The Great Dark Knight Hype

The Great Caped Hype... Whats all the talk about, and does it deliver! The Dark Knight had one of the biggest viral marketing campaigns that I have ever witnessed and everybody was eating it up. I have to admit I had a little fun with the Harvey Dent campaign for District Attorney as well but often when this kind of hype surrounds a film its not always a good thing. Lets start off with a couple of examples.

Does anyone remember Godzilla? The hype surrounding that movie was HUGE. That came however before I even was online though and you were still overwhelmed by all of the advertising that was going on in that film. Special deals at Taco Bell, huge banners all over sky scrapers in down town New York. It was madness and then the movie came out. Were they serious? Another example of this happening was when the first Hulk film came out. Once again he was everywhere from cans of Mountain Dew to a huge spot during the Super Bowl. You couldn't stop the Hulk.. that is until we saw the movie. So did The Dark Knight rise above and beyond? Or did it crash and burn like these I mentioned?

Well neither really (read my full review here). I wouldn't say the film rose above expectations because what film really can live up to the hype that was perpetrated by the studio. But it didn't completely suck like Hulk or Godzilla. It is in this level where you come out and say "Man.. that was it?". It kind of leaves you mad that you spent all that time waiting and waiting for the movie. This kind of thing just goes to show you that no matter what its still just a movie. Not earth shattering and really not even summer blockbuster worthy.

Part of this hype however was created by the untimely death of Heath Ledger. Which is probably the reason ALOT of people went to go see this movie. Early word on the streets was that his performance was "Oscar worthy". Now who were the people saying this? I don't think anybody really knows for sure but I am almost positive it was smart manuevering by the studio to give the movie an extra push. I hate to say it but I think they really capitalised off the death of the man. I know they made alot of money because of it.

The main problem with The Dark Knight and the reason I will felt ripped off was the overwhelming hype. You feel like you are owed something more than just a good movie.. you want a f*cking great movie. This film does not really sit well with other films surrounding it including Iron Man, Hulk and Hellboy II. All of which are action packed and FUN movies. If you go in expecting that you will be let done. This isn't Tim Burton's Batman anymore. It's a bat of a whole different color.

So if you plan on going out to go see The Dark Knight this weekend, I don't reccommend it. Instead check out the much more superior film Hellboy II (my review). Wait a week or so til the crowds die down and then go see it. It's not a bad movie It's just you need to dismiss the hype and you will come out with a much better feeling about the whole film.