Mike's Musings: The End of Christopher Nolan?



I don't envy Christopher Nolan right now.  It's a week and a half away from the release of the most anticipated movie since "Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace," and that was nearly fifteen years ago. For months before its release, there was a sense of frenzied mania with anticipation.  Charity screenings, people waiting on sidewalks...it was pandemonium.

The film was a success, to be sure.  There's no doubt about that.  It was a major box-office success when it was released (despite mixed reviews), and it earned over a billion dollars worldwide all in all.

But now, everyone hates it.  You can't go to any major internet or media source or person alive to find a (new) positive viewing of the three Star Wars prequels.  I for one loved them, and in some ways they are superior to the originals.  But as the great James Berardinelli put it, "it was probably the most overhyped motion picture of the last decade (if not longer), and its reputation suffered as a result of its inability to satisfy unreasonable expectations."


"The Dark Knight Rises" is going to make a killing at the box office.  No matter how much critics, or more importantly, fans, trash the movie, everyone is going to see it and I have no doubt that it's going to cross the billion dollar mark, and fairly quickly.  But can we expect another love-turn-hate (no Yoda reference intended) reception with Nolan's new film?  That depends.


Nolan has something working for him: he is a superior filmmaker.  There is little doubt about that.  Other than the morons who hate whatever is popular simply because it is popular, I don't know anyone who disputes this.  He takes chances and he has the skill to pull them off.  Even his "worst" films are still pretty damn good.  I haven't seen a film of his that I've given less than a 3.5/4 to.  George Lucas is a masterful storyteller and crafter of visuals, but his skills do not extend to writing dialogue and directing actors.  Nolan has that advantage.  Finally, as popular as "The Dark Knight" is, it doesn't hold a candle to "Star Wars" mania.  I highly doubt we'll be seeing people camping out in front of theaters in anticipation.


But as Berardinelli put it, hype can be two-faced.  It brings anticipation and audiences, but too much leads to expectations that are impossible to attain .  For those who are too caught up in the hype, like many "Star Wars" fans were eventually (after they had seen it a bazillion times), there's no way it can live up to what they think it will be.  It will not be the "movie to end all movies."  It will not be the definitive answer to "the best film ever made."  Will it be better than "The Dark Knight?"  Possibly.  Nolan is talented enough that I wouldn't put it past him.


The bottom line is that you have to have realistic expectations when viewing any movie, especially one you're excited about.  I loved "The Dark Knight," even when I didn't give it a 4/4 rating.  I can't wait for "The Dark Knight Rises," and while I'm expecting something great, my whole world won't crumble because it didn't achieve them.  I know very well that this movie could misfire (although I highly doubt it will).  And that, I think, is the right way to go into "The Dark Knight Rises."  Now, if only the next nine days will hurry up and get over with...

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