Downey Jr.: 'The Dark Knight Is Too Smart For Me'

[GreenScar]

Man, I think he really stepped in it this time. I'm sure he was just trying to be funny and it may read a lot different than it sounded. What do you think?

IRON MAN has sparked a feud with BATMAN - ROBERT DOWNEY JR. insists THE DARK KNIGHT is too complicated.

The actor admits he's still scratching his head about the Batman Begins sequel's plot - and he feels sure he's not the only one.

He tells MovieHole.net, "I feel like I'm dumb because I feel like I don't get many things that are so smart. "(The Dark Knight) is like a Ferrari engine of storytelling and scriptwriting and I'm like, 'That's not my idea of what I want to see in a movie.'

"I didn't understand The Dark Knight... I still can't tell you what happened in the movie, what happened to the character and, in the end, they need him to be a bad guy.

"I'm like, 'I get it - this is so high brow and so f**king smart, I clearly need a college education to understand this movie.'"

[doctorsteve]

I would suggest RD Jr. would have gotten more out of it if he hadn't killed so many braincells doing coke. He's right, TDK IS too smart for him... these days.

By the way Robert:

[Show spoiler]Batman's actions make him a target for a crazy guy named the Joker. The Joker is bad. Batman is Good. The Joker takes money, only so he can pay for things to cause other bad things to happen. The Joker likes it when people run around and are afraid. Batman tries to make the Joker stop doing bad things, but since Batman is Good, the idea of killing the Joker makes Batman's tummy ache. Does it feel good when your tummy aches Robert? Batman doesn't like it when his tummy aches... So the Joker tries really hard to make Batman do bad things. The Joker hurts people that Batman is friends with. Batman gets mad. The Joker hurts a girl that used to be played by a pretty girl, and is now played by an ugly girl. This makes ME mad. The Joker tries to burn a lawyer. The lawyer gets mad at Batman for not saving the girl that used to be pretty. Batman gets accused of doing things he didn't do. Then the movie ended. That means there was no more movie, and it was time to go home, so I did. I don't think any other things happened in the movie after I left.

Hope that helps Robert. I tried not to use words that had more than two pieces to them.

Cheers, The Doc.

[Sith]

crouping one statement without being able to hear all that was said also
is unfair....I doubt he was trying to say the movie sucked....And yeah he's
done to much Coke

[BStecke]

Strange comments. I've read that passage three times and I really don't know if he's serious or trying to be funny. It comes off as negative and petty, to me.

[GreenScar]

Originally Posted by BStecke

Strange comments. I've read that passage three times and I really don't know if he's serious or trying to be funny. It comes off as negative and petty, to me.

Having seen him in interviews, I know he goes on tangents (kind of like Robin Williams) so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here. I would like to know what was said directly before and after the quote.

[donaldheil]

Originally Posted by jasonbird

Having seen him in interviews, I know he goes on tangents (kind of like Robin Williams) so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here. I would like to know what was said directly before and after the quote.

Yeah, maybe those remarks are out of context, so I wouldn't jump to conclusions either. I might think that he is jealous because his movie (Iron Man) was good, but minor in comparison.

[GreenScar]

Here it is in context. I do think he was joking.

Another day perhaps, but "Iron Man 2" is a topic of conversation, as he and Favreau are currently collaborating on a story for the much anticipated sequel. "Now Justin Theraux who wrote 'Tropic Thunder', is writing it and Jon and I are working on the story with him. It's pretty great and I think it's going to be cool. I think it's going to appropriately well thought out so that we don't forget what got us the response that we appreciated so much, which is, we didn't say, 'Great, now that this is like this, now we're going to twist it and do this with it.' It's now; I'm not saying we're going to do bits. I think more of the same; it is a very rich feel, because it was a very simple movie, if you ask me. It was an origin story."

Which apparently was not the case with the other big summer movie "The Dark Knight". "My whole thing is that that I saw 'The Dark Knight'. I feel like I'm dumb because I feel like I don't get how many things that are so smart. It's like a Ferrari engine of storytelling and script writing and I'm like, 'That's not my idea of what I want to see in a movie.' I loved 'The Prestige' but didn't understand 'The Dark Knight'. Didn't get it, still can't tell you what happened in the movie, what happened to the character and in the end they need him to be a bad guy. I'm like, 'I get it. This is so high brow and so f--king smart, I clearly need a college education to understand this movie.' You know what? F-ck DC comics. That's all I have to say and that's where I'm really coming from."

Well clearly Downey isn't about to do anything for DC Comics anytime soon. "You know, you're never too old to burn your bridges because I believe I have offended everyone," he says, laughingly. "I think I've got a couple more. 'I'll burn that bridge when I come to it' is my favourite phrase I've ever coined."

