The Dark Knight Rises vs Man of Steel

[AnneFan]

I like the first half of TDK Rises - even if there are some niggles. It's definitely the best part. The middle section is the chore, when the focus leaves Bruce for lengthy periods and focuses on Bane's somewhat confusing plan. Things heat up again when Bruce escapes, but we also finish with Talia's weak reveal and death, amongst other time chewing things like Foley and Blake. Although I still like the movie, and think it's better than MoS. I side with The Batman's ranking system on the previous page, with TDKR having most of the better categories for my money.

 

[BatLobster]

I didn't find Talia's reveal weak at all...the death scene, sure. But her reveal scene is probably more emotionally engaging than anything in Man of Steel. In terms of performance/score/editing, etc. it's a fantastic sequence. Man of Steel never comes together like that.

 

[Ryan]

Maybe because it came out around Father's Day, but I found the scenes with Costner and young Clark far more emotional engaging then anything in the TDK trilogy. As much as I loved the tdk trilogy, I never found anything emotional about them or most of Nolan's films. Great story teller though!

 

[AnneFan]

I didn't find Talia's reveal weak at all...the death scene, sure. But her reveal scene is probably more emotionally engaging than anything in Man of Steel. In terms of performance/score/editing, etc. it's a fantastic sequence. Man of Steel never comes together like that.

It was probably her best scene, but overall I just thought the whole Tatelia character was mediocre. She does her little speech, blankly says "kill them all" and then drives away to die that awful death. I wasn't invested in her arc enough to really care, seeing the 'twist' from a mile away also contributed. She also took away from Bane’s badassery, (I’m not referencing the lapdog criticisms here) by giving her some of his comic traits. Climbing out of the pit herself for one, and gifting Bane Bruce’s identity and the location of the Wayne Enterprises armoury.

 

[BatLobster]

I'm just referring to the execution of the scene, not the plot point in and of itself...Marion, Hardy and Bale's strong performances, intercut with Gordon struggling to place the signal blocker on the bomb, intercut with all the flashbacks to the stuff in the pit. Everything comes together there and you can feel the whole trilogy coming full circle in those moments. It's one of my favorite sequences of the movie. "I want him to feel the heat...feel the fire of 12 million souls....you failed." As Zimmer's "fire rises" theme kicks in...chills.

The Costner and young Clark scenes were good...unfortunately they put their best scenes in the trailers. Also, annoying shaky cam took me out of it.

 

[Steamteck]

I'm pretty much the opposite although you seem more tolerant of MOS's flaws than I am of TDKR's flaws.

On the other hand, it doesn't get me really angry like TDK does.

 

[marcvader]

TDKR was my least liked of the trilogy, BB being my favorite, so I'll go with MoS.

 

[Green Goblin]

I didn't find Talia's reveal weak at all...the death scene, sure. But her reveal scene is probably more emotionally engaging than anything in Man of Steel. In terms of performance/score/editing, etc. it's a fantastic sequence. Man of Steel never comes together like that.

"WHEYRE IS THE TRYGER, WHEYRE IS IT!!!" was almost comedic IMO. While not a flaw, but Bane being friendzoned/getting cockblocked by her Dad was tragic yet kinda funny. I felt Jor-El's goodbye to his son more sad than that scene.

I would agree, TDKR is the better movie.

 

[Isearch4dope]

TDKR over MOS anyday. And I dislike TDKR a great deal lol

 

[Adder]

They're both bad...

 

[super85]

Rewatched TDKR again, I love it. Even with its flaws its among there with the films I consider very best in the genre. I pretty much like Batman Begins and TDKR evenly. I like TDK but it might be my least favorite of the series.

 

[Luchador Bane]

MOS wins for me. Even the fighting scenes were more interesing than the ones in TDKR. Batman vs Bane fight scene was best of the trilogy. I couldn't stand the up close shots in Batman Begins and only a few seconds of fighting in TDK. Something Nolan should have looked into was better fight scenes. Destruction in MOS was not at all an issue for me. People complained no action in Superman Returns, Synder gave them action and they still complained.

 

[psylockolussus]

I voted for The Dark Knight Rises mostly because of Anna Hathaway's performance as Catwoman though seriously speaking, I think its a stronger movie.

 

[Mandon Knight]

I didn't find Talia's reveal weak at all...the death scene, sure. But her reveal scene is probably more emotionally engaging than anything in Man of Steel. In terms of performance/score/editing, etc. it's a fantastic sequence. Man of Steel never comes together like that.

The execution of her reveal was appalling though, not least the still reveal of her in costume months ahead of release but that's the studio's fault not the actual film's, but there is a shot prior to Batman making his way into the room where she is looking over the street so we (the audience) are given the info we need to drop a thought that there maybe something not quite right, fine, however, Batman strides in, looks at her (glances I grant you) and she has changed costume from her civies to her Talia reveal and he thinks nothing of it. A really shoddy bit of editing or story composition. World's Greatest Dectective ? Really ?

 

[Grommers]

TDKR needed to be two movies, but its still better imo than MoS, which had a story that fit in the time frame...but, lacked more depth that was necessary.

 

[Flint Marko]

MoS isn't even in the same ballpark as TDKR.

