'Dark Knight' Doesn't 'Educate' Audiences, Eric Roberts Says

To many, the fact that "The Dark Knight" did not receive a Best Picture nomination in 2008 is one of the biggest slights in Oscar history. The film, which is one of the top-grossing pictures of all time, helped redefine the comic book genre and cement Christopher Nolan as one of the best auteurs around.

But one actor from the film doesn't feel the same way the movie's many fans do. Eric Roberts, who plays the gangster Maroni in the "Batman" flick, explained in an interview with the Detroit Free Press that he doesn't believe that "The Dark Knight" deserves all the critical acclaim that it gets, especially four years after it was released.

"What do you get out of a Batman movie? You get entertainment, that's true. But what do you get to take home with you in your heart or your mind? It's questionable for me," he said.

Apparently Roberts was turned off by "The Dark Knight's" $ 185 million budget, regardless of the fact that the film went on to make over $ 1 billion worldwide.

"When a movie costs that much, so many movies don't get made that can educate, enlighten, move, comfort," he explained. "Batman didn't do any of those things that I named, for me, anyway, even though I enjoyed watching it."

That being said, Roberts had nothing but kind words to say about director Christopher Nolan. "He's a real winner and he knows what he wants every second of every day," the actor said. Well, let's see what he has to say once "The Dark Knight Rises" hits theaters on July 20.

Thanks to The Playlist for the head's up!

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