The Dark Knight Rises (now with spoilers)

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Saw it, thought it was an entirely fitting end to Nolan's trilogy. Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy were outstanding editions to the cast and performed their roles excellently. In the case of Tom Hardy, he actually got me to appreciate and like Bane, never cared for the Hulked out villain from the comics, felt this was a much better foil for Batman.

I agree with Nick's assessment of the Trilogy, second one was the best but this one was still great.
 
I loved the hell out of the movie. Noticed at least five comic stories it drew on:


Knightfall - Obvious, what with Bane breaking Batman.
Dark Knight Returns - What with Batman returning to the streets after a long absence.
No Man's Land - What with Gotham City being declared off limits, no one in or out, with only a few remaining cops to restore order while Batman is absent for months.
Officer Down - Jim Gordon gets shot and his replacement as commissioner wants Batman arrested.
R.I.P. - Bruce's new love interest is revealed to be part of a group trying to kill him, leading directly to his apparent death in an exploding aircraft over Gotham Harbor. He survives in secret (though that didn't last long in the comics) and a younger man takes on the cowl.
 
It was good, not great. Kind of a mess, though. The second half of the movie felt way too on-the-nose.[DOUBLEPOST=1342877786][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, some days, you just can't get rid of a bomb
 

North_Ranger

Staff member
Came back from a packed theater. Definitely worth the watch, though I admit a preference for the old school Joker in the Burton film. Some of the critical reviews lambasted this film for a pretty heavy-handed political message, and that may have tainted my viewing of the film (having watched After Hours at Cracked didn't help, either). Still, a solid film and a solid ending to Nolan's reinterpretation of the Batman mythos, both within and without the movie.

Also, I admit surprise at some of the twists and surprises mentioned by previous posters, particularly the one involving
Talia;
I did not see that coming, and it really put in the afterburners when you thought everything was neatly wrapped up.
 
I'm glad you brought up the political message, spoilers ahoy!

This was one of my only real problems with the film. It was the subtext (though it was kind of hamfisted, so it's barely even subtext). The use of terrorism in this film was disconcerting to me. The fact that the people rising up against the rich of Gotham is portrayed as the ultimate evil. There is undeniable imagery that portrays this as downright unamerican (the child singing the national anthem, the tattered flags, etc...). Catwoman's arch in particular illustrates this. It pretty much says "see all you people clammoring for change, all it will do is end in anarchy".
 
I'm glad you brought up the political message, spoilers ahoy!

This was one of my only real problems with the film. It was the subtext (though it was kind of hamfisted, so it's barely even subtext). The use of terrorism in this film was disconcerting to me. The fact that the people rising up against the rich of Gotham is portrayed as the ultimate evil. There is undeniable imagery that portrays this as downright unamerican (the child singing the national anthem, the tattered flags, etc...). Catwoman's arch in particular illustrates this. It pretty much says "see all you people clammoring for change, all it will do is end in anarchy".
Except Bane is clearly and explicitly using the language of social change in order to further his own ends. He co-opts the frustration of the people in order to conquer them. Which has happened a lot. It came off more like "if someone's offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is" and "social change through violence begets more violence". to me than what you said. It portrayed violence as wrong.

EDIT: Also, the revolution that descends Gotham into chaos was bankrolled by a millionaire to achieve her own ends. There's some nuance to its politics, more than you seem to credit it with.
 
Except Bane is clearly and explicitly using the language of social change in order to further his own ends. He co-opts the frustration of the people in order to conquer them. Which has happened a lot. It came off more like "if someone's offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is" and "social change through violence begets more violence". to me than what you said. It portrayed violence as wrong.

EDIT: Also, the revolution that descends Gotham into chaos was bankrolled by a millionaire to achieve her own ends. There's some nuance to its politics, more than you seem to credit it with.
I plan on seeing it again. I'll be taking some mental notes next time.
 
I'm to lazy to say anything more than I really enjoyed it!!

The film was great - in keeping with Nolan's track record. Yay! (Was a mistake to go to the midnight though: Drove to a reserved seating theatre about an hour away, meaning the movie got out at 3:30, drove home and got there are 4:30. I wasn't in bed until 5 and had to get up at 6:30 for work.)

I would really like to go see it again.

Also, I just want to say that I thought Anne did wonderfully! She fit into the Nolanverse perfectly.
 