 

[DA_Champion]

I find the internet hate of TDKR to be irrational. I've seen people argue that it is the worst of all Batman movies, including the animated movies and Batman and Robin. We have posters on this website rating TDKR as being a 1/10 film.

 

[Travesty]

I wouldn't say it's a 1/10, but for me, it's definitely a 6/10. Objectively it's a "better" made movie than B&R, but that doesn't mean I enjoy it more. And it's not like I'm jumping for joy over watching B&R to begin with.

 

[Steamteck]

I find the internet hate of TDKR to be irrational. I've seen people argue that it is the worst of all Batman movies, including the animated movies and Batman and Robin. We have posters on this website rating TDKR as being a 1/10 film.

Even I agree 1/10 is harsh but although I liked Batman Begins, I intensely dislike where the series went from there. Its just not my style or preference and nothing in them floated my boat much so all I see are the errors and plot problems. The TDKR doesn't make me really angry like TDK does is all I can say.

I imagine MOS detractors feel the same way about it as I do about TDK

 

[Mandon Knight]

Prefer MOS to TDKR personally, not by much, mind. I do rate the Nolan trilogy overall as a work of art though in truly defining the CBM's can be regarded as film making for a 'modern' view of the genre, not just good CBM's, but good films in their own right. To be taken seriously, Donner took this stance with Superman and had his vision buried, but Nolan took those ideals and gave a platform from which to build.

 

[agentorange]

I think for Man Of Steel to do the whole flashback thing instead of actually going thru his entire childhood like the first Superman movie so we can get a big long fight scene was good. And we got to see Clark actually show off his powers early compared to TDKR and Batman Begins when he doesnt actually become Batman until like an hour into the film. But story wise I still have to go with TDKR > Man Of Steel

 

[The_Manhunter]

Both films are great. MOS made me a Superman fan though, and I just liked the Kryptonian stuff more than Gotham, so it wins for me.

 

[rogbngp]

I really like both these films tremendously. For admittedly idiosyncratic reasons I actually enjoy TDKR best of the Nolan trilogy (I could cogently explain why but I won't bore people). I voted for MoS because over time the project that Zack Snyder has going on of reinventing of the Superman myth impresses the hell out of me--and even if it doesn't entirely succeed, I really love this film for what it attempts.

Edit: Okay, I will elaborate briefly on TDKR to note the two main things I love about the film: Hardy's Bane and Hathaway's Catwoman. Both characters/performances make me overlook a number of things that I otherwise might look at askance.

 

[Batmannerism]

Man of Steel by a mile.

I loved it, and for some reasons I like TDKR less and less with each viewing.

There are some great bits in TDKR but I find it very poorly paced, compared to MOS. When I first saw it I loved TDKR, but as I said above, with each viewing the not-so-great bits become more and distracting.

Amongst the many other beefs I have with the movie is the lack of actual
Batman time.

It's like Batman's retired and out of action, and then he gets back into action, and then he's out of the action again - I think Batman only shows up for about 33 minutes of a film that's nearly 3 hours long !

I think Batman actually gets more screentime in Batman Begins, and certainly a lot more in TDK.

Superman shows up, in costume at about 40 minutes into MOS, and then gets plenty of action (some say too much, but I beg to differ).

IMHO MOS is a better film for many reasons - but that's just me.

All in all, it's about the suspension of disbelief. MOS doesn't require us to suspend disbelief that men can fly or lift buildings, so we don't get surprised when that happens.

TDKR has Nolan's veneer of realism over it, so when things that are utterly impossible happen we struggle - well okay, in TDK some things happen that are utterly impossible (the Joker being caught by Bats, after falling off the building, couldn't happen). However, in TDK Nolan dresses up the impossible a little better, so we don't choke when we swallow it.

some good comments here:

http://www.**************.com/batma...e-else-notice-these-things-in-the-dark-a52758

this one is a great read:

http://blogs.scientificamerican.com...difficulties-of-batmans-life-while-he-exists/

In TDKR the impossible isn't dressed up nearly so well (and somehow Marion Cotillard, who's a foxy and talented actress manages to give an incredibly ordinary performance complete with poorly played death scene).
Cops held prisoner in the sewer for 3 months ? Batman essentially outraces a nuclear blast at the end ? That stuff wears thin after the first time.

I love Nolan, and his films - Inception and TDK will always be on my top ten list - but it's like he just couldn't pull this one off

All I know is that when I watch MOS, I always walk away smiling. I have to force myself to watch TDKR - I can take it about once a year, but no more than that (and I love Batman, I watch TDK or have it on in the background, on repeat, at least once a week - MOS I can handle on a similar frequency of viewings ).

 

[BH/HHH]

I actually have found myself enjoying TDKR more as I watch it. I loved it first time and then that faded on rewatches but I think it's a film that if you put sometime between viewings it gets better. I even think I enjoyed more the most recent time I watched it was because I watched the trilogy within a few weeks of one another. TDK trilogy works so well when you watch it all close together.

Been who I am though I wouldn't put any of TDKT over MOS for one I am biased but on the flip side to that MOS got closer to the Superman movie I always wanted than any of TDKT did to the Batman film I always wanted. Also I can watch MOS over and over in quick sixes on whereas I can't with TDKT.

On the whole though both are utterly fantastic and I feel lucky to have both.