Am I a bad person because I don't care about Heath Ledger in Dark Knight?

I really could care less about this movie. In hollywood there's a buzz about Heath ledger's performance as the Joker, "Oscar" word is buzzing. Then I wonder, if they are just doing this because he died and as a way to be hollywood correct and give him the oscar. I never liked the Batman Begins movie and I will probably won't like this one. Batman is now like a morphed punisher with bad guns. The movie is like a gangster film with james bond. In the first one they took away the fantasy, explaining how the car was a government tank and explained everything away. They made the batmobile to look like a tank. Then they had him going up mountains training martial arts, explained how the suit has all the gadgets. It felt like James bond was getting suited up.

The joker, I mean how many more times do we need to see this Joker? He's in the first films, (My favorites), he's in the cartoons, almost in every episode. I mean who wants to see the joker again escaping from jail and blowing up the city. This joker looks like the crow, but with a blair witch project touch. Yeah ok, the Emo-goth kids might like this. But why can't we keep batman fun and entertaining? without all the emotional load. When we go see batman we don't want to see the Godfather. Just batman.

So, Heath ledger died from overdose, ok poor guy, but does this mean i'm going to say that he's the best actor in the world and the best joker ever? no. I actually prefer Mark Hammil as the voice of the Joker and i'd rather watch the old Batman 60's series. You see, batman is a joke, he's not supposed to be taken seriously. He's overconfident and his costume is ridiculous. I hate it when hollywood takes away the fun out of comics and turns it into a drama. I hope i'm not offending the batman fans too much with this review. Old style batman rules and Tim Burton's vision will always be 1st in my book. Sorry Ledge.

jedimiller.

nope,doesn't make you bad at all. Just because a man is in films,doesn't mean you have to mourn him any more than someone else who you don't know. A loss of life is tragic,to those close to them. But doesn't effect you directly,unless you're a big fan of them. And even then,it's psychosematic. (sp)

I was more upset when "nice guy eddie" passed away,as i thought that res dogs was a great film. But that's as far as it went.

Originally posted by Acidtastic
nope,doesn't make you bad at all. Just because a man is in films,doesn't mean you have to mourn him any more than someone else who you don't know.

thank you Acidtastic! At least we agree on something eh? well, I feel so much better, everyone I talk too says things like, "oh he's the great new Joker" "He deserves an oscar b'cause he died". etc. people feel sorry for him. I can almost predict the next years oscar, he may win it. Do you really think he would want an oscar out of pitty? No one has ever won an oscar being in a superhero movie, jack nicolson didn't get an oscar, this would be a slap on his face.

"do i think he'd want an oscar out of pity"

Well,he was an actor in a scene dominated by awards and back patting orgies,so probably

Oh yeah, he was in that movie Brokeback Mountain huh. I never saw it, refused to see it. all the old guys at the academy loved that movie. No offence man, I know where you stand on that. I take sleeping pills, right now I take tylenol PM, but I only take two. and i'm also taking Lipitor for clds. I read the label. personally I think Heath was under drugs because he was dating that crack addict.

Originally posted by jedimiller
Oh yeah, he was in that movie Brokeback Mountain huh. I never saw it, refused to see it. all the old guys at the academy loved that movie. No offence man, I know where you stand on that. I take sleeping pills, right now I take tylenol PM, but I only take two. and i'm also taking Lipitor for clds. I read the label. personally I think Heath was under drugs because he was dating that crack addict.

naah,I saw it too,thought it was a load of sloppy BS. But then,I'm not into love stories at all. I prefer explosions and monsters. That film had neither so it dies.

I'm not much of a Batman guy, but I did like the first two with Michael Keaton. I'm not a comic book guy, and I'm slightly annoyed with the amount of these films being crammed into one summer. However, I am excited for this movie. I was excited to see Ledger's portrayal of the Joker well before he past on. When I first saw the initial pictures of him in character, my jaw dropped.

I've read the reviews on the film and it's being said that the film is deserving of a potential best picture nomination, and Ledger's performance is deserving of a best supporting nomination. Is this out of pity? I disagree completely. I haven't even seen the film, and well before I read any review, I felt that this performance was going to be potentially Oscar worthy.

What I don't like is that people will minimize his accomplishments and chalk it up to pity, instead of recognizing great acting when they see it.

Many will rejoice with this performance and many will criticize it and say others are simply pandering to the death of an actor.

I'm going to see the film on the weekend, and I'll give my honest opinion of it then. But as it stands, I expect the film to be amazing and I expect Ledger to be amazing. Because he's dead? No, because he's talented.

Are you a bad person because you don't care? No.

I'm not even sure why that would be a question.

