In the least surprising news item of the day, it was announced that The Dark Knight once again topped the box office charts, bringing in $26 million this weekend. This fucking movie has been out for a month, and it’s still doing better than everything else that’s coming out. It’s unstoppable.
I feel very conflicted about this. One the one hand, the fact that The Dark Knight has made almost $450 million dollars practically guarantees that Christopher Nolan and company will make a third film. That’s good news to people who like smart, interesting super hero movies. That’s also bad news to whoever directed the Fantastic Four movies.
On the other hand, I’m not entirely sure this movie deserves to be the third highest grossing movie of all time (so far). Studio executives predict that by the time it’s all over, it film will bring in at least $510 million bucks, surpassing Star Wars to become #2 on the all-time box office list. It bothers me that The Dark Knight is a sequel, and quite frankly, I think that Batman Begins was, all things considered, a better movie.
But what really gets me about this is that it sends a dangerous message. The film glorifies bats, when in truth, we should all cower in fear of bats. Just this weekend, it was reported that at least 38 people have been killed by rabies infected bats in Venezuela in the last year, with at least 16 of them having died in the last two months.
Dr. Charles Rupprecht, the head of the rabies program at the Centers for Disease Control, had this to say: “Vampire bats are very adaptable, and when their roosts are disrupted or their normal prey grow scarce, Homo sapiens is a pretty easy meal.”
We’re “pretty easy meal?” I don’t like the sound of this one bit. I don’t approve of the number one movie at the box office being about a vigilante who goes around dressed up like a filthy animal that sees humans as “an easy meal.” What kind of role model is this? A bad kind, that’s what.
If I had my druthers, we’d have human-friendly super heroes, like Goldfishman or Pelicanman.
He’s tough on cats, but easy on humans.
I know that part of the super hero thing is striking fear into evil doers, but really, super heroes need to realize that kids look up to them and that whether they like it or not, they are role models. They can’t go around all willy-nilly, beating up criminals, and expect kids not to look favorably upon them. When you dress up like a bat and stand up for justice, you have to expect kids will start to think that bats are their friends. Then, next thing you know, BAM the kids get rabies, or worse, get eaten by hungry bats whose roosts have been disrupted.
I don’t want my kids being eaten by bats. Do you want your kids being eaten by bats? I didn’t think so.
I really think that if you need to get rid of your kids, that having them eaten by bats seems like a fairly efficient way to do so. If you can just keep it outside the house, it’s all okay.
That’s a fair point, but I’m confused what the “it” in your second sentence refers to. Is it a bat? Is it a kid?
If you adjust for inflation then Gone With the Wind would still be the number one grossing film of all time, and Star Wars would be ahead of DK and Titanic, so I guess it’s just how you look at it. I guess it kind of sucks that DK is shutting out other films, but there really haven’t been that many of quality released in mainstream theaters other than Step Brothers (which still made a respectable haul) and Pineapple Express.
Also, I want to see more superheroes with the powers of extinct megafauna. Just imagine the amazing powers and adventures that Giant Sloth Man or Chalicotherium Man could have!
I thought DK kind of sucked. I appear to be the only one on the planet with that opinion.
Davey J, what about Dark Knight did you think sucked? Other than the stupid sonar technology that b-man uses I can’t think of anything that sucked hard in the movie. I will admit it isn’t the most enjoyable film to watch though and that b-man begins may be more enjoyable (not better.)
Dan, I think the “it” that boots is referring to is the act of a bat eating a kid.
oh, and I believe that the Pineapple Express would have beaten DK if it opened on Friday instead of Wednesday.
sorry Dan, these comments are losing the spirit of your original post.
This is really starting to piss me off. When I write something, I expect that the comment section is going to explore the wisdom of my words and the genius of my humor. Instead, what do you guys do? You go on some crazy tangents about nonsense. Let’s try to keep it together in the future.
Also, Matt, I agree with you about Pineapple Express. I also agree with you that it was a surprisingly good movie.
Both. I meant if there were to be any violence or bloodshed, I’d want “it” outside. I’m tired of cleaning up.
Dan, I think the pelican picture so perfectly captured your point. How do you do it?
Looking back, I don’t give a shit.