The cinematic snarling MUST STOP.

Christian Bale almost ruined The Dark Knight and Batman Begins with it.  Whenever he spoke from within the Batsuit, his speech was a low, guttural, utterly expressionless growl.  No change of inflection, no color, nothing.  I can’t believe someone as talented and perceptive as director Christopher Nolan would let him get away with it.

Where did this daffy choice come from?  I suspect from the world of video games.  Metal Gear Solid is one of the most popular and revered of all game franchises.  Though not my cup of tea, the games had many fine qualities and legions of fans.

I was always baffled when actor David Hayter’s voice work was praised as the games’ main character.  In sequel after sequel, it was always the same thing:  a guttural, expressionless snarl, speaking every single line exactly the same way.  It was that stupid In-Batsuit-Snarl.  Everyone (weirdly) found that brilliant.

A much better model would have been the wonderful voice acting Stephen Russell did as the title character in the Thief games.  He, too, played a dark, shadowy character, but his performance used much more nuance and color.

Well, now the Snarl Virus is spreading.  Clint Eastwood has been using it for years (thought it’s not as bad in his recent, wonderful, Gran Torino).

Have you seen, or more importantly, heard, the trailers for the upcoming megamovie Watchmen?  The talented Jackie Earle Haley plays Rorschach and uses the exact same monochromatic drone.

This must stop.  Immediately.