I can't keep silent on this one

Rating: 8/10 (26 July 2008)

Hi there.
I'm usually a silent IMDb viewer. I log on and read the positive and negative comments about films to get an objective feel for the film . I don't usually respond or comment on films as I feel there are enough people throwing their opinions around. After reading the 'hated it' reviews for this film i have to get a few things off my chest. Please take what I'm about to say as relevant to every film, as well as this one.
First my thoughts on the film:
The Dark Knight was a great film. I say this- and I stress the difference here- not only because I really enjoyed it, but also because it was very well made. As a studier of film and a potential maker (fingers crossed) it is hard not to sit in the cinema and pull a film apart. The great thing is you know you really like a film when you are so engrossed in the story that this doesn't happen.
The script was great. Definitely the backbone of the two films. The character development of Batman extended far beyond the other films as it delved deep into the consequences of his actions and their effects on his alter-ego and the people he loves. The Joker's character was also well developed despite there being no back story to him, apart from some minor references to his father. The randomness of his character makes him more creepy, less understandable and very effective which is the essence of his character, "Do I look like a guy with a plan?" This in turn makes him a more formidable opponent for Batman than we've seen in the past and therefore makes the darkness of the film feel greater.
The best thing about The Dark Knight and its predecessor is that they strive for realism as much as possible for a super-hero film. The visuals are great as the shots flow seamlessly and bring the action forward to make Batman, the Joker and the battles more intense.
The performances are as solid as Batman Begins thanks to the great supporting cast. They are all believable characters in an imagined world, especially the Joker. Heath embodies the character to perfection; his laugh, his expressions, his walk, everything down to little idiosyncrasies like his sense of humor and the way he licks his lips. It is the attention to detail, the subtleties of character that make this performance memorable. The Joker is pure menace with homicidal charm and sense of humor to match.
The Oscar debate for Heath is unfortunate given the circumstances. Hopefully people will base their opinion/ nomination on his performance, not because it's his last.
On another note:
It is frustrating to see people rating films poorly just because they don't want it to be at the top of the all-time-greats list, just as it is annoying that the opposite occurs. This seems to have happened frequently for the Dark Knight. The people that have done this obviously don't realize that the scores for each film are averaged over time and according to dedicated reviews for the site. Films are like a good wine... I don't drink it, but everyone knows the clichÃ© I'm getting at.
The negative comments for this film (read the 'hated it' section) amount to just over 1400 compared to over 124000 in total -so far- and most of these lack insight or objectivity. They spout phrases of condemnation for the film, yet provide no evidence to support their claims. for example, one critique said:
..."So why, therefore, did this movie suck? Because it was created more for shock value than for actual entertainment."
Were they referring to the violence committed in some scenes by the joker? Or where they considering to something else? Apparently they haven't considered anything because looking at this comment we can see there is nothing constructive about their criticism; no trail of thought to follow and respect. This appears to be because they don't show any respect for the opinions of others, thinking in terms of right and wrong rather than simply disagreeing. Check this comment out:
"C'mon folks, you call this a masterpiece? The greatest movie of all-time? Seriously, I thought people had better tastes than this. The main reason why people went to see it is because it was Heath Ledger's last performance."
How completely arrogant to speak as though you know the minds and motivations the millions who went to see the film. I was looking forward to this film long before Heath passed and I would've been at it's first screening regardless.
I have written this, not because I take so much notice of poor reviewers that it offends me, but because it's sad to think that someone else might and make a judgment based on a badly formed opinion. However, I feel I have been slightly biased so it is important to note that it is not only the negative reviews that do this but also the positive ones.
The thing that makes this site great is that you can come on and get some really constructive and objective thought happening. The reviews that I am referring to, both positive and negative ones, put this in jeopardy and make IMDb more like a blogspot for over opinionated, self-important film buff wannabes. If you have an opinion express it without fear of any intelligent bias- Being brilliant is not a requirement- just do it constructively and objectively, not like a pi@#ed-off adolescent who hates everything for the sake of hating it.
Thanks for reading my rant.
Cheers