Superman and eventually Wonder Woman, Flash, etc.

How do you pick a villain that caters to both characters and this new world, without going for the uninspired idea of simply picking a villain from each characters rogues gallery and putting them together. Yes (insert comma) there are ways it could work, but it would require more original thinking than going for each characters biggest or most prominent villain.

For the fans we get to spend more time with characters we have come to love and care for, this applies mainly to the Batman side of things. Anyone who doesn’t want more of Bale’s Bruce, Caine’s Alfred, Gordon, Selina, Fox or Blake are kidding themselves and at the moment it is the most exciting part of this project. Getting to spend more time with these characters. Given the cast of Man of Steel, I’m sure it will be exactly the same for those characters, but on a bigger more expansive canvas.

The biggest is obviously that we get to see Batman and Superman on screen together for the first time and see them clash, maybe not physically, but definitely in terms of their ideals and methods. Who is the scarier for a criminal, a god who by merely being there frightens you into submission? Or a man who is going to stop you, by any means necessary and undoubtedly painfully?

A film could almost be made without a villain, as their differences and similarities are so noticeable. As with all fictional characters, they have certain key relationships with other characters in their world (Batman has Alfred, Gordon, Joker. Superman has Lois, Jimmy, Lex Luthor), but in this case, their relationship with each other is so strong and important that it is more of the most vital

Sequel Bait

They largely dominate the cinemas between late April and early September, filling the large screen with another instalment in a series that made a lot of money or was very well received, sometimes even both, but more often than not it comes down to the previous films box office.

The biggest criticism with sequels is that they show a lack of originality and imagination, for the most part this is a fair arguments, a fair majority of them exist solely to cash in, such as the Saw series or the later Terminator films. It’s true that these films do take away from the more original summer films that come along every couple of years, or the smaller films that populate awards season, taking up screens and distributors or studios money, because these sequels are a safer bet.

But not all sequels are purely money grabbing, vacuous rubbish, one of the greatest films of all time is a sequel, I am talking about The Godfather Part II, which carried on the story of Michael Corleone from the first film, building upon it whilst also bringing back decisions and plot threads from the first film, mainly the answer he gives to his wife at the very end. Also 2010’s Toy Story 3 was a fitting finale to that great series, taking us and it’s characters on an emotionally draining and simultaneously uplifting journey, completing the story of these loveable toys.

But in recent years we have seen further instalments in a film franchise move backwards into a prequel such as Prometheus or Hannibal Rising or sideways into a sidequel(?) such as The Bourne Ultimatum, both of which have their own good points and bad points. The prequel offers the chance to go back and spend time with characters who stories either finished, were left ambiguous or died. But the risk is that something has to be changed, or a something omitted that could damage the original.

With a sidequel you face a similar scale of problems, the good points are that it allows you to add to the world that was already created in the first film(s), and bring in new characters and even show the affect that the original had on the wider world. But the problem is that you may not have the main characters from the original and risk the audience asking why they should bother to see it, when they have no emotional attachment to these people.

A film that did the prequel idea well(at least in my view) was Prometheus, choosing to go back and focus on the Space Jockey, a character that is only seen briefly in Alien, but which forms the basis for this film. Going back thirty years before the original, we know we aren’t going to get to see Ripley or Dallas, most of them haven’t been born or are very young, so we meet a new cast of characters and follow them as they search for these Engineers/Space Jockeys. The film is also careful not undermine anything from the original, instead only loosely linking it with Alien through one outcome of the finale, while the main conclusion sets up to take a sequel into a different place entirely.

A film that attempted the sidequel was the very recent The Bourne Legacy, the review of which should be just below this article, which showed the affects that The Bourne Ultimatum had on this world. It was a good idea and attempt but never seemed too linked with the other film, which some people may like, but it would have been good to see even more of the affects of what Jason Bourne, especially with the political side and what conversely affects Aaron Cross’s actions had on that world going on, as that side of story never really felt developed enough.