Watched it. It was a good movie. I liked it a lot and the ending was on par of my expectations... however, I'll consider it the weakest of the films.

Dark Knight
Batman Begins
Dark Knight Rises.

Spoilers


- I felt they casted Marion incorrectly, for her appearance in the film gave her away. I always wondered if Talia would have been part of the movies but when I saw her on the screen and placed closed to Bruce... I knew something was up. However, when they revealed that the one who escaped the pit was her, I was surprised.

- Multiple storylines tied in smoothly.

- Sometimes very very hard to understand what Bane was saying... and it bothered me a lot. I did like Tom HARDY'S performance however, heck, my wife didn't even recognize him until I told her it was him. He was physically imposing and huge, intelligent and ruthless. He was everything I wanted him to be.

- Hathaway was fine as cat woman. She didn't surprise me like Heath did with the Joker but she did a very good job... the scenes of her on the motorcycle.... mmm. Nolan bring out the best of of his actors. - I thought the scene where shitloads of cops are running towards the henchmen, mostly without gun while they were being shot at, absolutely retarded. The way it was setup where it looked like Kingdom of Heaven where a bunch of people were fist fighting when the bullets ran out instead of swords and having Batman and Bane fight "nobodies" being reaching each other and then facing off to a fist fight to the finish while NO ONE interfered with them was absolutely retarded.

- The Raz cameo and the storyline with Bane and his daughter was really well done. Love Liam.

- Scarecrow cameo was awesome.

- Soundtrack was epic... a lot of stuff borrowed from the first 2 movies. Sound track compliments the action very well.

- Felt it was too long... about 30 minutes worth and could have been more fluid. It lacked the polish the Dark Knight had... or maybe Joker vs Batman was the best it could have been for me.
 
Watched it. It was a good movie. I liked it a lot and the ending was on par of my expectations... however, I'll consider it the weakest of the films.

Dark Knight
Batman Begins
Dark Knight Rises.

Spoilers


- I felt they casted Marion incorrectly, for her appearance in the film gave her away. I always wondered if Talia would have been part of the movies but when I saw her on the screen and placed closed to Bruce... I knew something was up. However, when they revealed that the one who escaped the pit was her, I was surprised.

- Multiple storylines tied in smoothly.

- Sometimes very very hard to understand what Bane was saying... and it bothered me a lot. I did like Tom HARDY'S performance however, heck, my wife didn't even recognize him until I told her it was him. He was physically imposing and huge, intelligent and ruthless. He was everything I wanted him to be.

- Hathaway was fine as cat woman. She didn't surprise me like Heath did with the Joker but she did a very good job... the scenes of her on the motorcycle.... mmm. Nolan bring out the best of of his actors. - I thought the scene where shitloads of cops are running towards the henchmen, mostly without gun while they were being shot at, absolutely retarded. The way it was setup where it looked like Kingdom of Heaven where a bunch of people were fist fighting when the bullets ran out instead of swords and having Batman and Bane fight "nobodies" being reaching each other and then facing off to a fist fight to the finish while NO ONE interfered with them was absolutely retarded.

- The Raz cameo and the storyline with Bane and his daughter was really well done. Love Liam.

- Scarecrow cameo was awesome.

- Soundtrack was epic... a lot of stuff borrowed from the first 2 movies. Sound track compliments the action very well.

- Felt it was too long... about 30 minutes worth and could have been more fluid. It lacked the polish the Dark Knight had... or maybe Joker vs Batman was the best it could have been for me.
As far as pacing goes, I felt that The Dark Knight was a bit more unevenly paced. The transition between the main thrust of the story leading up to Rachel Dawes' death and the final confrontation with two face was hella awkward. I never felt like there was filler in this one and the scenes all flowed well, IMO. I will agree that overall, The Dark Knight is a better movie.
 
I was disappointed in the lack of blow by blow coverage during the Bain/Batman fight at the end by a reporter with a horrible British accent ala Spider-Man 3.
 
I was disappointed in the lack of blow by blow coverage during the Bain/Batman fight at the end by a reporter with a horrible British accent ala Spider-Man 3.
*Bane

Unless you're referring to the company that Mitt Romney is related to. In that case, you're one of them!
 
I thought it was good, not great. A clear step down from the other two movies and obvious compared to the 2nd.
 
I was only half serious (as I usually am when replying to Charlie). I haven't seen Jump or Brave either.

