Will The Joker Always Overshadow Batman on Film?

Heath did it! He upstaged Bale's Batman.

I thought Batman was great in this film. The Joker was pretty aweswome though.

Both were great, but Heath's Joker was too awesome. He surpassed every comic villain to date.

The answer to this question in the Dark Knight's case is a definite "yes."

Like some people said before, the joker is just a cooler character in general. Bruce Wayne/Batman is actually almost boring... he doesn't really have any personality.

Which by the way, did anyone notice that Bruce was barely even in the movie? It seemed like he was almost a secondary character, especially when you compare it to other movies like spiderman 2 for instance. I think he actually got less screen time then Harvey or maybe even rachel

because they can afford bruce not to have much screen time in this movie. most of the focus was on gotham city and the joker's intent. unlike begins which was an "introductory" movie.

heath's portrayal was brilliant. he made nicholson's joker look like a daycare administrator.

Yea. Joker will always overshadow batsman on film. Hes more of an in your face type of character. Hes loud and does things on a big scale as to where Batman is quiet, and lacks the huge personality joker has.

If Joker is played right, he will always overshadow Bats. Every single time.

Joker does it again.....

Love. That. Joker

Definitely. And if you don't, you can get a cut smile.

Originally posted by jrodslam
Yea. Joker will always overshadow batsman on film. Hes more of an in your face type of character. Hes loud and does things on a big scale as to where Batman is quiet, and lacks the huge personality joker has.

If Joker is played right, he will always overshadow Bats. Every single time.

I think the only time he didn't overshadow Bats was when Adam West was Bats but then again, both were horrible.

Completely overshadowed him everytime he was on screen! Heath was fantasic at making you hang on every sadistic word that he uddered and hold you. His speech patterns were great and freaky.

I know, especially when he first walked in on the mobsters. Great scene. Also, another thing that made this Joker great is that he physically crushed skulls this time & was only a pansy at fighting when he wanted to be. See how easily he owned that guard who thought he was the shit?

Originally posted by SelinaAndBruce
I have been reading many reviews of the Dark Knight and almost all of them say that Christian Bale was completely outdone by Heath Ledger and that even though both characters play a driving force in the movie it is Ledger's performance and Joker that truly stands out and makes Batman seem rather dull many of the reviews imply or flat out say (I'm using the Rotten Tomatoes website and blogs).

Now I recall many complaints about Batman 1989 being that the Joker also had more to do and some people feeling that Jack Nicholson's performance upstaged Michael Keaton's as well. With some similar points being made in regards to the Dark Knight, do you think the Joker as an on screen character is just so larger than life that he manages to upstage everyone in the film because he is allowed to be so out of control and insane and animated?

yeah I think so.ScarletSpeed said it pretty well.

Technically it was Joker's movie though considering he

Spoiler:
won in the end.

So I have no problem with him overshadowing Batman.

Yes, that's a point many others have made, and I like that the villain won. He would've really won had

Spoiler:
Batman not caught him from going splat.

Spoiler:
Also, did it seem to anyone like the Joker was waiting to get killed? He basically tested everyone and they couldn't kill him. Now that's a supernatural force of nature.

Yeah The Joker has always overshadowed him,always will.Romero overshadowed him,Nicholson overshadowed him,Hamill overshadowed him,now Ledger.Thats a given he will always overshadow him cause he always gets all the funny lines and funny stuff to do where Batman is always serious all the time so the Joker always steals the scenes.Thats why Im glad they waited till The Dark Knight to use the joker. 🙂

I am glad they waited till the Dark Knight to use the Joker too because this film was so good

Quick answer: yes.