The Dark Knight Rises

I think Bane was a great villain as well, not as iconic as Ledger's Joker, but certainly a very mortal and legitimate threat to Batman. Yes he was dispatched quickly but Batman had already beaten him. Bane thought he was invincible, his whole ego was wrapped up in it, and Batman proved otherwise, breaking his soul...I really liked seeing Joseph Gordon Levitt in a tougher role. Always been a fan but there was always something vaguely effete about him. Which was fine for those other films, but there was none of that quality here. He showed genuine grit. He's got a lot of potential...Something I found amusing was how they kind of turned Scarecrow into a running joke at this point. He was always the weakest thing in Batman Begins and they've kind of made fun of his ineffectiveness as a villain by relegating him to silly cameos.
 
Yeah, by the time Bane died I felt like he ad already been beaten.

Another thing I loved was the twist, I truly never saw it coming. I am chomping at the bit to see this again!
 
I think the politics of the movie was the most impressive part, but as far as the film making goes, there was almost TOO much going on that they were not able to focus on the struggle between BANE and Batman, which kind got lost in all the stuff blowing up.
 
Batutta said:
Bane thought he was invincible, his whole ego was wrapped up in it, and Batman proved otherwise, breaking his soul.
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I totally thought it was the other way around. Alfred was pleading with Bruce to hang it up and NOT face Bane. Bruce thought he was invincible "I'll fight hard" is what he told Alfred. Remember he asked Catwoman to take him to Bane. He was chomping at the bit to get back in the game; almost like he wanted to die in battle saving Gotham.

I think Bane broke Bruce's body but Batman Broke Bane's spirit in the battle.

JGG does have a lot of potential. Can't wait to see him as Nightwing!
 
Jimmy Moss said:
I think the politics of the movie was the most impressive part, but as far as the film making goes, there was almost TOO much going on that they were not able to focus on the struggle between BANE and Batman, which kind got lost in all the stuff blowing up.
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The stock exchange scene was priceless.

Trader: This a stock exchange. There is no money here. Bane: Really? Then why are you people here.
 
I feel conflicted about this film. I looked forward to it all year, but damnit I felt conflicted. I guess less is more, I like having things left to my imagination. Seeing the last shot of Bruce Wayne with Catwoman in some brightly lit Olive Garden looking place just seemed weak/out of place. I don't want to see Bruce and Batman divorced from each other, seems boring. Finding out that Blake was really Robin the whole time, come on! Was Nolan afraid he'd be ridiculed if every one knew from the get go that thats who Blake's character was? Seems like a gimmick after thought, making him Robin. Robin is Dick Grayson.

Why did Bane want to fulfill the quest of the League of Shadows if he was rejected by them? I may have missed that part.


For me, I just don't like seeing what's beyond Gotham. I want it to remain a mystery. I want to feel like Gotham is a real place somewhere that exists in the same realm as me. But when I see that old tv actor that does those 'buy gold' infomercials as the President, things become severed in my ability to feel such a way.


They may have thrown in a few lines here and there to explain this, but why did the main villains hate Gotham so much? I know Ra Al Ghul gave his explanation in BB, but I really couldn't figure out why Bane hated Gotham so much. I know he said some stuff about inequality and hypocrisy or whatever but that happens all over the country.

Wayne should become a physical therapist, that was some quick recovery.

Too much of it felt contrived. This definitely is the "Return of the Jedi" of the series.
 
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For a technical board - there isn't much technical discussion of what makes Dark Knight Rises so special.
I saw it at the Rave IMAX film theatre at 6801 center drive here in Los Angeles - a 70mm film print made 65mm negative. One of the best theatres in LA.

-Over one hour of the film was shot on 65mm film. Needless to say, at an IMAX film theatre - the footage looks stunning. The anamorphic 35mm footage looks terribly soft in comparision. EVERY 35mm or digitally shot movie looks soft in comparison. Every other theatre's 35mm or digital DCP looks soft in comparison.

