The Dark Knight Rises Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake IV

[dru-zod2501]

That would have been 400 times cheesier and everyone would have know what he was from the start.

This version of the character wasn't as literal or directly ripped from the comics, but still shared MANY of the same characteristics (orphan, bond with Bruce, inspired by Batman, fights alongside, believes in Batman's mission). Blake represents the living embodiment of a 'Robin', someone who earns the trust of Batman enough for him to be allowed into his secret world, and someone who may ultimately carry on Bruce's legacy one way or another. Will be take up the mantle of the Bat? Will he embrace his true name of Robin and create his own persona? Will Bruce ever need to return to Gotham to face another threat and fight alongside him?

We don't know, and that's the fun of it.

so much true. I loved that even though Bruce finished his mission, the world he inhabited still has room to grow, at least in our imaginations. Definitely a Nolan ending

 

[Brain Damage]

So, can anyone elaborate on a certain scene,

Spoiler

the one where Blake confronts Bruce about being Batman. I don't buy the "I could tell from your look that you're Batman" thing, but there was a line or two that I didn't catch, so I was hoping someone can shed some more light on this. Did Blake take an educated guess and know he was right based on Bruce's reaction? Or did I miss an important line? Or is it really just the "I could tell from your look that you're Batman" logic.

 

[DeaDheaD]

So, can anyone elaborate on a certain scene,

Spoiler

the one where Blake confronts Bruce about being Batman. I don't buy the "I could tell from your look that you're Batman" thing, but there was a line or two that I didn't catch, so I was hoping someone can shed some more light on this. Did Blake take an educated guess and know he was right based on Bruce's reaction? Or did I miss an important line? Or is it really just the "I could tell from your look that you're Batman" logic.

Spoiler

he talked about him and bruce having similar backgrounds, and that the way bruce covered up the anger was exactly the way he did....that and bruce's resources he just figured it out.

 

[Brain Damage]

Spoiler

he talked about him and bruce having similar backgrounds, and that the way bruce covered up the anger was exactly the way he did....that and bruce's resources he just figured it out.

Spoiler

That's what I figured, but I still don't buy it completely. Orphan covering up anger doesn't immediately scream Batman. Even a rich orphan. I'd imagine covering up anger is something all orphans deal with it, and I'd imagine most of them don't do so by dressing up like flying rodents.

 

[Mikelus]

That would have been 400 times cheesier and everyone would have know what he was from the start.

Fan service is not better, just being John Blake changes nothing.

 

[DeaDheaD]

Spoiler

That's what I figured, but I still don't buy it completely. Orphan covering up anger doesn't immediately scream Batman. Even a rich orphan. I'd imagine covering up anger is something all orphans deal with it, and I'd imagine most of them don't do so by dressing up like flying rodents.

Not saying it was the greatest way to do it, but there was a lot going on, even for a 3hr film. Levitt did a great job delivering it, so it made it a little more believable for me.

 

[Brain Damage]

Fan service is not better, just being John Blake changes nothing.

I'd have to agree with this.

Also [BLACKOUT]Miranda being called Talia[/BLACKOUT] served absolutely no point from a plot point of view, but was again, fan service. [BLACKOUT]The story would not be altered whatsoever if her name didn't change. And if you say "it was to hide that she was Ra's daughter", well I call shenanigans because no one even knew Ra's had a daughter. [/BLACKOUT] Thus. Pure fan service for fan service's sake. And while that's certainly not the worst thing to ever happen to a comic book movie, it is, as another member pointed out earlier, something that this series has traditionally been above.

 

[Longshot777]

I liked it how Nolan didn't say Blake's real name.


It could be any of the 3.

 

[HolyPurpleSocks]

I liked it how Nolan didn't say Blake's real name.


It could be any of the 3.

What is this? I don't even...

 

[dru-zod2501]

I liked it how Nolan didn't say Blake's real name.


It could be any of the 3.

sigh... try again.

Spoiler

Robin John Blake is his real name

 

[karatemanchan37]

Spoiler

Best scene was the construction one with the two guys and he the disgust he showed after throwing away the gun. Reminded me alot of the Batman/Bruce Wayne arc.

 

[The Joker]

After seeing TDKR twice, I can safely say Blake dragged the movie down. His removal would improve the movie considerably and give more worthy characters more breathing room.

 

[Bruce Malone]

After seeing TDKR twice, I can safely say Blake dragged the movie down. His removal would improve the movie considerably and give more worthy characters more breathing room.

Totally disagree he served as a great surrogate for when bruce was not there. Remember how long bruce was out of service in this movie after his brush-up there had to be someone doing something other than twiddling thumbs while he was out.

It could have turned out cheesy but the character was strong enough and hey isn't that what [BLACKOUT]robin/nightwing's[/BLACKOUT] always been there for?

