The Dark Knight Rises How does TDKR make you feel? How do you feel about TDKR? Hate it?

[BatLobster]

milost is plotting something evil, clearly. Better keep an eye on him.

Spoiler

Spoiler

 

[Travesty]

 

[milost]

 

[Schlosser85]

And that's the point . . .

I just need/neded the names of those voting for the first two categories.

I didn't vote because I don't feel it was the best Batman yet, that it had no problems, or that it sucked.

 

[milost]

I didn't vote because I don't feel it was the best Batman yet, that it had no problems, or that it sucked.

It's a catch 22. Your logic and lack of vote has saved you from going on the list!

You are free.

 

[Travesty]

I wanna be on the list! Who's on the list?!?!!?

 

[milost]

NO!

You don't wanna be on that list. Don't you want to retain feeling in your bones!?!?

 

[BatLobster]

Lol, this actually was some twisted little social experiment wasn't it? It doesn't really work though. I'm guessing that people pretty much just used the "love", "like", "dislike or "hate" modifiers and ignored the descriptions that followed cause it just seemed like you worded stuff kinda weird. At least that was my thinking.

Spoiler

 

[Fudgie]

Hate it. Worst of the trilogy. Nolan's weakest movie to date.

 

[BatLobster]

Fudgie!!!!

 

[The Derp Knight]

"Where do we... begin..."

I saw THE DARK KNIGHT RISES 6 times in theaters. Yeah. Much like I was with Spider-Man 3 before it (which I saw 5 times) I was in denial. I was 'blown away' by all of the epicness and sad moments. So yeah I was a bit obsessed for a while. I remember lurking on here for a long time in the weeks before and after and whenever someone said they didn't like it I just laughed it off with 'oh some people will never be satisfied', blah blah blah. I'm not looking to regurgitate anything that's been said already, but I will try to sum up what I don't like about this movie and the Nolan trilogy in general.

1. I never cared about Rachel Dawes.
2. To me Batman Begins feels like a prequel, and The Dark Knight is act one. I don't like that we essentially jumped from Year One to a pseudo-Dark Knight Returns.
3. I really think The Dark Knight should have been two movies. Harvey Dent's story was super-rushed. If we had more time with him maybe the eight-year jump to TDKR would sit better with me.
4. I like Anne Hathaway's Catwoman, I really do... just like I enjoyed Thomas Hayden Church's Sandman in Spider-Man 3. Well acted, great portrayal... but Talia should have had that screen time. Selina should have been in all three films or none.
5. Tom Hardy's Bane... I have nothing really new to add. I like the portrayal but personally I would have chosen someone bigger. Hell they could have found a huge Latino actor and had Javier Bardem do the voiceover. But would they have those intense eyes? I dunno.
6. Why didn't Bruce just fake Batman's death right after the events of The Dark Knight?

Anyway I just felt the need to share a few thoughts way after the fact. I'll still pop in The Dark Knight Rises every now and then to see some of the Bane scenes but the movie itself is just too rushed and I find myself constantly picturing a different movie based on my own expectations and the early trailers. The DESHI BESARA theme still gets me pumped.

 

[BatLobster]

TDK is way too dark, intense and tragic to be an Act 1. It's got Act 2 written all over it IMO.

Also, if you had your wish about TDK being two movies and half the fanbase had their wish about TDKR being two movies....that'd be 5 Nolan Batman movies. Awesome? Hell yeah, but totally unrealistic given that he's got so much else going on with his career. I'm quite satisfied with what we have. In fact as much as I adore the Nolan Batman movies, I felt like three solid doses of it was the perfect amount. Start racking up the sequels and the charm of the series could've started to wear off. Nolan didn't overstay his welcome which I respect.

Interesting thoughts nonetheless though, a bit of a different take than what you usually hear.

 

[AnneFan]

I didn't vote because I don't feel it was the best Batman yet, that it had no problems, or that it sucked.

Same. I like the movie but it has problems would be my real vote.

 

[Senator Pleasury]

6. Why didn't Bruce just fake Batman's death right after the events of The Dark Knight?

Great point, actually.

 

[BatLobster]

I've thought that before, but martyring himself would've been a pretty big leap to make in TDK. In that movie he's pretty much accepted the fact that he can't be the symbol of hope that Harvey can.

He wasn't the hero Gotham needed "right now". Doesn't mean he wouldn't be able to one day rise again both internally and in the eyes of Gotham.

