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Tastes change over time, and the generational divide is constantly widening between Gen Z and millennials. However, there’s one film widely considered an absolute classic which is allegedly ‘becoming less beloved’ with younger people, which fans can’t get their heads around.
The film in question is Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which became an instant favourite among millions of film fans when it was released back in 2008.
For many, the movie has remained the benchmark for superhero blockbusters since it was released, with Heath Ledger delivering an unforgettable performance and winning a posthumous Oscar for his turn as the Joker.
However, as a viral thread claims, it’s perhaps not being held in such high regard by younger fans.
Brendan Hodges of Next Best Picture took to Twitter/X and wrote: “The Dark Knight becoming less beloved by a segment of film fans, especially Gen Z and younger, is utterly incomprehensible to the typical millennial mind. When it released in IMAX in ‘08, most of us thought we saw God. It’s an interesting indicator of changing tastes over time.”
Hodges added: “To wit, Nolan grounding Batman in a (very) heightened reality - using Chicago, Batman's suit and fighting style, etc - is now seen as a cop out from a more reverent comic book aesthetic. I do think all these years of comic book movies are partly responsible for that shift in POV.”
- YouTubewww.youtube.com
He finished by writing: “I also wonder if Nolan's shifting film style, especially from Interstellar forward, is partly responsible too. If that's Nolan's peak to you, then his earlier work might seem quaint by contrast. It's rare for a beloved comic book filmmaker to go on to have an acclaimed career.”
The thread seems to be based on anecdotal evidence rather an any official ratings (the Rotten Tomatoes score for the film is still a pretty incredible 94 per cent) but it instantly sparked a debate, with people split on the movie itself and wondering why some Gen Z fans might be less inclined to celebrate the merits of The Dark Knight.
One wrote: “The Batman voice sucks. It’s goofy.”
“I always thought it was overrated. I had fan boys screaming at me for not liking Hathaway Catwoman but now no one talks about her and they bring up Michelle’s instead,” another said.
Heath Ledger in The Dark KnightWarner Bros.
“My kids laughed at it. As a gen x so did I,” one more said.
One more discussed the reception that Robert Pattinson’s 2022 film The Batman had, saying: “The amount of people who think The Batman (2022) is better than The Dark Knight baffles me, yes it is a good movie. But no where near on the level of cultural impact The Dark Knight has had.”
Another put forward an idea, saying: “Gen Z don’t have the historical context of the film. Batman Begins was fantastic and loved in large part because previous Batman movies were awful. The sequel with the Joker was so hyped and anticipated and it lived up to it. Gen Z doesn’t understand how awful comic book movies were before Batman Begins.”
Plenty came out to show their love for The Dark Knight, though, with one social media user writing: “Do people actually not love that movie? I thought it was loved universally.”
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