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Here is my problem with the approach that they are taking with Batman.
It's too "real world"
Let me explain. "Road to Perdition" or "History of Violence". Both movies based on comic books, but in a real world setting. I have NO problem with them. But when you take a movie like Batman which is based on fantastical elements, an iconic comic book character and you take away those more fantastical elements it loses something for me.
Example: making Joker just a psycho without getting his skin bleached out by chemicals.
I mean they way they doing the movies could you picture Superman crossing over with Batman? Or what about characters like Clayface, or Mr. Freeze or Poison Ivy, or Killer Croc?
I could see them doing a Poison Ivy as a femme fatale, with poison on her lips or nails but not commanding plants and so forth. Killer Croc would be a psycho with a skin condition. In a way I think they are limiting themselves to just pyschos and mobsters.
To me this works better for a character like the Punisher, but Batman is one of the core 3 from DC.

As far as COMIC BOOK movies are concerned I think that Marvel hitting closer to the mark.

NOW, this mat sound hypocritical after what I have just said BUT I am not saying I didn't enjoy the film, I thought Ledger did a great job with the Joker and overall enjoyed it immensely!

JessieGarrett wrote: I mean they way they doing the movies could you picture Superman crossing over with Batman?!

Actually, I think it works in a crossover movie's favor. Batman's familiar with mobster's and crazies in make-up. What happens when a guy who can fly and shoot heat from his eyes shows up? He'll be caught off guard, he won't know how to respond. I think this would make for a more interesting movie than if Batman had experienced with the more fantastical villains in his rogue's gallery.

Yeah but they have established that real world outlook. I don't think that moviegoers would respond favorably to a comic book treatment now.

That didn't seem to be a problem when Superman went up against the evil real estate scam artist Lex Luthor in Superman and then super powered Phantom Zone villains in Superman II.

If anything, an introduction of the more fantastical is exactly what is happening with the Batman movies. Two-Face was actually disfigured in a manner similar too (but not identical too) how he is in the comics.

I wouldn't say that Two-face was fantastical. He was a disfigured guy, thats it.
I'm not saying that it wasn't well done. But I feel that if they were to introduce a "inhuman" villain or a character with outlandish powers it would break the mood they have established so far in both movies.

As far as the comparison with Superman he is a fantastical character by himself so he already sets a standard. You can throw whatever you want in that movie and it still works.

JessieGarrett wrote:I wouldn't say that Two-face was fantastical. He was a disfigured guy, thats it.

I dunno. There's disfigured and then there's Two-Face.

JessieGarrett wrote:But I feel that if they were to introduce a "inhuman" villain or a character with outlandish powers it would break the mood they have established so far in both movies.

I would say Batman Begins was more fantastical than Dark Knight. I mean, its got ninjas, water vaporizing cannons, and fear toxin.

i liked this movie, a LOT actually, but i do agree with JessieGarrett that, at this point the character with the most revered "rogues gallery" is left pretty much unchallenged... all the fantastic villains seem to be unfitting with this current setting.

however, lets not forget this joker was outstandingly threatening, scary, cruel, and funnier than he's ever been on film, animation or even comics , wether his skin was bleached or unbleached.
this two-face was close to identical to the one on the comics.
scarecrow was lightly developed but very well interpreted on both films.
with ras al gul they took more liberties, in my opinion, but he is hard one to pull off and doesn't have the iconic simplicity that makes joker and two-face such brilliant myth like villains ...

i do trust this creative team.
i think the outstanding success of the film has probably caught them a bit off guard, and this, in my opinion, will empower the creative decisions over studio marketing decisions in the future.

so again, i trust the creative team; if they return they'll figure it out.
this current movie took a lot of figuring out, and they did an unbelievable job on my opinion, specially script wise.
maybe the ridler, maybe twoface isn't done for, maybe talia or even her father may return to the scene.

Jessie does have a point. While I absolutely LOVED Dark Knight, it was not as close to it's comic roots as something like Iron Man or Spider-Man.

As far as comics ==> film translation, Marvel seems to do a superior job.

Yeah I really liked Dark Knight too and I hope that the movies continue to live up to expectations. I think they will have a hard time making as good of a movie for number 3 JUST because number 2 was so well received.

And hey my "complaints" as it were really could take a long time to come to fruition. Batman has other villains that fit the bill in the more non-fantastical "superpowered" way.
Scar Face, the Riddler, off the top of my head are both characters that would fit well into the environment that they are setting up. So I think they have plenty to work with.

Also a customer pointed out to me, as I own a comic shop and work with and around comics constantly perhaps that sways my opinion that I want to see the more Iron man "comic like" stance instead of the Batman "real world" approach.

Another non-fantastical villain that would be fun for a Batman film is Deadshot.

Oooo thats a good one John!

Obviously Catwoman and Penguin

I'd be tempted to have a few blatantly lame ones for really quick "fight" scenes to establish that the existence of Batman is changing the nature of crime in Gotham City. You know, classic characters like CrazyQuilt, Killer Moth and the ever popular Condiment King.

I don't agree with the original point. I feel that the Tim Burton, fantastical, art deco style has been utterly played out over the last 2 decades. Nolan was very savvy to recognize the need to take things in a fresh direction.