It's important to remember that when Batman saves Gotham at the end of TDKR, it is literally a completely lawless no man's land. It's the one context where he can be seen and acknowledged as a true, legitimate hero.

 

[The Derp Knight]

The Dark Knight Returns began with an older Bruce in a high speed race that ends with his car blowing up and everyone thinking he's dead for two seconds. I think it'd be neat if TDKR began with a nod to that scene; the Batmobile is being chased by all these cops and suddenly it makes an epically bad turn, resulting in an explosion (lol) that ends with the wreckage falling into the water below. The cops seem satisfied that Batman's dead. Gordon looks worried but then he gets a text that says "Did it work?" We then transition to Batman arriving at the Batcave, which is nearly complete (let's just say this is a few months after TDK) where he's supposed to meet Alfred. He then finds Bane standing over Alfred's unconscious body. The fight ends with Bane breaking Batman's back. Bane basically warns him to 'stay dead' and leaves. Eight years pass, and I'm not sure what happens next because I'm just a fanboy rewriting a popular movie in my head.

 

[DACrowe]

"Where do we... begin..."

I saw THE DARK KNIGHT RISES 6 times in theaters. Yeah. Much like I was with Spider-Man 3 before it (which I saw 5 times) I was in denial. I was 'blown away' by all of the epicness and sad moments. So yeah I was a bit obsessed for a while. I remember lurking on here for a long time in the weeks before and after and whenever someone said they didn't like it I just laughed it off with 'oh some people will never be satisfied', blah blah blah. I'm not looking to regurgitate anything that's been said already, but I will try to sum up what I don't like about this movie and the Nolan trilogy in general.

1. I never cared about Rachel Dawes.
2. To me Batman Begins feels like a prequel, and The Dark Knight is act one. I don't like that we essentially jumped from Year One to a pseudo-Dark Knight Returns.
3. I really think The Dark Knight should have been two movies. Harvey Dent's story was super-rushed. If we had more time with him maybe the eight-year jump to TDKR would sit better with me.
4. I like Anne Hathaway's Catwoman, I really do... just like I enjoyed Thomas Hayden Church's Sandman in Spider-Man 3. Well acted, great portrayal... but Talia should have had that screen time. Selina should have been in all three films or none.
5. Tom Hardy's Bane... I have nothing really new to add. I like the portrayal but personally I would have chosen someone bigger. Hell they could have found a huge Latino actor and had Javier Bardem do the voiceover. But would they have those intense eyes? I dunno.
6. Why didn't Bruce just fake Batman's death right after the events of The Dark Knight?

Anyway I just felt the need to share a few thoughts way after the fact. I'll still pop in The Dark Knight Rises every now and then to see some of the Bane scenes but the movie itself is just too rushed and I find myself constantly picturing a different movie based on my own expectations and the early trailers. The DESHI BESARA theme still gets me pumped.

These are all fair points, save for that I don't think the Two-Face thing was in the cards. Much like Selina, these movies are meant to be stand alone in their own way, and straight cliffhangers are a no-go with Nolan. As a fan of world-building that can be frustrating, but seeing how some franchises turn into trailers for their next installments these days, it has a certain purity to it.

The rest is cool, but, I'm just curious....could this be, at least partially, that the newness wore off? You saw it six times in theaters, and I will wager multiple more times on Blu-ray or DVD. After seeing any film close to a dozen times, the enjoyment will not be what it once was.

I am not attacking. I am just curious. For example, I cannot really watch Batman Begins anymore, as I have seen it too many times, and its formula shackles does not hold much repeat value after a certain point. However, I still realize what a great movie it was in 2005 and how well it handles what it does do.

 

[DACrowe]

TDK is way too dark, intense and tragic to be an Act 1. It's got Act 2 written all over it IMO.

Also, if you had your wish about TDK being two movies and half the fanbase had their wish about TDKR being two movies....that'd be 5 Nolan Batman movies. Awesome? Hell yeah, but totally unrealistic given that he's got so much else going on with his career. I'm quite satisfied with what we have. In fact as much as I adore the Nolan Batman movies, I felt like three solid doses of it was the perfect amount. Start racking up the sequels and the charm of the series could've started to wear off. Nolan didn't overstay his welcome which I respect.

Interesting thoughts nonetheless though, a bit of a different take than what you usually hear.