What I DO find ironic is that Charlie is saying how terrible the editing is in The Dark Knight risis is. The Amazing Spider-Man had some of the worst editing I've ever seen. Especially because it's readily apparent that they were shuffling the story around up to release.

And because I'm not just going to make that statement without backing it up, spoiler alert!

Entire arcs were edited out of the plot, but only partialy. For example the indian lab corprate guy, the entire storyline with Peter's parents.
 
Loved Bane. I liked him much more than the joker.
I dont read the comics so I didn't know who talia was. I thought it was a good twist.
Hated the ending. It just came across as a huge cop out to me.
 
Saw it. Loved it. Gonna see it again in IMAX next week.

It's not a perfect film, it did treat the audience as idiots, which I found annoying, but eh, it was still great.
 
Saw it twice. The first time was lackluster. The second viewing put it firmly into 2nd place for me, ahead of Batman Begins, which I watched on Friday as well.

Bane was great. Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine stole every scene they were in, and they weren't in enough.
 
Calling anything in this movie "subtext" is an insult to text everywhere. Almost everyone only spoke in theme.
OK, this is probably the first time I'm going to say anything to charlie in total seriousness. I know you're probably just trolling again, but if you're going to pretend to be some sot of film aficionado, don't be an idiot about it. Every film has subtext, but I'm thinking that you don't actually understand what that word means.
 
Actually, I'd agree with Charlie on this one. Subtext is something that is unspoken, like the gay allegory in Bryan Singer's X-Men, Inglorious Basterds being about the death of true cinema, or the actor-film maker-audience relationship in Cabin in the Woods. It's something that's not outright mentioned.

That doesn't happen in Dark Knight Rises. Bane has a full speech, precisely spelling out his plans and how it's supposed to work. Selina says something to Holly about "no one lives here now" or something. There really isn't any subtext.
 
At the ending, Commisioner Gordon literally quotes A Tale of Two Cities. Come the fuck on.[DOUBLEPOST=1343080437][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, this is a good writer writing a good piece about the film. I don't 100% agree with it, but it's very intelligent and also brings up that shit about Nolan's directing that has always sat kind of weird/bad with me.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2012/07/the_dark_knight_rises_a_hero_a.html

also, lol @ "Every film has subtext"
 
The subtext of The Transformers movies is Michael Bay has a raging hard-on for the U.S. military.

No, wait. There's nothing sub about that text.
 
At the ending, Commisioner Gordon literally quotes A Tale of Two Cities. Come the fuck on.[DOUBLEPOST=1343080437][/DOUBLEPOST]Also, this is a good writer writing a good piece about the film. I don't 100% agree with it, but it's very intelligent and also brings up that shit about Nolan's directing that has always sat kind of weird/bad with me.

http://blogs.suntimes.com/scanners/2012/07/the_dark_knight_rises_a_hero_a.html

also, lol @ "Every film has subtext"
Whether it's intentional on the part of the film maker or not, every film has subtext. If you don't know that, you don't know thing one about film and I will have to fall back to the STFUcharlie point of view on every post you make regarding a film as if you know what you're talking about.
 
I agree with Charlie in this. I loved the movie, because of my investment with the previous movies and the Batman character in general, and I loved the spirit of the film behind the flaws. But I have no problem calling the movie flawed. Awesome action movie? Yes. Fitting end to the amazing Dark Knight trilogy? Yes. Citizen Kane? Hell no.

Although, I fell asleep trying to watch Citizen Kane, so... maybe I need to join a Michael Bay fan club.

Or... Uwe Boll *shudder*
 
You know, the further and further I get for the film the harder and harder it is for me to not wish that they had made it a two parter. I think most of the flaws in the movie were because it was just overstuffed with stuff. It needed a little room to breathe. And it did need a little more subtlety. I don't think Nolan felt he had time/space to be subtle but I wish he had given himself the time, the film certainly deserved it.
Don't get me wrong, I still think it was great and I look forward to seeing IMAX in a few weeks.

Also, I now would like Nolan to go ahead and sign Anne Hathaway up for a film version of "Selina's Big Score" please.
 
Hey now, no need to be mean. Now, I'm not saying that Uwe Boll is a good film maker.

Actually, no one is saying that Uwe Boll is a good film maker.

...

Hang on, what was my point again?

I think you were tryign to say Uwe Boll has some redeeming qualities.

You're wrong, of course. ;)
 
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