There are always films that wish had sequels, so that we could either spend more time with the characters or just enjoy the world that they live in. For me, a few examples of this would be Inception, The Departed and Blade Runner. The reasons for choosing these three, is that they all left me with the same question, “What happens next?” One of them offers a fairly ambiguous ending, the other a very traditional type of ending and the last asks one of the most fiercely debated questions in cinema.

What is the likelihood of seeing any of these films get a sequel? Well at least one in three at the moment, as Ridley Scott (along with original screenwriter Hampton Fancher) are working on a sequel to Blade Runner. While there were rumours of sequel to The Departed (that in it’s self based on the Infernal Affairs trilogy from Hong Kong) about a year after it’s release, nothing has happened in the last five years and it looks less likely that it will. Finally, the closest we will probably ever get to a sequel to Inception from Christopher Nolan at least, is going to be in a video game, something he himself has talked about doing.

With the difficulty of producing a sequel for these films becoming evident, it highlights the completeness of the films themselves, whereby a second film is not necessary as everything we need to know plays during the film. But for the sake of a bit of fun, let’s try and imagine a sequel to each of these films. Spoliers from here on out. With Blade Runner, I will detail the few bits and pieces of news that have come out (believe at your risk). Firstly, it will feature a female protagonist and that Deckard may or may not appear, but Scott has said that he would like Ford to return, how likely that is to happen, I don’t know. If they go this way they will probably have to answer the “Is Deckard a replicant?” question, which I would prefer not to have answered.

For my own idea, a film focusing on the Tyrell company would be interesting, especially considering how powerful it is and the state that it would be left in after the climax of the first film. Blade Runner offers us a complete world, one that is full of ideas and people that could be developed into a film that is as interesting as the first. One suggestion would be to minimise Deckards role (if they do use him) and set it shortly after the originals end, so we don’t have to answer that question.

I know that The Departed is based upon the first film in trilogy, but as I haven’t seen any of the original trilogy I will try and put forward a reasonably interesting idea of my own. At the end of the first film, all but two or three of the significant characters are dead, so this poses an interesting problem as you are faced with carrying over the story, but with hardly anyone left to continue the plot threads on. The storylines left were about Dignum (Wahlberg) and what he does after he kills Colin (Damon), there is also Madolyn (Farmiga) and her child. While the child storyline is nothing more than secondary plot thread, following Dignum, especially in the way he was portrayed would certainly be engaging, but a man on the run, which is presumably what he would be doing, can only fill so much time. But I would like a film that looks at the fallout of the events of the first film, as no doubt a lot of questions would be asked after everything that happened and someone would have to go in and sort out the mess and with only a few people who knew the truth alive that would prove difficult, but with those characters also having done questionable things and possibly not wanting to come forward, there is a lot of conflict to get through both in terms of plot and character.

With Inception, the final shot asks us to make our own mind up about where Cobb (DiCaprio) is and it was a great way for Nolan to end the film. So how do you get another film out of this world? I have two, or albeit brief ideas. The first is a prequel, not based around Cobb or any of the team from the first film, the only character who could appear is maybe Miles (Caine) but played by a younger actor, which would follow the development and breakout of the dream technology and the PASIV machine in particular from the military where it was developed. As the technology is still new at this point, faults and weaknesses with the technology would play into the use of it and as a result create the danger for someone using the machine.

The second idea would act as a sidequel, another job in the same world, but completely unrelated to the first film. One criticism of the first was that the dream world was too real, a pointless criticism when the team are trying to ensure that the mark doesn’t know he is dreaming initially, as well the world being two rigid and filled with hotels and skyscrapers, all solid structures, but again that is linked to the mind of the mark, a businessman. To change this, the mark could be someone of a creative disposition, whose mind would be more fluid and potentially Salvador Dali-esque.

Only brief ideas explained in broad strokes, some are not as interesting as others and more than likely, none will ever happen. But we will still be left with the entertaining and enjoyable originals that built worlds that we can continue on in our minds.

The Dark Knight Rises

Spoilers for this film as well as Batman Begins and The Dark Knight could crop up, so be warned.

