Is this is a Comic Book Movie?

Rating: 9/10 (15 July 2008)

Let me preface this comment by saying I'm not a huge fan of comic books or comic book movies by default, but I do enjoy the genre if it's done well. I really enjoyed Batman Begins, and the Frank Miller take on Batman in the Dark Knight Returns. As much as I liked them however, they felt like a "comic-book". Not to deride the genre, but if you read a lot of comic books you probably know what I mean when I say this. There's a certain level of cheese and immaturity associated with any character that straps on tights and an animal-themed costume to battle crime.
However, the question that kept going through my mind when watching the Dark Knight was "Is this really a comic-book movie?" And I think that's no accident. Chris Nolan is certainly a master of his art and every choice that was made in this movie seemed to spring out of this idea. The sepia tone is out, replaced with a more ultra-realist look: when it's night, it's dark and when it's day it's light. The characters are somewhat over-the-top but ultimately believable: the word superhero and supervillain is never used in the movie, and even their comic-book names seem to be rarely (if ever) uttered. And the action is cool, but hardly over-the-top. The only thing that's really "comic-book" about the movie is Batman's costume, which is made about as practical as possible while still staying true to the character. It's all tied together with a rock-solid script that asks tough, thought-provoking questions, yet never gives way to a dull moment (in fact, it was so intense I think it gave me heart palpitations).
Certainly a risky move to pull in a film that's appealing to an audience that is generally looked down upon by the mass media. But I think Nolan (and his brother) give their audience much more credit than the typical movie maker and it pays off--well, it did for me.
What I'm trying to say is this movie is good. It's so good you may, like me, find yourself questioning your definition of "comic-book" movie.