-65mm IMAX footage was scanned at 8K for vfx shots. The rest is printed from 65mm negative directly to 70mm film prints for IMAX film showings.

-Tonality of IMAX film footage looks outstanding.

-Format changes to IMAX 4:3 show off that aspect ratio very well.

There will not be another studio film that incorporates so much IMAX film footage ever again. This is probably the last big hurrah for 65mm film as film acquisition in general wanes in favor of digital.

Not trying to be a schill - just making my strongest recommendation: see this movie if at all possible at an IMAX FILM Theatre.

Nolan did this by intent - he's a big fan of 65mm/70mm format film.
 
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Blade Borge said:
why did the main villains hate Gotham so much? I know Ra Al Ghul gave his explanation in BB, but I really couldn't figure out why Bane hated Gotham so much.
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I was wondering something similar. I understand in BB, Ra's Al Ghul wanting to destroy Gotham because it was a scum-ridden, crime-infested hell hole that was corrupted beyond saving. But by the time this film takes place, Gotham seems like it's in peaceful harmony, almost completely free of organized crime. If Bane and Talia really wanted to finish what Ra's started, it seems like their motivation is completely off-base. Unless I completely missed a part where they explain that Batman has been gone for 8 years, and Gotham started returning back to the state it was in in BB, which frankly would've made more sense, showing that Gotham NEEDS Batman, and given Bane's mission some validity.
 
I haven't read all posts, so apologies if certain things have already been said.

While an entertaining film, I felt disappointed, specially after "The Dark Knight".

My main problem here was character development and the plot. SPOILERS (I'M VERY HEAVY ON SPOILERS HERE SO DO SKIP THIS COMMENT IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM)

Bane was presented as a Supervillain with a "brain": british accent, poignant political statements, sarcastic before his brutal killings... A sort of King Kong meets General Landa (from Inglorious Basterds). All very nice, was looking forward to how this character would "fall". Much to my disappointment, he was nothing more than a boy in love with a kid (pedophile?) which grows up to be a beautiful girl. Real, big disappointment there. It really felt to me, when Batman gets "knifed" on the back and she spills the beans, that Batman was looking at Bane, his eyes saying in disappointment: "Really? A woman, or "love" made you do this?"

Sorry for my tongue in cheek opinion, but it really felt like this.

I was expecting a LOT MORE from the Bruce Wayne "Rises" part of the plot. He got his #ss kicked , gets incarcerated in a pit, has a couple of flashbacks and after a Rocky Balboa esque recovery, gets back into the game. I really couldn't see how Wayne overcame his defeat, what had changed in that character. Still the same guy before and after "the pit". EDIT- I really felt this film, while running at 166 min, needed more 30 minutes to develop this key moment, as well as Bane and Talia's relationship and rise, and their planning and hatred for Gotham (one of the most idiotc plot points I will discuss further ahead).

Catwoman was a pleasant surprise. The standout performance of the film, Anne Hataway really surprised me on her portrayal. From the trailers I expected disaster, but it made Michelle Pfeiffer proud, and made me forget Halle Barry completely. Hope she returns in the sequel.

Really liked "Robin" here. It was quite obvious when he got in the mansion and confronted Bruce Wayne early in the film that he "was" Robin. Good acting there and an interesting character. Still, didn't like his moral condemnation on Gordon during Bane's press "reading" of Gordon's "prepared" speech. So this kid glorifies Batman, but condemns the man that supported Batman's plot to save Gotham from organized crime?

As for Talia, very well, she was the leader of the league of shadows, but wanting to die with Gotham on the nuclear explosion? Why the Kamikaze move? Yes, it would wipe out a city from the map, how would that change the world according to the League of Shadows ideals? And with her gone, who would continue the League? Absolutely idiotic plot, in my view.

EDIT AGAIN- also something I didn't really catch well: so Bruce Wayne's Knee was shattered, he used a sort of Mechanical/cyborg esque knee aid to complement the injury. However, he gets thrown into the pit with no said aid and is just fine? What sort of miracle did I miss?

