'The Dark Knight' No Joke - Current incarnation of The Caped Crusader mixes film-noir with the classic comic

With the critical and financial success of "Iron Man" and a revamp of "The Incredible Hulk" paving the way for an expanded slate of films based on Marvel Comics characters the next few years, DC Comics is stepping up with its only reliable film warhorse, Batman.

"The Dark Knight" has been highly anticipated even before it began filming. The casting of Heath Ledger ("10 Things I Hate About You," Brokeback Mountain") as the Joker caused much consternation among fans who appreciated the realistic tone director Christopher Nolan brought to the restart of the franchise, "Batman Begins."

It didn't take long for all that to change when scenes featuring Ledger started to surface, which proved he would not be channeling Ceasar Romero or Jack Nicholson, but something far more bizarre and dark.

The movie quickly became the most anticipated of the year with early talk of an Oscar nod for Ledger, despite his untimely death.

Two of Flipside's own film snobs, Brent Stewart and Codell Rodriguez already have their tickets for the midnight opening of "Dark Knight" and have been geeking out since the first trailer hit the Internet. As part of our preview coverage of the opening, the two nerds discuss their love of all things Batman and hopes and dreams for the next installment.

Brent: For a movie that really didn't need to do a lot in terms of promotion, they engaged in a fairly extensive marketing campaign.

Codell: A creepy viral marketing campaign. They wanted to show the anarchist ways of the Joker and they really nailed it. Now all the Gotham Web sites have been defaced by the Joker with unnerving red smiles and black circle eyes drawn on all the faces and changing the text. An example being he changed the Gotham Cable News site from saying A Comcast Network to A Communist Network. It can be funny, but also really eerie. That's made me all more eager to see how crazy this Joker is.

Brent: Right, in everything we've seen and read, they've got the character of the Joker dead-on. The complete opposite of Batman: no regard for life, doesn't want money. If you've ever seen, "Unbreakable," Samuel L. Jackson contends that a hero cannot exist without a villain. This is the same way with Batman and the Joker.

Codell: When they first announced Heath Ledger would play the Joker, I was definitely skeptical. My ideal choices were Adrien Brody or Crispin Glover. But now I can't imagine anyone else playing him. That's not to totally dismiss Jack Nicholson's portrayal. Jack's good at playing a psycho, but he was more comedic than scary. I remember thinking the one scene in the 1989 Tim Burton film that really nailed the character was the one where he uses the hand buzzer on the dissenting mobster and has a full conversation with the charred remains after everyone has gone. Ledger seems to be doing that and more in every scene I've seen so far.

Brent: Christopher Nolan seems to be doing everything right. There are a few things I would not have changed from the original comic book story (like the Dent-Dawes-Wayne love triangle) but all in all, he's getting the tone and characterizations right. Harvey Dent as well, which Aaron Eckhart is perfect for.

Codell: He has done such a good job, everything before "Batman Begins" is inconsequential to me. Tim Burton did ok. Batman was good and I actually liked "Batman Returns" a bit more, but they were still Burton films and not really Batman films. He also made his movies about the villains and seemed to forget the titular character. Ok, so his parents were gunned down, but what really qualifies this billionaire to dress up like a bat and fight crime? Nolan took the time to answer that in Batman Begins and gave depth to Bruce Wayne like no other filmmaker has.

Brent: And apparently that depth is only added to in this movie as they continue to explore why Bruce Wayne does what he does, can he have a normal life and how what he does affects the world around him.

Codell: I also liked that Nolan really pushed the fact that the Bruce Wayne that goes out and parties, buys hotels and dates supermodels is the costume and that Batman is what he really is. In the earlier films, Batman seemed to be something he did on the side. Should we even dignify the Joel Schumacher films with comment?

Brent: That's a very good point. That's something Grant Morrison is examining now in his current run on the Batman comic book, in the story arc titled "Batman RIP."

One thing I'm always critical of is the way comic stories are translated when they go from the page to screen. Usually they're completely messed up. X-Men is the best example of this, when even though the movies were decent, they changed so much of the story needlessly. Some films get it right, "Spider-Man," "Iron Man," and Nolan's Batman.

Codell: Another trend in comic book movies that I have noticed is the third film in the franchise is always when it starts to go downhill or just plummets completely. "Batman Forever," "Superman III," "X-Men United" and the crime against humanity that is "Spiderman III" are all examples of this. Nolan's Batman series is my biggest hope of breaking this trend. Speaking of high hopes for the third movie, what would you like to see in the sequel to "The Dark Knight?" What villain or villains should occupy that film?

Brent: Well, they need to bring in Catwoman, which would satisfy Hollywood's prerequisite of having a love interest in every movie. Two-Face seems to be the set up for the next movie, but I think they could really go in any direction satisfyingly alongside that: Riddler, Penguin, Clayface, or the Mad Hatter. One thing I like about the way they've handled the Joker is they decided to not do an origin story with him, which is great. We don't need it. The same could be said for all those other villains. Bring 'em in, let them fight.

Codell: I agree wholeheartedly about Catwoman. Ever since you loaned me your copy of "The Long Halloween," I've become more and more eager to see Nolan's take on the burglar and my favorite Batman love interest. While the Rachel Dawes love story was my least favorite thing about "Batman Begins," a Catwoman love story could be great in the third. And as far as an origin story, Catwoman is a very pretty lady named Selina Kyle who dresses like a cat and steals things. There's your origin. I could also see Batman's struggle of deciding between upholding the law and the woman he loves. Kate Beckinsale has expressed interest in playing her. Any other thoughts on a good actress for the role?

Brent: Well, they could get Sean Young. Kidding! You know, the casting's been so good so far, anyone but Halle Berry would be fine with me. Beckinsale might be ok, but they should use someone who is a little more grizzled. Rose MacGowen? Eh, nah.

Codell: See I was thinking someone in their mid-20s to early 30s and not so much grizzled as sarcastic and sultry. But I agree about the casting. I'm sure he'll pick the right person.

So the reviews are trickling in for The Dark Knight and they are overwhelmingly positive and word on the street is Nolan may have some dirt on the MPAA to get a PG-13 rating. The hype is through the roof and some theaters have had to add shows at 3 and 6 a.m. The hype was big for "Spiderman III" as well, but a decent amount of critics were slamming it before it came out.

Movie of the summer or a heart-crushing dud? I have to say the former. To me it seems like they took everything that was great about "Batman Begins," which will probably be my favorite comic book movie until tonight, and made it even better. I'm not going to make a judgment before I see it, but I will say it's going to be the greatest comic book of all time and anyone who doesn't like it will be dead to me.

brent.stewart@thesouthern.com / 351-5074

codell.rodriguez@thesouthern.com / 351-5804