The first time I saw it, I got pretty choked up, but managed to hold it back, the second time I saw it was close and I could feel the tears coming but somehow they were kept back. The third time, if there is (there most likely will be) I can either see myself not being as affected or quietly weeping in the darkness, no doubt worrying the person next to me. This may sound like an exaggeration for a “comic book” film, but when you are as invested in the main characters, ones that you have spent three films following, then this kind of reaction to the last ten minutes of the film is understandable, at least to me.

Once again spoilers will follow. Also for those who haven’t seen the previous two films in the series (Batman Begins and The Dark Knight), they are essential viewing as a number of plot points, etc, are dependent on what occurred these two films.

The basic plot of The Dark Knight Rises picks up eight years after the lie, Batman has been gone for that time and Bruce Wayne has spent the last three years holed up in Wayne Manor, ala Howard Hughes. Gotham has eradicated organized crime as a result of the ‘Dent Act’, but the two men responsible for the city’s peace, Gordon and Wayne are straining under the pressure of what it cost them. Unknown to both of them, a revolutionary army led by the terrifying Bane is heading to Gotham, ready take advantage of a out of shape police force and an arrogant city.

As with these previous two films, The Dark Knight Rises would be nowhere without the central performance of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne/Batman, one of the key aspects that has set this series apart. In what is being considered his best performance of the trilogy Bale takes the character of Bruce, who has always been the primary focus of the films, from his lowest point (twice), through numerous emotional revelations and weighty scenes, back up to his highest, giving us an arc in this film that parallels the combined one he goes through in the previous two films. Physically, Bale brings more to the character, as it is needed for the story, than we have seen before, especially early on as Bruce is still nursing what I assume is the affects of the events at the event of The Dark Knight. To be fair, so would you after that ordeal. Supporting himself with a cane and putting on a show for the world, despite barely leaving Wayne Manor where he has painted himself as the recluse.

Similar to the other performances he has given, some of his best moments are silent moments where he conveys the pain and loss that has dictated his whole life through his eyes and facial expressions, never over or underplayed, it is a performance that perfectly portrays both sides of the Bruce Wayne character. Will he receive the Academy nomination that some people have touted him for? It’s unlikely because of the film he is in and the way there are perceived, but this is a character that I personally have been pulled into and have invested in, both in terms of time and emotions, because of Bale’s three performances.

Visuals

Following in the footsteps of Heath Ledgers Joker was never going to be an easy task. Even picking a character from the rogues gallery who can match The Joker on a pure idea/concept level is difficult enough, without having to find an actor who can give a performance that was as engrossing as Ledger. Luckily Nolan and Goyer chose a character that couldn’t be more different from the Joker, in Bane. A massive physical presence, who is more than capable of matching Batman in a fistfight. Portrayed as somewhere between a modern revolutionary and a cult leader. Hardy brings a completely new take on the character to anything we have seen in any version of the character we have seen. Gone is the luchador mask and venom (a drug in the comics that cause Bane to physically increase in size and strength) replaced by terrifying mechanical mask that administers a pain medication constantly. Equally charismatic and frightening, Hardy shows the character as a man capable of convincing people to devote themselves totally to him, willing to give their lives in an instant at one of his commands, then switching to a cold killer who will go through anybody who stands in his way. He certainly isn’t as fun as the Joker to watch, but he isn’t supposed to, you are supposed to be scared of this character, to hate him, yet at certain times be enthralled by his personality. His is one thing that seems to have gained some sort of negativity. At times it can be difficult to hear, but this seems to be as much about the films sound mix as the cinema (I have seen it in two different cinema’s, one got it right and I could hear everything, the other didn’t and some lines were muffled), his accent is interesting, no doubt a mix of the mask and the characters history and the places he has been to. But ultimately the voice and how you feel about it and hear it, is a very subjective like or dislike.

