The TDKR General Discussion Thread - - - - - - - - - - - Part 143

[BatLobsterRises]

Originally Posted by ThePhantasm

I agree with you that JGL is a fantastic actor - it seems strange to me that he gets handed two-dimensional characters in Nolan films (Inception, TDKR). But I feel like you are overreading the bridge scene. That isn't "pent-up anger" coming out - nothing in the movie necessitates that interpretation. Any person would be frustrated and angry in a high stress situation like that. Blake being angry in a high stress situation does not make him stand out as a character, unlike Bruce, whose anger is palpable throughout the trilogy. Heavy emoting in one scene does not a character make... no matter how talented the actor is.

Well, I agree that anyone would be angry in that situation but in the context of the whole movie it definitely does support his character arc of being someone who believes in upholding the law to becoming disillusioned with the system he was fighting for. It was an outburst in a stressful situation, but it had greater meaning.

"You're killing us! Yeah, follow your orders!"

It's that whole situation that finally leads to him tossing his badge into the river. Now, I'll admit that the pent up anger thing is probably more my interpretation than anything, but I think it's supported by the film because Blake talks about having to hide his anger to be accepted, so when he finally has that outburst after being so reserved for the entire film (despite people calling him a hothead), it felt like the jack finally came out of the box so to speak and we were seeing a different side of him. Now if the scene/character didn't emotionally grab you, fair game.