I also felt the PG-13 rating really took out some of the emotional drama certain key violent scenes, I think, needed. The Police Commissioner's death (not Gordon) demanded a "moment", certain Bane killings also. It was too "Stevan Seagal" for my taste the portrayal of Bane's brutality. The lack of watching "deaths" happen, specially during the civil war moments, also took out the sense of danger and terror of the said scenes. I'm not a fan of gratuitous violence, mind you, but I think that this was one of the cases that it was important to showcase some key emotional elements of the film.

However, I did enjoy the ride. Well shot, good acting, good soundtrack, serious, Batman "atmosphere", but it was no Dark Knight, or my favorite of the Batman Films (yes, completely different approach, different type of films completely), which was... Batman Returns. 3 out of 5 stars if I would have to rate this film.
 
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It was the 2nd best of the Trilogy, Something about the original Batman Begins was just so epic that I don't think could be top from the other two movies. With that being said I still think this one was very entertaining. And Bane has to be one of the baddest villains I've seen in a very long time in a movie. And that first fight scene in the sewers was the best fight scene I've seen since that handcuffed Bourne Ultimatum kitchen fight scene. That was just such a brilliant fight scene between Batman and Bane. That part alone in the movie satisfied me enough to really enjoyed the movie. One thing I do wish is that there was more of Bane Character in the movie. He basically stole every scene he was in.

But I was truly disappointed about the Catwoman character. I'm not that familiar with the comic so the only interpretation I have of catwoman was from the Batman Returns movie, I thought that Catwoman was more dark and interesting. In this Batman it seems like she was just a damn jewel thief. But that was one of the disappointments for me.

Overall all very good film. 4/5.
 
I just thought it was in general a pretty boring, mediocre film. There was nothing I particularly liked about it. Going into more detail would be pointless because it wasn't anything in particular that I disliked.

I just didn't "get it." The other films were so much better. This was just a typical summer action blockbuster that happened to have Batman characters in it.
 
Blade Borge said:
Seeing the last shot of Bruce Wayne with Catwoman in some brightly lit Olive Garden looking place just seemed weak/out of place.
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... Olive Garden... obviously you've never seen the Tuscan sun in Florence...

Why did Bane want to fulfill the quest of the League of Shadows if he was rejected by them? I may have missed that part.
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I have two explanations about that... and for some one claiming to want some things left to the imagination...

1) Bane loved/protected the girl/woman Miranda. His allegiance was to her, and by association to the League of Shadows.
2) As with many heretics, once cast out, the heretic develops the idea that they are the 'true followers of the shining path, and that those who cast them out, have fallen from the Truth(tm)'.

In regard to item 2), Ra's al Ghul failed in his attempt to destroy Gotham, that was a clear indication that he had fallen from 'grace', and that only the true member of the League of Shadows, that is Bane, could succeed...
 
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capitalP said:
But I was truly disappointed about the Catwoman character. I'm not that familiar with the comic so the only interpretation I have of catwoman was from the Batman Returns movie, I thought that Catwoman was more dark and interesting. In this Batman it seems like she was just a damn jewel thief. But that was one of the disappointments for me.

Overall all very good film. 4/5.
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In regard to Miss To Wong Foo... here's the Wiki blurb on the first appearance of the 'Catwoman' character:

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The original and most widely known Catwoman, Selina Kyle, first appears in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) in which she is known as The Cat. She is an adversary of Batman, known for having a complex love-hate (often romantic) relationship with him. In her first appearance, she was a whip-carrying burglar with a taste for high-stake thefts.[4] For many years Catwoman thrived, but from September 1954 to November 1966 she took an extended hiatus due to the newly developing Comics Code Authority in 1954. These issues involved the rules regarding the development and portrayal of female characters that were in violation of the Comics Code.
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It would seem by making the new incarnation more like the 1940's 'high stakes burglar' (sans whip...) with romatic inclinations towards Batman, but also involving a love/hate dynamic... Nolan and Co. went back to some 'root' archetype of the series... And not going with someone who's been thrown out of a umptyump story building, and licked by cats to recovery...