 

[storyteller]

I'd have to agree with this.

Also [BLACKOUT]Miranda being called Talia[/BLACKOUT] served absolutely no point from a plot point of view, but was again, fan service. [BLACKOUT]The story would not be altered whatsoever if her name didn't change. And if you say "it was to hide that she was Ra's daughter", well I call shenanigans because no one even knew Ra's had a daughter. [/BLACKOUT] Thus. Pure fan service for fan service's sake. And while that's certainly not the worst thing to ever happen to a comic book movie, it is, as another member pointed out earlier, something that this series has traditionally been above.

[BLACKOUT]It wasn't fan service for fan service sake. Since this is a fictional story, if we knew for sure she was Talia then we would question all her motives from the very start. We would question the story we were told about the child. It's important to the plot for the audience. It's no different from unreliable narrators and what not.[/BLACKOUT]

 

[combocaz]

Spoiler

Why robin?, tim drake-dick grayson-jason todd would have been more fitting.

 

[Holiday]

Spoiler

Best scene was the construction one with the two guys and he the disgust he showed after throwing away the gun. Reminded me alot of the Batman/Bruce Wayne arc.

That was a great scene, one I liked a lot, foreshadowing what was to come for John Blake.

 

[Art Damage]

After seeing TDKR twice, I can safely say Blake dragged the movie down. His removal would improve the movie considerably and give more worthy characters more breathing room.

I couldn't agree with you anymore Joker.

 

[Brain Damage]

[BLACKOUT]It wasn't fan service for fan service sake. Since this is a fictional story, if we knew for sure she was Talia then we would question all her motives from the very start. We would question the story we were told about the child. It's important to the plot for the audience. It's no different from unreliable narrators and what not.[/BLACKOUT]

Spoiler

But if you knew nothing about Batman comics and she was named Talia the entire time, it would have made absolutely no difference to the plot. Her character had no reason for hiding her name, other than that fans would have been able to tell she was up to no good right away, but that, again, is not a justifiable reason in terms of story. I'm not saying she should have been called Talia the whole time, honestly I'd have preferred if she just stayed Miranda.

 

[DigificWriter]

This whole 'John Blake wasn't his real name' stuff is just ridiculous. As has already been said, the character's full name was Robin John Blake. Nolan and Co. used the character of Blake to pay homage to the character of Robin (and the various individuals who've taken up that mantle) without compromising their vision for their trilogy and the tone they set for it. There was absolutely no reason why they had to make their 'Robin' one of the characters from the comic because that wasn't the point; the point was to pay homage to the character without compromising their vision, and they managed to accomplish that goal flawlessly.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I also don't understand the outrage from some over "fan service" as if that is a bad thing?? So some of the fan boys complain when nolan doesn't give them the fan service and when he does he still gets criticized come on.

It was a great little nod which he totally didn't have to do and nobody expected him to but did so just to tip his hat to the comic fans.

 

[Masut]

There is a lot of speculation as to whether Blake will take up the Batman persona, or create his own.

To clear it up, I'll note the following:

Bruce gave Gordon a new BAT-signal. If he hadn't intended for Blake to take up the Batman mantle and create his own persona (whether it be Robin or Nightwing), he wouldn't have done this.

 

[craigdbfan]

Spoiler

Maybe Bruce should have left him some money too because there's no way he can be a successful Batman without the proper resources that Wayne had due to being a billionaire and an owner of a company which was involved in military weaponry.

That's the biggest downfall of the entire successor sub plot. Keep in mind I was one of the few who wanted this to happen yet was somewhat disappointed in how it was handled.

 

[Boom]

Am I the only one who honestly felt like Blake had more screentime than Bruce?

Now I know where the "John Blake Rises" joke keeps coming from.

 

[Brain Damage]

I also don't understand the outrage from some over "fan service" as if that is a bad thing?? So some of the fan boys complain when nolan doesn't give them the fan service and when he does he still gets criticized come on.

It was a great little nod which he totally didn't have to do and nobody expected him to but did so just to tip his hat to the comic fans.

Nolan has had plenty of fan service in his movies, it's just always been much more subtle.

The sonar device in Batman's boot, Scarecrow on horseback, Batman, Gordon and Dent planning on how to deal with the mob on the MCU rooftop, Joker having multiple "origins" are all ideas STRAIGHT out of the comics, but they're not forced down our throats like the [blackout]Robin and Talia[/blackout] things were. And most importantly, they're plot points that happen to be homages, they're not just there to please fans.

 

[The Guard]

I honestly thought when Blake started his speech to Bruce about how he deduced his identity when he was younger that he would be revealed to be the little boy from the Narrows in BB lol I still do!

I was screaming inside my head for them not to do that when he started talking...

I also find it interesting that Blake is one of the few characters to get an actual character arc.