The Dark Knight Rises

[TheMatrix31]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I have to say after thinking about it, 13's review is resonating more and more with me.

It's not that I hated the movie, I still loved it. I just feel like there was a LOT of missed opportunity. Damn.

[Blzer]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I have to say after thinking about it, 13's review is resonating more and more with me.

It's not that I hated the movie, I still loved it. I just feel like there was a LOT of missed opportunity. Damn.

Basically my only "major" gripe with the film. Whereas many films have issues and they're harder to think about how they could be worked around, this one has plenty of ways in which people's gripes can be seemingly easily resolved. Strangely enough, most of the issues would be resolved by adding content to the film.

I want to see this film again tomorrow or Sunday, though. The book comes out on Tuesday, and I'll be reading that when on vacation in the beginning of August, even if only to note the differences from the film.

[DorneyDave86]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I absolutely loved the film. Loved it. All the actors nailed it. I adored Catwoman and Blake. I thought they were great additions. The last hour is absolutely incredible. This may be as good as The Dark Knight when I watch it a second time. The only issue I had was the pacing in the middle, but that will fix itself on a second viewing I think, when I know exactly what is going on. Also, the villains didn't match The Dark Knight, but honestly...no one ever will. Nolan knew what he wanted to do and how he wanted to end his Batverse, and he went for it. It's a ballsy ambitious film that will rub some the wrong way and leave others absolutely stunned in a positive way. I was grinning from ear to ear at the end of it.
The reaction has been completely opposite of what I thought it would be while watching it. I thought Batfans would adore it and the general public would hate it.

Batfans are EXTREMELY divided, but the general public is eating it up. At least around these neck of the woods and on social media.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Missed opportunity is a good way to say it. Is it possible to be both happy and disappointed at the same time?

And for all the flaws, I still think that the acting was very solid and I felt like I was watching the real thing, not actors portraying a part.

Spoiler

Also, no one has mentioned Crane being in this one. How awesome was that? ****ing love that he made it into all three.

And minor disappointment in no Killer Croc. I think he could have easily been done since Bane was hiding in the sewers for a while.

[JODYE]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I have to say after thinking about it, 13's review is resonating more and more with me.

It's not that I hated the movie, I still loved it. I just feel like there was a LOT of missed opportunity. Damn.

Basically my only "major" gripe with the film. Whereas many films have issues and they're harder to think about how they could be worked around, this one has plenty of ways in which people's gripes can be seemingly easily resolved. Strangely enough, most of the issues would be resolved by adding content to the film.

I want to see this film again tomorrow or Sunday, though. The book comes out on Tuesday, and I'll be reading that when on vacation in the beginning of August, even if only to note the differences from the film.

Matrix, after I re-read it, I just made myself more disappointed.

Spoiler

To me it was missing more than context though. Even if we would have had the full Bane story, this movie was still missing that really dark sinister/menacing edge that the second one developed. I felt like that progression between the first two was so natural, that this one was really going to take it to the next level as far as the breakdown of Batman's psyche.

Which again, why I felt Bane was the wrong choice to finish this movie. To try and bring in and establish 2 new antagonists, especially a character who doesn't really go along with tone of the first two movies, and draw you into their character, is difficult enough. Then try to bring a resolution to a trilogy all in one film, especially when people outside the Batman world, really aren't too familiar with Bane to begin with, was very risky, and in this instance, didn't work anyway.

And again, the whole interaction between Bane/Batman and Gotham felt very hollow. There was no emotional/mental connection established and Bane had no attachment to the city of Gotham nor a reason to destroy it. He ended up being a side kick to Miranda, which really turned me off. Pretty much rendered him irrelevant, because the whole story and why all it was happening, didn't even end up being about him. Just a cluster of bad choices and a slew of missed opportunities and angles that could have been taken advantage of that were left by the wayside for an empty plot.

[ASB37]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

After letting it sit for a day I think I also fall in line with the loved but but was disapointed with it at the same time crowd.

And it's not even because my expectations were so high because I went in knowing this wouldn't touch TDK, but I just felt like there were so many missed opportunities and just overall lack of consistency. Some parts felt like I was watching a Chris Nolan batman movie, other parts just seemed like I was watching some cheese comic movie.

I think in the end Batman Begins is a very good movie, the Dark Knight is a great movie which will be an all time classic imo, and I put the Dark Knight Rises as a solid movie.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

13, at first, I really thought you were being extra nitpicky, but the more I think about it, the more I have to somewhat side with you.

I still think some of your points could be countered, but overall, I do somewhat agree with you. Initially I had been very high on this film, and still am, but I do feel like it's a bit tempered after I got to really breaking down the film.

And let's be honest, we're only really breaking it down this far because of how great the series is overall... it's a comic book story... but yeah, Nolan is a genius regardless.

Spoiler

They really didn't explain Bane's orgins in terms of his mask and super human strength. In the comics, didn't he have some syrum or something pumped in his veins? Punching a hole into that pilar probably isn't normal.. I kind of feel like I wanted to see how they'd explain his power...

[OSUFan_88]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Spoiler

They really didn't explain Bane's orgins in terms of his mask and super human strength. In the comics, didn't he have some syrum or something pumped in his veins? Punching a hole into that pilar probably isn't normal.. I kind of feel like I wanted to see how they'd explain his power...

