By | Published July 29, 2008

I had considered writing a review for THE DARK KNIGHT after seeing it on opening day. After all, it features one of the best-trained fighters in comic book lore finally using an actual coherent martial arts style (see article on Keysi Fighting Method). Yet the overwhelming positivity directed towards this film from all quarters sucked the wind from my critically-minded sails. There is nothing more disheartening than reviewing a genre movie that virtually everyone has seen and loved.

I still may opt for an in-depth DVD review in the future but in the meantime I have found the perfect replacement for a review, a Youtube video that expertly addresses one critical flaw in THE DARK KNIGHT that in my opinion is representative of a broader misstep in Nolan’s cinematic revision of the Caped Crusader. More on that later. For now, enjoy “The Dark Knight – Joker Interrogation Scene Spoof” short from MonkeyandApple. Well done gentlemen!

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  • http://www.bottle-imp.com/ Daniel

    I don’t know… I’ve heard at least one other person complain about Batman’s voice effects. The effects aren’t much more extreme than Darth Vader’s, but no one complained about Darth Vader’s clarity. I thought Batman’s voice was perfectly understandable. I just get the idea that a lot of people like to topple hype and zero in on things to complain about. Personally, I thought the sound design of the movie was one of its strongest points. The audio mix was genuinely intense all the way through.

  • http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/member.php?u=1 Mark Pollard

    It’s not the “effects” or our inability to understand what Batman is saying. It’s the failed attempt to sound imposing that is the real problem. The creators of this short film just found a more creative way of making fun of the faux Batman voice. The difference between the voices of Darth Vader and Chris Nolan’s Batman is huge. There was a reason why James Earl Jones did the voice of Vader. He didn’t have to fake sounding imposing. Christian Bale on the other hand doesn’t have an imposing voice and everyone knows it. So when he pretends to have one when he dresses up, he might as well have Burt Ward running alongside him in a yellow cape and tights. When the rest of the movie is done so well mistakes like that are glaring, at least for some of us. If it didn’t bother you I’m envious. It kicked my suspension of disbelief right out of the theater every time I heard it.

  • Yo Yo Yo

    The Batman Voice is “representative of a broader misstep”? Please. You might as well have written an article titled “I’m A Contrarian”.

  • Daigoro

    Mark in my opinion you have to review the Dark Knight. I was going
    to do it myself but i am at a loss of words myself. I wouldnt know
    where to start and if i did im not sure where i would begin. It’s
    not like other movies because there is not that much to compare it
    too. I feel i would have to see the movie twice before i seriously
    considered taking on a task as huge a reviewing THE DARK KNIGHT.

    I was listening to the DARK KNIGHT SOUNDTRACK this evening and i
    finally began to get in the mood to do a real knock up on the
    review. As far as the perspective it definitely set’s the tone
    for a movie like this however i stil feel i would have to see that
    movie twice before i got a feel of what happened in the film.

    Overall of course i was pleased with the film it is a far cry
    away from the first BATMAN with Christian Bale and a shock filled scream away from the first BATMAN which depicted Jack Nicholson as the Joker.

  • gqxsensazn

    I must be in the minority but I still loved Bale’s Batman voice. True..it did sound a little off and forced but then I thought of the other side about why it sounded the way it did. Here’s a Welsh actor with a heavy accent who is acting in an American accent when he’s in the movie. Then as Batman, he’s got to hide his voice by further deepening that American accent. It’s got to be extremely tough to hold that low voice for so long.

  • CaptainBoosh

    OK, you’re crazy if you DIDN’T think Batman’s voice was awful. It is cringe-inducingly awful.

    Great movie. I love Bale as BRUCE WAYNE, but he is NO BATMAN. He sounds like he’s TRYING to be Batman, but is not Batman.

    Kevin Conroy who did Batman’s voice for Batman: The Animated Series and Batman Beyond as well as the Gotham Knight (Batman anime DVD movie thingy) is the truest form of what a Batman should sound like. They could have just dubbed in his voice and it would have still been better.

    Granted the rest of the movie is almost perfect, except that Nolan doesn’t know how to shoot action (fighting) very well, but this really does take you out of the experience.

  • Yo Yo Yo

    The Batman voice is excellent.

  • ActionRadius

    Everyone brings his or her pre-conceived idea about what The Batman’s voice sounds like. I think Bale’s voice was adequate; it certainly didn’t have a negative impact or DETRACT from the movie. Ledger’s Joker voice was completely different than Nicholson’s and nobody is being as critical. “what Batman should sound like”? Please. If you’re going to be that picky about The Batman fitting your pre-conceived ideas, you’re guanranteed to be disappointed with any live action film (maybe stick to cartoons).

  • http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/member.php?u=1 Mark Pollard

    THE DARK KNIGHT: Is Bale’s voice too much?
    Article from the “Chicago Tribune”

  • DragonSword

    I liked the disguised voice, the Bruce Wayne voice wouldn’t suit the Dark Knight well. My only complaint is when Batman talked to his allies in the disguised voice, but I guess he was staying in charachter.

  • ZenShiite

    Here’s the thing about Batman’s voice… it’s been kind of a plot point in comics of late. In Frank Millers All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder it’s literally got Dick Grayson having been kidnapped by the Bat after his parents were murdered at the circus and in the Batmobile thinking to himself how corny Batman sounds with his “Clint Eastwood-voice” and how it’s like he’s trying to sound scary. In the regular Batman titles you’ve got Alfred getting on Bruce’s case because he’s ALWAYS speaking in the Bat-rasp because he’s so tied up in the role of Batman.

    Kevin Conroy is great, but that’s an entirely different medium and a different form. Batman the Animated Series wasn’t trying to be realistic… Nolan’s movies are depicting a guy who’s well trained in martial arts, has tons of money, and has an obsession with revenging his parent’s murder and never letting other people’s parents get killed. He’s probably just as insane as the Joker and Two-Face… and the voice he’s using sounds forced because it IS forced. Mind you… Batman Begins was like Batman Year One, the Dark Knight is like Year Two. He hasn’t been on the job all that long. Probably hasn’t figured out just how he even wants his voice to sound anwyays.

  • http://www.kungfucinema.com/forums/member.php?u=1 Mark Pollard

    ZenShiite, that’s the first good argument for the Batman “voice” that I’ve read. Wayne losing himself in the Batman guise makes sense. The problem that remains for THE DARK KNIGHT is that Christian Bale’s effort still sounds forced, like someone trying to sing outside of their vocal range. It would have made more sense had they used a completely artificial voice or dub and explained it by way of having Wayne use an electronic device to disguise his voice. That would make the most sense. After all, his voice could be easily recorded and possibly matched to Wayne.

  • Lix

    por lo menos hubieras leído el resultado del traductor antes de pegarlo en tu blog

    moraleja: si no tienes tiempo de crear tu propio texto, no actualices el blog!!! XD

  • Lix

    por lo menos hubieras leído el resultado del traductor antes de pegarlo en tu blog

    moraleja: si no tienes tiempo de crear tu propio texto, no actualices el blog!!! XD