She is never referred to as Catwoman, just Selina Kyle, but you would have been living in a cage to not know that this is Catwoman. One of Batman’s most important and long running characters, it was great to see her brought to life in an accurate portrayal, no dead cat zombie lady in this one. Many didn’t feel that great when Anne Hathaway was announced. How stupid they must feel, or at least should feel now. Like her character in the film, she does steal scenes in this; one bar sequence is so perfectly Selina Kyle that it blows any would be complainers away, not to forget her entertaining introduction at Wayne Manor with Bruce and Alfred. Like both Bale and Hardy, Hathaway brings a great physicality to the role, more than capable of holding her own against a few thugs, she also uses her body to convey her different personalities whenever she doesn’t say anything, once again, her first two scenes demonstrate this perfectly. Finally, yes she does look like Catwoman and Selina Kyle and there are “ears” as part of the cat suit.

Following in the footsteps of the previous two films, The Dark Knight Rises moves at quite a pace once it gets going, which results in them being able to get a lot of story into the films mammoth running length of 164 minutes, most of which would be hard to cut down or eliminate. As a result for the most part the story is engaging and considerably tight, this is probably the most loose and free flowing of the trilogy, the end game is set up relatively early on and obstacles put in front of the protagonists. There is one factual error involving the kind of stocks/options purchased by one character at a point in the story, which during the film doesn’t take you out of the moment due to what comes before and after it, but after the credits roll it does stick out at you. But the fact that they have tried to incorporate something like this in a “comic book” film should be praised, even if it is a little off and if this is the only issue I can really find in the film that I can say that I am completely happy with that.

Talking about the plot and building on saying that it is the most free of the trilogy is meant to be taken positively, as it allows them ask questions and introduce ideas into the narrative, much in the same way as The Dark Knight and Inception, allowing each audience member to takeaway different things from the film and being allowed to leave with their own answers, conclusion and meaning from the story and characters.

As with Bale, Gary Oldman’s Jim Gordon is one of the cornerstones’ of this series, his role is slightly diminished compared to the one in The Dark Knight, but not by a large amount, once again he proves to be one of Gotham’s heroes. Here, Oldman plays Gordon as man who has paid the price for the lie that he and Batman built together to save Gotham, now eight years on, without his family with a desire to resign and admit the truth to everyone. As with the previous two films, Oldman brings the character in a complete way, giving us a man who you can see is physically crumbling and who can’t stand what the people of Gotham think of his “friend” as he puts it. It’s hard to give more detailed praise of the performance of the character other than it is completely believable and that when you see him on screen it, is Jim Gordon you see, not Gary Oldman.

John Blake, what a mystery he was prior to the film, having probably even more speculation about his character and who he really was. Who he becomes is something that I won’t completely talk about; I will save it for another blog. When Gordon-Levitt was first announced, the way his character was announced made it seem like he would have a secondary role in the film, acting as Gordon’s assistant. But as the film plays out, we see his character grow in stature, especially after things in Gotham go wrong, Blake establishes himself as a vital figure not just to the resistance, but also to everyone in the city. In a role that could have been played awkwardly and arrogantly by a lesser actor and honestly after seeing Gordon-Levitt play the role, I cannot imagine anyone else in the part, one scene early on with Bruce Wayne, featuring a monologue of his, could have come across as more of a plot point than a genuine character moment that starts his and Bruce’s relationship and shows to us just what this police office is capable of. Some people may guess where his character arc will end, even without any knowledge of the Batman mythology. Without doing it, Nolan gave us his interpretation of a critical character to Batman, the only thing I would have changed is his name, but I will say no more.

One of the main issues some people seem to have with The Dark Knight Rises is the sound, certain lines of dialogue seem to drowned out at time by the score, but it seems to vary from cinema to cinema and how their sound system is set up. There were a few moments in The Dark Knight that this issue, but were subjective to the cinema, yet they were resolved for the DVD release. My biggest piece of advice would just be to give the film your complete attention and you should have no problem.

To sum up then, is The Dark Knight Rises as good as it’s predecessors? Especially The Dark Knight, well that depends on your own personally preferences and how much you are willing to invest in the film and its characters emotionally. It may not be as fun as The Dark Knight or as a tight as Batman Begins, it is more sprawling and asks bigger questions and with any ending, it will draw more attention and opinions good or bad, as is the problem when someone brings a conclusion to a character who has never had his story end before. I for one enjoyed it immensely; it is a great ending to Bruce Wayne’s story and Nolan’s trilogy. Go and see it, ideally watch all three films close together to really get the whole story, then make up your own minds, just don’t go in hoping for your ending, theirs’ is most likely better.