I don't think your a bad person for not caring about an actor in a film (maybe you will feel different when the Star wars TV series starts lol), but I do agree with Chisslers comments, after seeing the initial pics of Heath in the "Joker" make-up I knew this was gonna be a far better version of the character then that portrayed by Jack Nickolson. When I was younger I loved the more darker Batman graphic novels and like the idea that comic book movies can be serious, darker and more adult orientated.

reply to post by jedimiller


You're not a bad person for not caring about Heath Ledger. I could care less about some celebrity's death.

However, you are a bad person if you're not excited about this movie. Not just bad. You're evil. And not just Charles Manson evil. We're talking Hitler evil. This movie looks like it's going to be awesome.

To me, the one and only Batman is Adam West. Whenever I see a new Batman movie I ask, "Hey, where's Robin? How can they leave Robin out?"



To me, Alfred sometimes puts on the suit and is indistinguishable from the real Batman.

This is the real Batmobile:

who cares heath ledger was good as the joker but if you dont like him no need to feel bad! its only raked it in cos heath ledger passed away

Yes, it makes you a horrible, terrible, insensitive, awful... oh, wait, it was Heath Ledger, nevermind.

It doesn't make you a bad person. People die, sometimes by their own stupidity, sometimes they were famous, sometimes they're just someone in a tenement somewhere. If you didn't know them and/or care about them personally, there's really no reason that their death should effect you in any personal way.

well I watched the dark knight movie and was amazed how well he played the role. If you have watched any of his other movies you would be amazed how different and authentic he is as the joker. Hey it is your opinion and I have nothing against that. But seriously watch the film. I reckon he would of gotten the oscar even if he wasn't dead. Best villain since anthony hopkin's hannibal lecter in my opinion.

I just love the bit where he makes that knife disappear.

Actually watch the movie and then tell me what you have to say about it.
I felt a bit like you before I watched it but it is a VERY good movie, and all the actors do a superb job, but especially Heath Ledger.
It is 10 times better than Batman Begins.

Originally posted by jedimiller
I never liked the Batman Begins movie and I will probably won't like this one.

So you haven't seen the movie yet... AND you make this comment:

Originally posted by jedimillerbut does this mean i'm going to say that he's the best actor in the world and the best joker ever? no. I actually prefer Mark Hammil as the voice of the Joker and i'd rather watch the old Batman 60's series.

No you don't have to care about Heath, however, you can't say you prefer something over something else if you have not experienced it.

Consider this statement:

"I have never had a banana, but apples are so much better anyway."

Please watch the movie then tell us your thoughts, i don't care if you come out with the same preconceived notions you went in with. Your comments will matter more to me if you have seen it. It will then enable you to make a fair judgment.

No your not a bad person. The batman movies arent my thing. Although I liked the first batman movie, they should of stopped after that one in my opinion. Just because Heath Ledger was in doesnt mean anything. He was a young actor who died while making this movie. I have no desire to see because these kinds of movies dont interest me.

reply to post by jedimiller



Why so serious?

[edit on 28-7-2008 by thehumbleone]

Consider the possibility that Heath Ledger really is NOT dead and is currently living on an island in the South Pacific, incredibly wealthy and set for life. The only condition is that he cannot be seen in public ever again. The news of his death only served to increase the hype and hundreds of millions of dollars this film brought. If it's a good film it should be able to stand on its own merits and without all the Hollywood hype.

Originally posted by jedimiller

You see, batman is a joke, he's not supposed to be taken seriously.

Umm? Have you read the batman comics? It's not supposed to be a joke my friend. Batman is actually very dark and depressing. batman is a confused dude. He's got issues. He watched his parents get murdered right in front of him as a child. No joke.

Anyways, no ones expecting you to like something just because one of the actors in it died. You thinking that is just kind of..weird..

A bad person? Of course not. Why is it wrong for you to not mourn the loss of someone you don't know or someone who you are not a fan of?

However I'd recommend watching the film before saying anything about his performance. He was absolutely brilliant as the Joker. Oscar worthy? I dunno. I've seen people get Oscar's for worse performances and better performances so I don't know exactly how people judge these things or the criteria needed to get one.

The new Batman films are supposed to be more 'real'. More in keeping with whole tone of the comic. The original movies, while fun, didn't really get across the sense of absolute hopelessness that you got as soon as you opened the comics and was greeted by a cityscape in the dark full of crime and debauchery. I think the new movies succeed in this and while I remain a fan of the old films, the new films are how I want Batman to be portrayed.

I'm upset Ledger died, mainly because it means he can't come back as the Joker in a future film. His performance was incredibly believable and unspeakably disturbing.