Narratively, I think it could have easily been 4-6 movies. I will not deny that there feels like at least a step skipped between TDK and TDKR. They even hint at it at times with the Batcave rebuilt and Jim Gordon being a "war hero," from a war we never saw.

But yes, as Nolan is one of the great mainstream filmmakers of his generation, he really shouldn't have to stick around for 15 years doing sequels, especially when I think it is safe to say that his passion level plateaued with TDK. As a fan of his world, I wish the story was a little more complex than the three-act structure. But I agree that I would rather him go out relatively on top, or at least near it, than not be making more original films. The studio has already ensured that we will not miss a beat for another Batman movie in a few years.

 

[Shikamaru]

I don't think TDK or TDKR should have been two movies. I wouldn't mind a TDKR Director's Cut, but two movies would have been too much. Plus, I'm not a fan of "incomplete" movies. That's probably my biggest problem with a lot of CBM's today. They feel more like a TV episode instead of actual films. World building and setting up easter eggs/things in general for the future is an idea I love, but it can get ridiculous if that is most of what the film has going for it.

 

[BatLobster]

Yeah, oh I completely agree. Narratively there's enough juicy material in the movies to span several 12 episode seasons of an HBO/AMC drama.

But I think that's why TV is becoming the new film. It offers storytellers such a large canvas. At the same time, I know I'll always love movies for being able to sit down for 2 hours and have a complete experience. Which is why I'm not usually a fan of splitting a movie into two parts.

 

[Shikamaru]

I always said each Nolan film could have been one season of TV, with the main big bads (Ra's/Joker/Bane) being the season finales. Ever since Arrow came out, I believe that even more, since Season 1's finale is practically Batman Begins' third act. I'm not saying Nolan should have made a TV show instead, but there was definitely enough narrative there for that.

Yes, TV is becoming the new film. But the solution for that is to make more television shows IMO, not turn every film into a TV episode. You only get a film with a specific character at least every 2 or 3 years. It should be something a bit more than that.

Regardless, TV will always be a better place for superheroes provided budget isn't an issue. This is because superheroes were specifically designed to have ongoing continuities and be used for world building. Budget also wouldn't be an issue in the first place if the bias towards TV and in favor of film didn't exist in our society. That being said, it looks like that biased is quickly going away. We have shows like Breaking Bad/House of Cards/Game of Thrones to thank for that. In turn, we are also seeing superheroes move to TV at a faster rate. Both Marvel and DC have at least like 5 upcoming/present shows (Arrow, Flash, Constantine, iZombie, Hourman, Gotham, Agents of SHIELD, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, etc.). I think the next step after this will be the transition of the major names (Batman, Spider-Man, etc.) to TV. I don't know how long that will take though.

 

[BatLobster]

I'd agree with everything you just said Shika.

I have a lot of mixed feelings on the issue though, mainly because I'd hate to see films replaced with TV altogether when it comes to telling epic stories. There's something special about being in a darkened room with a crowd of people and witnessing this kind of spectacle on the big screen, with the big sound that's hard to replace at home no matter how good your home theater is. Especially when you bring IMAX into the equation.

Also, I feel like Marvel's cinematic universe at the moment is essentially a big TV serial that just so happens to be unfolding on the big screen.

 

[Shikamaru]

I don't think superhero films will go away altogether. Both can coexist, but can be different. A lot of the "TV serials" we are getting on the big screen today are only on the big screen because they're too expensive for TV. If anything, I think the future holds more variety in the sense that directors/writers can pick-and-choose the medium that best fits their story/take.

 

[The Derp Knight]

I'm just curious....could this be, at least partially, that the newness wore off? You saw it six times in theaters, and I will wager multiple more times on Blu-ray or DVD. After seeing any film close to a dozen times, the enjoyment will not be what it once was.

I am not attacking. I am just curious. For example, I cannot really watch Batman Begins anymore, as I have seen it too many times, and its formula shackles does not hold much repeat value after a certain point.

That's absolutely true. Even if I had the power to "fix" TDKR it still wouldn't be a movie I'd like to watch over and over. However I do wish it was a movie that I could watch without getting bored and/or frustrated. The bomb, Alfred's google-fu, etc.

 

[The Derp Knight]

Excellent points about TV vs film. I wish we could get a Batman series in the "Sherlock" format - three 90 minute episodes per season.