Passing the Cowl

Come this August we will see Christian Bale’s last performance as Batman and Bruce Wayne, and the speculation will be begin as to who will be the next man to don the cowl. Not only will the task of bringing the character himself to life in a new and interesting way, but they will also be following an actor who has arguable given us one of the definitive portrayals of the characters numerous different personalities in believable and engaging performance.

When looking at the role of Batman you have to consider, it could be argued that it can be broken down into three separate personalities or aspects to the character. These being, Batman, Bruce Wayne as only Alfred sees and the Bruce Wayne that the rest of the world sees and judges. For the sake of ease of reading, I will refer to the private Bruce Wayne, purely as Bruce, and the other public Bruce Wayne as Wayne.

Briefly going through these different aspects of the overall character, the Batman part of the character is self explanatory in what is generally expected. Next comes the Bruce character, the one which is arguably the true Bruce Wayne, and which he keeps secret only showing it to Alfred, as it gives us an insight to pain that he feels over the loss of his parents, and often shows us the extent of the burden of being Batman has taken upon him. This was one of the main strengths and stand out part of Bale’s performance. Finally, is the Wayne aspect, which is often used as a distraction by Bruce, to keep people from suspecting him, and for comic relief moments, as he is often portrayed as being arrogant and sometimes oblivious to the wider world.

As mentioned by David S Goyer in an interview for Batman Begins, it was easy to find an actor to play either Batman or Bruce Wayne, but very difficult to find many that could play both, which was why Bale was cast, a decision that was well received by almost everyone. So once again, the creative team will once again have to embark on a search for someone who can provide the physique of the character, but also show a wide enough range to make him believable.

When considering the kind of casting you would need for Batman, it would be easy to just merely claim that it should go with an unknown actor and end the argument. As unlike some comic book roles, Batman can easily attract the best actors around, both because of the weight and stature of the character, but also because of the instant boost it can give to a career. Looking back at the last four men to play Batman, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Bale, neither of them were unknowns, all of them were well known, with a solid body of work, maybe not necessarily in genres that normally preside being cast as Batman. I am referring mainly on how people reacted when Keaton was cast, after doing a number of comedies, something none of the other three have done many of.

Now I would like to mention a name of who in my humble opinion should be considered by the next creative team. Ryan Gosling. Now depending on what direction the next creative team want to go, in terms of story, be it a reboot, and picking up when Batman is established (there really is no need to go and do another origin film, Batman Begins has that taken care of), or if they change their minds of a reboot, and pick up after the end of The Dark Knight Rises, if it’s still possible, then Gosling physically can pull of each possible direction.

In terms of acting ability, Gosling is more than capable of portraying three different aspects of the character. The three roles that demonstrated this were Drive, The Ides of March and Half Nelson. In regards to Drive, a character who spoke very sparsely, only when it was absolutely necessary, and who demonstrated a violent physicality, which would he need for the fistycuffs that crop up in any Batman film. In Half Nelson, we saw a vulnerable and flawed man, who at times couldn’t control an addiction that had a control over him, and could ruin him. Finally, in The Ides of March, we saw the more arrogant and uncaring man who at times, I felt, thought himself better than those around him, something that the Wayne character possesses, and needs to keep his relevancy.

Obviously, there is a chance that Gosling would have no interest in the role at all, and I am by no means saying that he is only one capable of playing Batman. There may be some young actor out there, who after one or two great films will be propelled to the top of the list, or an actor everyone knows will suddenly show a jump in ability, and catapult himself into contention.

Finally, like Bale, having Gosling as the next Batman, would really help the new creative team to build a great cast around their leading man, like Christopher Nolan has done with his Dark Knight trilogy, bringing in the best actors possible to bring the world to life, and give characters a weight and presence to them.