Spoiler

I am incredibly disappointed they didn't explain this more. For one, Bane's Venom is what gives him his strength, or at least I'm assuming. His mask? Who knows? Hell, I'm not even sure that Bane even has super strength in this movie. They kind of settled on the "He was a member of the League of Shadows so he's pretty bad ***" story arc there. I think it was kind of lazy and uninspired. How about why did he get stuck in the pit in the first place? Why was he kicked out?"

Also, I think they missed out on Talia big time. No need to make her super mastermind evil. I would have been much happier with the forbidden love type storyline. Then again, I wish they could have just used Ra's again, but that'd require a lot more story.

Yeah, this is getting me more disappointed. lol

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Spoiler

Saw the movie with my wife tonight. I'm still not too sure how I feel about it. I am glad I watched Batman Begins earlier today though. I hadn't seen it in a few years and it was good to get a refresher on the back story.

I was very torn on the ending. I just had a feeling that JGL would end up being Robin. Had a feeling throughout the whole movie. I agree with some others in that Bane was hard to understand sometimes. I was also puzzled on why they jumped ahead those 23 days so quickly.

I didn't go into the movie with really high expectations because I don't think any Batman movie from now on could top The Dark Knight. I definitely didn't have the same feeling leaving this movie that I did with TDK. It was still a pretty good movie, and I did enjoy it for the most part. I loved seeing Crane show up again. That was really cool. Had to explain to the wife who he was since she didn't see Batman Begins.

Overall, I still think TDK was the best in the trilogy, and I'd give TDKR an 8/10.

[TheMatrix31]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I thought using Bane as a villain severely limited the creativity of everything.

[weeeeeeez]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Spoiler

I am incredibly disappointed they didn't explain this more. For one, Bane's Venom is what gives him his strength, or at least I'm assuming. His mask? Who knows? Hell, I'm not even sure that Bane even has super strength in this movie. They kind of settled on the "He was a member of the League of Shadows so he's pretty bad ***" story arc there. I think it was kind of lazy and uninspired. How about why did he get stuck in the pit in the first place? Why was he kicked out?"

Also, I think they missed out on Talia big time. No need to make her super mastermind evil. I would have been much happier with the forbidden love type storyline. Then again, I wish they could have just used Ra's again, but that'd require a lot more story.

Yeah, this is getting me more disappointed. lol

Spoiler

I really thought that Ra's was going to still be alive and be the mastermind behind the whole operation.

[JODYE]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

13, at first, I really thought you were being extra nitpicky, but the more I think about it, the more I have to somewhat side with you.

I still think some of your points could be countered, but overall, I do somewhat agree with you. Initially I had been very high on this film, and still am, but I do feel like it's a bit tempered after I got to really breaking down the film.

And let's be honest, we're only really breaking it down this far because of how great the series is overall... it's a comic book story... but yeah, Nolan is a genius regardless.

Spoiler

They really didn't explain Bane's orgins in terms of his mask and super human strength. In the comics, didn't he have some syrum or something pumped in his veins? Punching a hole into that pilar probably isn't normal.. I kind of feel like I wanted to see how they'd explain his power...

I might be too, but maaaaaan I had so much hope for this movie after TDK, and again, it was still enjoyable on it's own, but in the context of the trilogy and the progression the first two movies made, very disappointing.

Spoiler

Yeah, and the forced back story at the end was very poorly done regarding Bane. Went from the middle of a big twist, to this long drawn out back story about these two characters. And how did a prison, in such a primitive setting, engineer him to become super human. But yes you are right, he relied on this super serum called Venom which was a drug that gave him the superhuman size and strength and eventually became addicted to, and had to have forced through his stream to avoid the withdrawal symptoms.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Spoiler

I am incredibly disappointed they didn't explain this more. For one, Bane's Venom is what gives him his strength, or at least I'm assuming. His mask? Who knows? Hell, I'm not even sure that Bane even has super strength in this movie. They kind of settled on the "He was a member of the League of Shadows so he's pretty bad ***" story arc there. I think it was kind of lazy and uninspired. How about why did he get stuck in the pit in the first place? Why was he kicked out?"

Also, I think they missed out on Talia big time. No need to make her super mastermind evil. I would have been much happier with the forbidden love type storyline. Then again, I wish they could have just used Ra's again, but that'd require a lot more story.

Yeah, this is getting me more disappointed. lol

Spoiler

Very true, I never really got the sense that he was a force, physically. Maybe Nolan sided too far into being realistic with that, since they never even showed any fluids pumping into his system.

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

Spoiler

I really thought that Ra's was going to still be alive and be the mastermind behind the whole operation.

Spoiler

So did I. When he appeared to Bruce in the pit I was like, "Awww, ***t!" And then he disappeared. lol.

[JODYE]

Re: The Dark Knight Rises

I thought using Bane as a villain severely limited the creativity of everything.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!

Spoiler

Bane is really not a creative guy to begin with. Although in the comics he was portrayed as having superior intellect, all his interactions with Batman were of the physical nature, and never really was a menacing or conniving character. Completely opposite of the tone that was set with the first two. I felt picking Bane really limited them in this film and the fact that they totally dropped the ball on his back story and didn't even make him super human in any regard, was a huge fail. And based on the ultra gritty realistic tone that Nolan had went for, he was the totally wrong selection. That would have been like injecting Mr. Freeze into this series. Made no sense. A chemically engineered super human. Meh.