Dark Knight Rises spoilers thread

[MIB41]

Emeraldknight and I saw the IMAX showing Saturday at 3:30 and were absolutely mesmerized by the well thought out (and ultimately optimistic) ending. I especially liked the statue since it's appearance was a nice nod to the comics. While Dark Knight was the most depressing in the series, it certainly was necessary to set up what turned out to be a truly classic finale to this tale. I like the fact Nolan built this Batman to model something not necessarily real but hyper-real. It felt more grounded although the third installment did (and wisely so) inject a little more comic authority to the ride, which helped counter balance the Batman's struggle. How hard it will be to reboot this series since it has generated such huge profits for Warner Bros. You have to wonder if the studio will wisely pick up a whole new look or stay close to the cosmetics of this series. In my eyes, I think you need to respect Nolan's accomplishment here and start from scratch with a new outfit, car, the works. This was a great series and deserves the praise it is getting. A thoughtful, intelligent, and remarkably unique series of films in a genre that has gotten a bit predictable in it's own story sensibilities. Now we get to wait and see what story treatment Nolan has given to Superman. No, he doesn't direct it, but his ideas are on the written page.

[madmarva]

^While there was advance notice that this film would conclude a trilogy, I didn't expect Nolan to wrap it up and tie it so well into particularly "Begins" as well as "DK." And while in my mind this film isn't quite up to the level of the other two as an individual piece, it did a great job of unifying the three films and completing the story. It was very satisfying because it did complete a story and was so optimistic. I think super-hero stories have in many ways lost the happy ending because of the serial nature of the stories as well as the overall darkening of the genre in an attempt to inject realism. But, the film really made the series work as a trilogy and it delivered the darkness, the illusion of realism and the happy ending.

I may be dead wrong, but I think it might be easier to reboot Batman since Nolan did such a fine job of closing the loose ends. It might open the door to the costume revolving back to one more like the comics, but probably not. However, with the success of the trilogy, there may be a desire or even imperative from the suits to do a John Blake as Batman film.

Like Earth 2 Chris, I loved the Earth 2-type ending with Selina and Bruce together. One of the few nice things about the New 52 is that the Huntress is back to being Batman's daughter.

The Joker as judge is something we've seen on the animated series and at least one cover, but I seem to remember other images besides the one below, but I'm glad the scene was there because it was a hoot and good to see Crane/Scarecrow again.
Bat163-1.jpg

I'm looking forward to going to see this again but this time in IMAX.

[Earth 2 Chris]

There was a recent interview with Chuck Dixon and Graham Nolan where they stated that they have approached DC several times with new story ideas for Bane but DC wants nothing to do with them...but are more than willing to keep reprinting their old stuff...

Unfortunately, DC seems to have blacklisted a good number of folks who helped make them a tidy profit in the 80s and 90s, including Norm Breyfogle, who is now drawing for Archie! Meanwhile, they'll take script from any writer Bob Harras had at Marvel during the same time. Sheesh.

Chris

[bigphill]

I liked the movie, but it didn't leave me with the same expression I had after seeing The Dark Knight. I live in Pittsburgh, so seeing the city turned into gotham was good, as well as the steelers. I didn't like the Superman trailer.....but back to batman. I liked catwoman, but I would have prefered someone else played here. Catwoman is supposed to come off as very seductive/sensual, and at no part did I feel that from her character. But she did a good job. Bane was good, but his fight scenes with batman were weak. I would have liked to see Robin put on the costume, and from a visual standpoint it would have been really dope to see scarecrow in his mask while he passed judgement. All in all it was a very good movie. I still think that a reboot is foolish, put him in the justice league movie...

[darklord1967]

I saw TDKR today and can't even begin to express my utter disappointment about this movie. I had such faith in Nolan for giving us two GREAT Batman movies...and then to end on this note is such a bummer.
I have always said that Comic Book to movie adaptions have to take a few liberties with story lines in order to tell a coherent story within a 2 or so hour time frame...but as long as the characters "act like themselves"...stay true to the comic counterparts...then I'm fine with it.

This is NOT my Batman! It's like Nolan forgot who Batman really is...and this movie just throws all he did before right out the window. I just can't say anymore about it at this time because I'm just so let down.

I'm now glad Nolan is leaving the franchise...bring on the reboot! Give it to Bruce Tim!

I pretty much felt the same way you describe here about The Dark Knight when I first saw it. And this latest film, "The Dark Knight Rises" makes TDK (which I hated) look like a masterpiece.

I expect a LOT more from a Batman film than a really LONG and BORING rip-off of the storyline from Rocky III. Sylvester Stallone should sue.

Maybe now we'll get a Batman film that is much truer to the comic book character and doesn't work so hard to be "real" (resulting in a movie that is "real dull")

My God, I cannot get over how painfully dull this turd of a movie turned out to be!

[boss]

Just saw it and liked it. I think it wrapped up things nicely. The only thing that bugged me was the timeline, but since it's just a movie... I let that go. ;-)

[samurainoir]

Chuck Dixon on his departure from DC

http://blog.newsarama.com/2008/06/16/chuck-dixon-i-did-not-quit/

[Earth 2 Chris]

Dixon left DC to go to CrossGen, and when he returned, DiDio was in full control. And all he wrote has been proven more than true. The DCU is in shambles. They have no idea who did what, when or where. Here's another example, citing a character Chuck Dixon helped to make a fan-favorite years ago:

http://www.titanstower.com/thoughts-about-tim-drakes-robin-past-related-to-sdcc-2012-young-justice-panel-comment/

Chris

[Brue]

I thought the innocent child could be Talia, but they did a pretty good job of convincing us it was Bane. It was very similar to Bane's origin in the comics.

i felt pretty comic dumb that it took me so long to see what was right in front of my face. I knew Talia's background. I even knew Tate was bad, I just didn't put 2 and 2 together.