Whatever happens, it’s unlikely that we will find out who will don the cowl for a good three to four years, and even then, that could be wishful thinking. But if I had my way, it would be Ryan Gosling, pulling it on and disappearing into Gotham City.

Completing The Circle: The Dark Knight Rises

About two weeks ago the first trailer for The Dark Knight Rises arrived in theatres (if you went to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows) and online through the film’s bare facebook page. Before I was even aware it was out there, and friend of mine asked me what I thought of it, at the time I was somewhere where I had no chance of seeing it. For the next day I thought about what could possibly be on it, I didn’t want to ask and have it tainted for me. I wanted to go press play, knowing absolutely nothing about what I was about to see.

Before I go any further, there are no spoilers what so ever in this piece of writing for The Dark Knight Rises, as I don’t know any, and don’t want to know any.

The trailer is obviously very heavy on the end of a journey theme. One of the final images of the trailer is of the cloud filled bat symbol descending onto the dark city of Gotham. There are two ways to look at this, if you were to read into this imagery, and take it as being at all relevant to the overall plot.

Firstly, there is the, Batman will die at the end of the film way of thinking. Secondly, you could go that it is Batman saving onto the city and finally earning the trust of all its law-abiding citizens and it’s officials. Both at this time are perfectly plausible from a story point of view, more so the later as it would directly continue the story on from The Dark Knight where Batman sacrificed himself for the good of city, regarding Harvey Dent’s post accident business.

As Christopher Nolan has alluded to “bringing the story full circle”, then maybe this is the scenario we could see playing out in the story. Bruce Wayne finally achieving what he set out to do all those years ago when he returned from his seven-year absence. To become something that the people of Gotham could have faith in, and look up to, knowing that he is there to protect them from any danger. The trailer uses some dialogue from Batman Begins where Ra’s Al Ghul talks about what Bruce could be capable of, “making himself more than a man, and by doing that becoming a legend.

I am aware that the term Legend can be used in many different ways when referring to any kind of person, fictional or real. While the use of the line The Dark Knight Legend in the trailer could be seen as a way of merely stating that this is the end of this particular story, what I believe will probably be known as The Dark Knight trilogy, and the hyping the last instalment of a franchise always helps to get people into the cinema (look at The Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings numbers), it could also mean that by the time the credits roll Bruce Wayne may be dead.

The trailer throughout doesn’t hold much joy for both Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon, who is the character we see the most of. Gordon lays in pain and talks to a mysterious man for majority of the trailer, by what Gordon says and the way in which it is edited, we are led to believe it is Bruce Wayne, as he talks about the Batman coming back. No doubt, if this is an actual scene from the film, then Bruce more than likely has told Gordon who he is. The image of Gordon, who has suffered throughout the series, despite being the genuinely good man is a shock, and no doubt that was the point of using this for the trailer.

As I mentioned earlier, Gordon has suffered throughout the series, no more so than in the finale of The Dark Knight when his family’s future is decided on the flip of a coin by Harvey Dent. However, the state he is in on that hospital bed, is something else entirely. It’s more akin to severe beating or someone involved in a vehicle accident. By using a bit of comment sense, it wouldn’t be far to imagine that Gordon has had a run in with Bane, having to deal with him without Batman.

But the most shocking image of the trailer is saved for the last one or two seconds. It shows Batman staggering backwards, exhausted as Bane pounds into view up a flight of stairs, from our point of view, full of energy. It’s clear to see that this shot was chosen for a specific reason, it puts the idea of Batman dying as a very real possibility. However, knowing Christopher Nolan’s history with his Batman films, and their trailers, this shot could not even be from the last act of the film. Neither the trailers for Batman Begins or The Dark Knight had imagery from the finales in them. By finales I mean the siege of the Narrows or the Monorail fight in Begins or the skyscraper siege and coin toss sequence in Knight. This is however my assumption, and me going off what we have seen previously.

It is here I must admit to their being maybe a slight whiff of a spoiler, by my own fault I came across three set photos from the shoot in Pittsburgh.