This is one of the 'trademarks' of the Nolan series that most things are explainable... well sort of... in terms of The Real... Bruce Wayne gets intensive assassin training in a monastery... Catwoman watched too many Pink Panther reruns... Bane gets medical attention that would have turned Tony Stark into a monster... etc...
 
yeah haven't seen it yet, but yes Selina Kyle was a cat burglar who often used batman, and at times they would team up to take down a nasty villain or two only to have Selina back stab him in the end(more like back claw). She was playing more of a cat and mouse game with him rather than being a traditional villain. She was essentially a jewel thief but kind of like robin hood, but she would brutally scar people at every crime as batman was getting the credit for her crimes, she even began scarring random beautiful women as well. She did have an amazing storyline starting out as a working girl on the mean streets of Gotham who turned to crime and punishing the local mobsters after her and her friends were mistreated by them and she could no longer take any more(Falcone I believe had a hit out on her for a very large amount of money for a long time). Now this is all from batman year one and on but considering this seems to be the era Nolan is taking from it makes sense that's the incarnation of Selina he would use.
 
Doctor Wu said:
This is probably the last big hurrah for 65mm film as film acquisition in general wanes in favor of digital.

Not trying to be a schill - just making my strongest recommendation: see this movie if at all possible at an IMAX FILM Theatre.

Nolan did this by intent - he's a big fan of 65mm/70mm format film.
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P. T. Anderson's next film The Master staring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams has been shot on 65mm- which is awesome. So as for large format films, there's this one to look forward too.

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j1clark@ucsd.edu said:
In regard to Miss To Wong Foo... here's the Wiki blurb on the first appearance of the 'Catwoman' character:

-----
The original and most widely known Catwoman, Selina Kyle, first appears in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) in which she is known as The Cat. She is an adversary of Batman, known for having a complex love-hate (often romantic) relationship with him. In her first appearance, she was a whip-carrying burglar with a taste for high-stake thefts.[4] For many years Catwoman thrived, but from September 1954 to November 1966 she took an extended hiatus due to the newly developing Comics Code Authority in 1954. These issues involved the rules regarding the development and portrayal of female characters that were in violation of the Comics Code.
-----

It would seem by making the new incarnation more like the 1940's 'high stakes burglar' (sans whip...) with romatic inclinations towards Batman, but also involving a love/hate dynamic... Nolan and Co. went back to some 'root' archetype of the series... And not going with someone who's been thrown out of a umptyump story building, and licked by cats to recovery...

This is one of the 'trademarks' of the Nolan series that most things are explainable... well sort of... in terms of The Real... Bruce Wayne gets intensive assassin training in a monastery... Catwoman watched too many Pink Panther reruns... Bane gets medical attention that would have turned Tony Stark into a monster... etc...
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Thanks for the breakdown. Makes sense now, I guess true Batman fans would love the fact that they stayed true to the story, bandwaggoners like me who knows no better liked the other lol.
 
I enjoyed the movie a lot more than The Dark Knight, as I felt that the story was stronger and that Bruce Wayne / Batman had a much stronger emotional arc.

But I still think Batman Begins still takes the cake. I just felt that Liam Neeson played a much stronger / more believable / more charismatic villain than in the last two films.

I found Bane to be kind of cheesy. The voice was odd and not really in a menacing way, and I thought Tom Hardy looked too young and that he had to posture / emote too much because of the mask.

If they wanted to have a League of Shadows member who requires a mask to live, I wish they had found a way to bring back Liam Neeson's Ra's al Ghul to be the main villain.

SPOILERS***And I found the whole Stock Market invasion / bankrupting of Bruce Wayne to be completely unbelievable. Trading would have been frozen after the attack, and there's no way it would take Bruce Wayne a long time to prove fraud considering a terrorist had just attacked the stock exchange earlier that day.***SPOILERS
 
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