At least Downey is signed for at least two more films, the aforementioned "Iron Man 2" and the starring role in British director Guy Ritchie's take on Sherlock Holmes. "It's definitely going to be Guy Ritchie's take and it's going to be done in classical 1891 surroundings but not going to be particularly stylised." With a contemporary tone, he adds. "I think what's contemporary about it is that you go back to the real truth of Sherlock Holmes - is that he's a lot more broad and less stoic than I remember seeing him depicted. He's a bare knuckle boxer, a martial artist and a complete weirdo which is why I said I'd love to do this."

[Sith]

Originally Posted by jasonbird

Here it is in context. I do think he was joking.

this to me is kinda like when George Clooney was pissed off at Daniel Day Lewis for doing a movie last year when both were nominated for best actor....If it wasn't for Dark Knight, he would of stole the summer...But he recognizes that this is a better film...that's my take...

[theprophecy247]

looks like someones jealous, downey needs to keep his mouth shut before i cancel my preorder of iron man

[zombieking]

He's just being humorous.

TDK is a tight scripted movie with some amazing performances, but I wouldn't say it's "smart". Just a really great story.

Smart movies dont make $400+ million at the box office.

[ManBearPig]

Originally Posted by Sith

this to me is kinda like when George Clooney was pissed off at Daniel Day Lewis for doing a movie last year when both were nominated for best actor....If it wasn't for Dark Knight, he would of stole the summer...But he recognizes that this is a better film...that's my take...

IDK about that because I would say there are alot of people that thought Iron Man was the better movie of the summer. Honestly I couldnt even vote between the 2 since I loved them so much. But I dont think he said it out of jealousy

[ManBearPig]

Originally Posted by zombieking

He's just being humorous.

TDK is a tight scripted movie with some amazing performances, but I wouldn't say it's "smart". Just a really great story.

Smart movies dont make $400+ million at the box office.

Actually I disagree. But only on the part where you say its not a smart movie. Its a movie because its so smart, you have to see 2-3 times just to get alot of it.

[Big Daddy]

As long as we believe in free speech, Robert Downey Jr is free to say anything he wants about a movie. He did not kill or rape anyone. So what if he doesn’t like or understand the Dark Knight movie. I am sure thousands or millions of people around the world did not like or understand the movie. It is not that important one way or the other. Do I need to remind you that it is all about entertainment? Those of you who are upset about his comments need to get a life. Please go to the beach or play some sports. It is not healthy to sit in front of a terminal all day.

[Charles3669]

Robert Downey is a badass.

[STARSCREAM]

I think he is just joking around.

[roysee]

I can't speak for Robert Downey Jr.'s taste in movies, but I find myself in total agreement with him here. I know I'm gonna get stoned for saying this, but The Dark Knight is a mess in terms of both visual coherence and narrative.

Christopher Nolan has always preferred head over heart (Memento, Insomnia, The Prestige) and certainly there are those who are inclined toward such films. But I feel Nolan gets too heavy-handed is applying his touch to The Dark Knight, with abysmal results.

I found myself more irritated than impressed by the way various plot twists and machinations are executed (e.g., key plot points connected through dialogue rather than visuals), and Michael Bay's Transformers is a masterpiece compared to the way that action is filmed and edited here. (NB: In general, I don't think much of Michael Bay's directorial skills).

Overall, I didn't find it dark or impactful at all; all I got from it was pure conceit and self-satisfaction. And Heath Ledger's performance, with all due repect to the man, was more than adequate—he totally chews up the scenery and everyone else in it—but in no way breaks new ground.

No amount of education can improve our appreciation of The Dark Knight; we either buy into the Nolan school of film making, or we don't.

Two fingers; peace y'all.

(Btw I also found Iron Man overrated, but it was a lot of unpretentious fun, thanks in no small measure to to Downey Jr. And I also found The Incredibile Hulk a bearable summer flick. Neither of these films have been labeled "dark" or "smart," so perhaps Downey Jr. does have a point: I'm just not one of the smart ones.)

[Ferris]

Originally Posted by jasonbird

Having seen him in interviews, I know he goes on tangents (kind of like Robin Williams) so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here. I would like to know what was said directly before and after the quote.

How right you are, jasonbird... how right you are.

[111111]

RDj is the shizz!

He's just being funny...There's no need to make a big deal out of this.

[PNF]

I dont understand what the joke is... i mean, the joke made on dark knight is exactly the joke thats on robert himself..

If the mass public like a "smart" movie such as Dark Knight, as the box office demonstrates, then maybe if he wants to be successful, he should make a "smart" movie as well?

Point is, who cares if the mass public is too smart to watch the movie or too dumb to understand the movie. THEY ALL PAY TO GO WATCH THE MOVIE..

Oh well, I enjoyed both DK and Ironman this summer. It was a good summer of movie experience so far.



Both movies will be in my BD collection, for sure~ haha. (Maybe the new Hulk, which IMO was better than the one played by Eric Bana)

[tron3]

If Downey really wants to jokingly note the difference between "Iron Man" and "The Dark Knight" he need only say in a deep raspy voice, "I'm not wearing hockey pants!".