If you don’t want to know anything, like myself then please jump to the next paragraph. Which features two pictures of Batman and Bane in a different location, fighting again, and which could make be the finale, if you take into consideration the contents of the third. Which feature neither Batman nor Bane, but certainly gives one or two clues away. Nothing though that any fan of Batman with a decent amount of knowledge of the characters history and the full cast list wouldn’t be able to put together if they had some spare time on their hands. Without knowing anything, I did think it was one way for them to link some characters together, and it seems at least going from this picture that I could be right.

Something to take into account when considering what the death of Batman would mean. Would the citizens of Gotham stand up and defend themselves and each other, making the city a better place, riding itself of crime and corruption. As much as we would all like to believe a city would do that, it would be unlikely. Gotham would quite possibly regress to what it was, but with the more dangerous criminals also in the mix. Christopher Nolan at times, especially with his Batman films encourages us to think about the possibilities after the film ends, the Joker card a prime example. How would Gotham fair with Batman gone, if the Joker were to escape or one of the other rogues emerged. The possibilities go are endless.

With the news that Warner Bros. will reboot the Batman franchise after this film coming out earlier in the year it is hard to say what the Nolan’s and David Goyer have in store for us this time next year. We don’t even know what kind of reboot they mean, it could be route that Marvel have taken with Spiderman, and starting a fresh with a knew cast and crew, or they could be just be passing the creative responsibility onto a new team, albeit with Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas serving as producers. This character especially in this version continuity has proven very popular, and it would be a strange decision for everyone involved to merely step away from it. Batman is one of the few comic book characters that has always been able to attract the big names, both in front of and behind the camera, and given the success of the first two, and it’s a safe bet to say the third, then attracting another talented team would not be difficult.

The one fear is that Warner Bros are rebooting Batman so as to one day put together their own team-up movie with the Justice League, as a way of rivalling Marvels The Avengers. Why they would want to do this, I have never understood, a good Batman film will always do better that these kind of films in both financial and critical terms.

Will we see Batman die next summer and become a legend that the people of Gotham look up to when they are lost or their city is in danger? Or will we see Batman finally become Gotham’s protector, accepted by all.

We’ll have to wait to next July to find out.

Memento

As this is the first of my film reviews, I thought I should probably start with my favourite film, which is as you may have guessed, Christopher Nolan's 2001 neo-noir Memento.

Memento tells the story of former insurance investigator Leonard Shelby (played perfectly by Guy Pearce) as he searches for the man who raped and murdered his wife, and is responsible for Leonard suffering from anterograde memory loss. A form of short term memory loss, where Leonard is unable to remember anything for more than a few moments. 

Structurally, Memento plays in reverse chronological order, for the most part anyway. The colour sequences are primarily of Leonard searching for his wife's killer, whilst the black and white section has Leonard talking on the phone to an unknown person about his past, and how came to the situation he is in. To simplify, the colour sequences run "backwards", whilst the black and white run in correct chronological order.

The reason for the structure is clear, and in terms of the story, essential. Without the use of the structure we would witness the narrative unfold from an objective perspective, and would be more aware of what has happened than Leonard is. With it running backwards, we experience it from Leonard's perspective, which gives us a very subjective view of the story.

The lead character of Leonard, as previously mentioned played perfectly by Guy Pearce comes across as first being a one dimensional character who is simply out for vengeance, but as the film progresses we see pieces of his past and his actions that build this complicated character, who struggles on in the attempt to find his wife's killer with this major block in front of him at all times.

The two main supporting characters of Teddy (Joe Pantoliano), the man Leonard kills at the beginning (or the end, depending on how you view it) as he believes him to be the killer. As well as Natalie (Carrie-Ann Moss), a bar maid who helps Leonard track down Teddy. Are both played superbly, bringing out these characters that would just as soon help Leonard as they would plot and use him to their own ends.

Delivering a final verdict on this film is easy for me, as I would highly recommend it to anyone for a multitude of reasons, some of which have been discussed above. Quite simply it is a must see film.

Score: *****(5/5)