Maybe Robert Downey, Jr. is saying it because he’s out promoting Tropic Thunder which opens today. Or maybe he said it because he’s bitter that his summer superhero flick, Iron Man, was the toast of the town until The Dark Knight arrived. Or maybe Robert Downey, Jr. was just being completely honest. Either way, he just totally dumped all over The Dark Knight and the people who made it.
Moviehole has an interview with Robert Downey, Jr. posted in which he talks about Tropic Thunder and what it was like for Downey to play an Australian actor who turns African American for a role in a Vietnam War movie (try to wrap your head around that). He says a lot of stuff in the article but the thing he says that is the most interesting is what he says about 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.”
Like I said, I don’t know why he said what he said. I guess there’s a lot of reasons he could have had. The thing is, though, he said it. Now he has to live with it. He probably doesn’t care, but I’m thinking that talking trash about a huge movie that everyone is loving right now probably isn’t the best way to promote your own upcoming movie.
I know I personally just lost a little respect for him. I mean, it’s one thing to not like a movie or say you didn’t get it, but he’s obviously just trying to say that the movie isn’t as good as people are saying it is - that it isn’t as smart. Even more, he’s trying to make people who liked it feel bad about it like they’re being some sort of snob or something.
The movie isn’t that complicated, Mr. Downey. You don’t have to get all pissy because The Dark Knight was a smarter film than Iron Man and because people are responding to it more. I mean, Iron Man was a huge hit! Why be such a prick about it?
He really just comes off as petty and juvenile. Not attractive qualities - even by Hollywood standards.
Wow… I can't believe he said all of that. Plus, most of what he said didn't make sense, which doesn't necessarily make him look any better. Too bad. I like RDJ, but this was just plain silliness on his part…. even if he didn't like the movie, it just makes him look bitter.
I guess he's more of a Marvel comics guy…
You know, I understand what he's saying. I disagree with it, but I don't think he's being a tool. Obviously, he liked playing Iron Man, and he feels his movie delivered to the fans. Then DK comes along and everyone is saying how deep and smart it is… I can see how, from his point of view, that would come across as BS.
Batman is about darkness. Marvel are about high fun. Again, I don't agree with him, but his position makes sense and I see no reason to lose respect for him over it. I just happen to think he's wrong.
I see what you're saying, but for him to say, “F-ck DC comics,” well, that's just juvenile and bitter. I lost a little respect for him saying something like that - whether or not he has a reason to feel the way he feels.
Dang it Downey, Jr! I was just starting to like you again. Tropic Thunder looks hilarious and he is one of the main reasons.
Oh well, at least you are still miles above Tom Cruise. If you consider that a good thing…
Haha. I admit THAT part made him look like an ass. I guess I meant that voicing an anti-DK opinion wasn't enough for me to dismiss him because I liked it a lot.
I understand what he's saying up to a point. I'm in the camp that liked TDK a lot, but couldn't love it madly as much as i wanted to. I also agree with his point of how the hero becomes the villian in the end for some strange reason. That didn't resonate with me either.
Unfortunately he comes off as pissy and whinny which is too bad. He's a great actor. All that said I still want to see Tropical Thunder.
I definitely don't get the ending problem that people have…the thing was building the entire movie, where Batman would have to make the choice that no one else could, and turn the people against him. I mean, it was as plain as day…not sure what Downey was watching
But he's entitled to his opinion and that's fine, but with his own comic book movie being so successful, you'd think he'd have a bit more respect for another comic book movie.
he was amazing in Tropic Thunder and in Iron Man though…
I'm taking my ball and going home!
rdj should call his sponsor.
it's funny that Robert Downey Jr. said the Dark Knight is too sophisticated when he himself tends to sound so sophisticated
i had alot of respect for rdj and really enjoyed iron man i see no need for this comment by him however he makes him self out to look like an idiot. the millions the dark knight is making at the box office shows that tdk is not an over complicated movie and normal human beings understand what is happening in the dark knight.
The guy is obviously jealous that TDK is smarter, better and making more money than his movie. You think that he'd get a life by now……