I would also go see a Levitt/Robin as Batman movie. Fantastic job by him in this. ...
I would have preferred his real name be Dick Grayson, but Robin works, as he seemed to be a combo of Dick's character, Tim's resourcefulness, and Jason's general backstory.

it was a nice surprise to have "robin" in it. I felt they eluded to it during the film. films often almalgamate characters to cover the decades of story telling so I think it is fin to give him a new name and use elements of the 2 main robins (3 or 4 if you count others). and as far as Robin being Batman - that is exactly what happened after Bane broke batman (well not right after - after Jean Paul)

I don't know if a film would work though. can you sell that to the masses? maybe another "batman" movie - where batman is only seen in cameo while Robin and Catwoman take center stage

Hathaway had me one over from her first scene in Wayne Manor. She totally owned the role, putting all the whiners and complainers to rest. Great character arc for her. I too would see a Catwoman film with her in it.

i love her

Tom Hardy was far more than just a muscle-bound thug, which was great to see. I still had trouble understanding him at some points, but I caught the important stuff.... Nolan was right about his expressive eyes and mannerisms selling the character. He pulled off a difficult role.

but don't you think the swanson / schumacher character was better?

. I was wondering when Alfred looked at the camera and nodded if the movie wasn't just going to end there, without us REALLY knowing what he saw.

Chris

that would have been a better ending - they could have even reminded us about the auto pilot again or given us a sihouette that looked like wayne. is nothing left to imagination now?

[Brue]

^
The Joker as judge is something we've seen on the animated series and at least one cover, but I seem to remember other images besides the one below, but I'm glad the scene was there because it was a hoot and good to see Crane/Scarecrow again.
.

YES! I love the Scarecrow in this series and think it is AWESOME that used him in all three - like a comic book the same bad guys keep popping up.

[Brue]

Oh and bane did sound like Sean Connery......

Oh My Goodness - I was thinking the same thing throughout the movie. Or more like a Saturday Night Live imperssonation of connery

[Brue]

whoops i double posted

well in replace of the original text

I thought this was better than 1, not as good as 2.

Why does it not make top grade? I realize Batman is Dark. But this was too dark for my super hero senses. A little too much mayhem and collateral damage.

[Hector]

I saw it last night and came away with very mixed feelings. When I was leaving the theatre I just felt kind of empty. The film just didn't have any impact on me and I'm not sure why. I felt there were a lot of unnecessary points to the story. Why was Batman away for eight years? Seemed far too lengthy, and no one from Bruce, to Gordon, Alfred or Lucius looked any older than in the previous film.
I did really enjoy Hathaway as Catwoman...she reinvented the character and made it her own. I would actually LOVE to see her in a solo film. FAR less impressed with Bane. The two fight scenes with Bane and Batman were very underwhelming, and then for him to simply be shot by Catwoman made his death very sudden and anti-climactic.
Did not like the ending AT ALL. Bruce faking his death, giving away all his remaining assets and moving to Europe with Selena? WOW, didn't see that coming. It seemed very uncharacteristic of Bruce, and much too final. I would have preferred a more ambiguous ending with Batman still being out there.
Finally, throughout the entire film, I was surprised at how little screentime Batman even has. He's hardly in it. They gave more screentime to John Blake, which just wasn't right IMO. I wanted to see a Batman movie not a John Blake movie.
After the awesome acheivement that was TDK, I feel this last one just had too much to live up to, and failed.

I just saw the flick today...lol.

I actually agree with you on most everything...except the fights between Batman and Bane...to me...that was the best part about DKR.

I do agree with your assessment of Bane's death being sudden and anti-climatic. After all that scheming from Bane (and I actually felt kinda sorry for him despite all his murdering and mayhem)...Catwoman just shoots him with the Batcycle...and that was that...I was like "IS THAT IT?" "THAT'S HOW BANE EXITS THIS MOVIE???" Bane's death was just lame, lol.

And you are right about the lack of screen time for Batman...it almost felt like a Gordon Levitt movie, lol.

Overall...a decent movie...but kinda over the top...too much stuff going on...felt kinda bloated.

Hathaway's Catwoman was perfectly acted...but her fight scenes were lame...she's just not a good athlete...she's kinda stiff and slow...but she looked good as Catwoman...as long as she was not fighting, lol.

Dark Knight with Ledger was waaaaaaaaay better (dark but fun)...I love that movie. This one...not so much....this one was sort of...well...it just felt claustrophobic to me.

I enjoyed The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man a LOT more.

The Avengers = FUN
The Amazing Spider-Man = HEART
Dark Knight Rises = DEPRESSING

[Earth 2 Chris]

I didn't feel like Bane's death was anti-climatic. Batman had already handed him his arse earlier in that scene. Talia's exposition gave him his second wind, and here he came again. I thought it was refreshing that Catwoman just rolled in and shot him instead of Batman/Bane Round 3.

I need to see it again,but I didn't feel that Bale/Batman was in the movie much less than in The Dark Knight. DK serviced a lot of characters and a dense plot as well. There were good stretches of the film with no Batman. Since DKR hinged on his absence, it was understandable that he would be out of the picture at times.

Chris

[Hector]

Batman didn't hand Bane's arse...he bloodied friggin'downright cheated and just got lucky dislogging Bane's mask, lol.