Ten years. It’s been 10 years since Christopher Nolan erased the stigma that comic book movies are strictly for kids with the release of The Dark Knight. His nuanced Batman crime drama – which also served as a subliminal tribute to Michael Mann’s Heat – defied all expectations as it became the new standard bearer for superhero affairs. Plus, it helped that it was a bloody good movie, regardless of its genre or assumed target audience.
Gary Oldman, who portrayed Jim Gordon, told Coming Soon how The Dark Knight could’ve terribly gone off course if it weren’t for Nolan’s vision and guidance.
“In the hands of a less talented director, I think, you might watch this and think there’s too much going on. It’s overloaded. Lots of plot. Two bad guys. There’s the Chechnyans, the mob, the Lao, the money, The Joker – who doesn’t want the money – there’s all of that going on. When I read the script, I thought where do I focus? I don’t mean this in a disrespectful way, there’s a lot going on. But you know exactly where to focus, where to look and there is a lot to do. It is a big film.”
We’re all aware of what’s happened since with Marvel Studios turning the comic book movie genre into one of the most profitable in cinematic history, as well as how The Dark Knight defined numerous careers and legacies. There’s simply no getting away from the film’s importance and that’s why we’re here now, to discuss the moments which cement its status as the greatest comic book movie of all-time.
While the likes of Rob Liefeld might suggest that Iron Man is more seminal because it started the cinematic universe, the truth is, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) would’ve crumbled if The Dark Knight hadn’t opened up the door to the mainstream.
Make no mistake: There’ve been many contenders trying their hardest to dethrone Nolan’s masterpiece in recent years, but they’re all merely pretenders. There’s only one Dark Knight and it’s the greatest of all-time. So, bow to the king!
