see what i think is special about this batman is it's less super hero movie more dark noirish crime saga ala the departed in a very unique setting! it, as a film, actually has some credibility rather then just cashing in on the superhero itself.

Well, I never really thought of The Departed as being exactly NOIRISH, but the fact that it has credibility as a film itself and doesn't just ride on Batman doesn't mean it's not a superhero movie; it's just a GOOD superhero movie.  The thing is, though, it has all the elements of a superhero movie, more or less.  I mean, I guess there are probably noir elements to be found as well, but there's also the fact that the entire movie follows Batman trying to stop mob bosses and supervillains and people from blowing up, and doing things like hitting a wall doing 60 and flipping is motorcycle off of it.  In terms of content and subject matter, it was 100% a superhero movie.  The only thing special about it is that it succeeds on a far larger scale than even the best superhero movies have in the past.

I (along with a lot of other people) don't really consider batman a "superhero" per se. He's more of a costumed crime fighter. They have similar concepts, but by not having super powers Batman becomes a bit more human and has to deal with that a bit more than SUPERMAN, and I think that lends a lot to Batman in general. There's a very real danger of him actually dying, and stuff isn't just easy as hell either.

I think this is the kind of ridiculous hair-splitting that only nerds bother to do.  Ahhh but he's not a superhero.... he's a costumed crime fighter.  Huge difference.  And I vaguely agree, but it turns out there's absolutely no difference whatsoever when the concepts are applied to film!  Would a superhero fly around?  Yes.  Does Batman fly around?  Yes.  Would a superhero beat up half a dozen or more goons at once?  Yes.  Does Batman?  Yes.  Would a superhero enact improbable stunts that eventually lead to him saving the day?  Yes.  Does Batman?  Yes.  Do you see where I am going with this?  His absence of powers has little to no actual effect on the film, aside from providing an avenue for them to show fancy technical equipment.  But it's really all the same thing, whether he's flying around Hong Kong, or just gliding around on an electrically charged ion-powered cape.

You can't call him a costumed crime fighter and say him not having any powers makes a difference, when he does the same exact stuff a superhero does.  You make it seem like not having powers makes Batman more vulnerable, and in theory it does, but ALL superhero movies put their heroes in grave danger, regardless of their powers.  From Batman to Superman, there's always a threat to their personal safety.  So I don't think it can possibly make him seem more human than other actual superheroes when they all do the same exact things, and face the same exact personal dangers.  I don't really see how anyone who actually watched the movie can walk away and say that it wasn't basically still a superhero movie, regardless of it's quality.  He spends the whole time flying around beating up baddies and saving the city in a masked costume.

For some reason none of my friends can follow a movie plot to save their lives. All through Wanted they kept asking, "Wait, so who is Sloane again?" and were completely unclear as to who Wesley's father was. It didn't help that we movie-hopped to the Dark Knight right afterward, which also had Morgan Freeman in it, and then they started getting everything confused.

This was a pretty hardcore movie. It was fairly long (and almost pushed the limit because I saw the 5:00 showing and almost missed the start of the Avatar season finale), but that's alright because I actually have an attention span. Although I do admit that there were at least two times when I though the movie was over, but it wasn't.

Haha, the pencil magic trick. XD

Absolutely amazing.

Loved it.  True shame that Ledger isn't here to reprise his role for future sequels.

FANTASTIC.

Guys i am sad that heath ledger is getting all the attention.

He was very good, yes, but i felt that Aaron Eckhart was pretty spectacular with Harvey Dent's character! Like, more so than Ledger. It seems like Ledger's death is going to overshadow a lot of other people's performances.

Guys i am sad that heath ledger is getting all the attention.

He was very good, yes, but i felt that Aaron Eckhart was pretty spectacular with Harvey Dent's character! Like, more so than Ledger. It seems like Ledger's death is going to overshadow a lot of other people's performances.

i disagree that his performance was better than ledger's, because i think the joker is a more difficult character to convincingly and compellingly play than harvey dent was, and just a better character overall.  but yeah i agree that he probably is going to get an unfair amount of attention.  his performance really was probably the best in the movie though imo!

canon according to what, though?  this shit is kind of based around miller's stuff and i don't think that's canon either!  If they make another one, idk, I guess it might be alright if they bring in someone else as the Joker and through Harley in there, but I'd really like to see Mr Freeze.  Not the GAY AHNOLD version, either.  Like the one in the cartoon.  Sympathetic and all that.  I guess they could do the same with Clayface and Mad Hatter but tbh I just don't think either of them are as good, and Penguin and Ivy are both just kind of silly.  So yeah Mr Freeze would be great!