Picking the Nolan Bros. Apart Again...But Not Too Much

After we saw The Dark Knight Rises last weekend, the four of us left the theater a bit underwhelmed. Not necessarily disappointed, just underwhelmed, noting the lackluster dialogue in particular. But my reaction was a bit more nuanced: what does it mean to dislike a film, anyway? Didn't it do what it was supposed to do, namely entertain? Should every film aspire to an Oscar in screenwriting and direction? I have mixed feelings about this, but I'm leaning toward no. I don't necessarily like the idea of Hollywood pouring millions of dollars into box office bombs, but I will admit that I enjoy a good thrill ride of a movie, whether it has hokey one liners or not, as long as it does its job well.

So what makes TDKR different? I think what gets people (myself included) particularly fired up about Nolan brothers films is that they pretend to philosophical depth. They make people think, both about the complex plot of th movie and the larger ideas their characters and plots stir up. But think about them too much, and you see just how fragile their complicated setup ends up being. The catch is, I don't think this is a bad thing. How much do you really have to think about a movie? And this is coming from someone who writes about films for fun. Just because they stir up questions, does it mean they owe us answers? I think A.V. Club's Noel Murray puts it best when he brings up the following points:

would answering these questions (and the questions their viewers have about the movie) enrich the movie and experience, or would it just make the film longer?

If a film does take a political or social stance, is "that alone...a reason to dislike the film?"

And lastly, when does a weak story irrevocably diminish the spectacle, craft, or thrill of an enjoyable movie?

I very much enjoy thinking about cinema, and I have zero desire to just experience a movie from a purely passive point of view. However, I do think there's a point where analysis can go too far, and "suck the fun out of discussing" and watching movies. It's an interesting notion to keep in mind.