The Dark Knight Rises The Official Rate/Review Thread for TDKR (TAG SPOILERS!!!) - Part 1

[Optimus_Prime_]

I'm kind of wonder why an organization capable of infiltrating the city that well needed to steal a nuke within the city. Seems like they could've snuck one in.

Also, all they really did was steal it. Why in God's name would anyone build a reactor that has a detonator on it? Or that turns into a bomb by basically just removing it. It wasn't intended to be a weapon, but yet it was still a weapon designed like a weapon which pretty much just made it a weapon. It had to be a reactor? Couldn't it have just been a bomb Bruce thought was too dangerous and didn't want to release, maybe one that Rutger Hauer's character had commissioned?

I will say, just to reiterate. I don't dislike this movie. I just found the writing to be pretty convenient and contrived, more like a disaster movie. While I found his previous two more dramatic and more tightly written. I think it took itself less seriously though because the actors were having more fun with it this go 'round I feel.

 

[BuddhaWasABat]

I just saw this for the second time last night and let me say I'm totally surprised how much more I liked it than the first. It felt longer to me and I feel like I actually took it all in. I do still think a few things were cut short and also have an issue with a decision or 2 made but that's all diminished and TDKR just grew on me more than I would have thought after my heavily conflicted first viewing.

I will be seeing it again.

 

[Reikowolf]

I'm kind of wonder why an organization capable of infiltrating the city that well needed to steal a nuke within the city. Seems like they could've snuck one in.

Also, all they really did was steal it. Why in God's name would anyone build a reactor that has a detonator on it? Or that turns into a bomb by basically just removing it. It wasn't intended to be a weapon, but yet it was still a weapon designed like a weapon which pretty much just made it a weapon. It had to be a reactor? Couldn't it have just been a bomb Bruce thought was too dangerous and didn't want to release, maybe one that Rutger Hauer's character had commissioned?

I will say, just to reiterate. I don't dislike this movie. I just found the writing to be pretty convenient and contrived, more like a disaster movie. While I found his previous two more dramatic and more tightly written. I think it took itself less seriously though because the actors were having more fun with it this go 'round I feel.

I would argue that the idea of releasing a "fear gas" through gotham's water supply with a "water evaporator" weapon is more convenient than the events of TDKR

but I see where you are coming

I made the assumption that Pavol's work took sometime and no one else could have weaponized the reactor as quickly as he did. The reactor wasn't preset to be a bomb.

I'm not a nuclear physicist though.. lol

 

[Longshot777]

Watched The Dark Knight Rises for a second time. As great as it was, still can't decide if I liked it better than The Dark Knight and Batman Begins. It's better off to just consider all three movies as a whole single story. Epic conclusion to the Batman saga either ways.

Yup

I see it that way too.

Top 10 superhero movies:

1. Nolan's Batman TRILOGY
2. The Avengers
3. Superman 1978
4. Spiderman 1 and 2
5. Batman 1989
6. Watchmen and The Incredibles TIE
7. X-men Trilogy
8. Ironman
9. Thor
10. Captain America

 

[Destructus86]

Posted my review on my blog.
Overall I liked it a lot. Best of the series...but needed more Batman. And honestly, i'm glad this is Nolan's last...I really want the next one to be more true to the comic...more comic-booky I guess would be the phrase

I still liked Avengers better.

 

[Reikowolf]

Yup

I see it that way too.

Top 10 superhero movies:

1. Nolan's Batman TRILOGY
2. The Avengers
3. Superman 1978
4. Spiderman 1 and 2
5. Batman 1989
6. Watchmen and The Incredibles TIE
7. X-men Trilogy
8. Ironman
9. Thor
10. Captain America

heh. I like how you tie the Incredibles with Watchmen. I felt the same way. I even had a conversation where it was decided that The Incredibles is Watchmen for kids

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

I would argue that the idea of releasing a "fear gas" through gotham's water supply with a "water evaporator" weapon is more convenient than the events of TDKR

but I see where you are coming

I made the assumption that Pavol's work took sometime and no one else could have weaponized the reactor as quickly as he did. The reactor wasn't preset to be a bomb.

I'm not a nuclear physicist though.. lol

It was very much like the Fear Gas-Microwave device. I agree.

 

[Reikowolf]

It was very much like the Fear Gas-Microwave device. I agree.

what really makes me laugh is how some people don't see how the "fear gas" and "mutation gas" are the same plot device in BB and TASM

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

what really makes me laugh is how some people don't see how the "fear gas" and "mutation gas" are the same plot device in BB and TASM

I really disliked TASM. Found it watchable but just really forgettable.

 

[Midnight Black]

I really disliked TASM. Found it watchable but just really forgettable.

Yeah, The Amazing, wasn't that Amazing to me either. Saw it yesterday, it was good, but not at all great. So many things I found to be meh. Plus it didn't live up to the hype of what I heard on the boards. It just didn't have the epicness that Raimi's Spiderman 1 had, IMO. Don't get me wrong I liked the CGI and how he moved at times more like a spider, and the acting from all was spot on, but it didn't have the epicness that Spiderman 1 had, and that movie wasn't really great either, though you could tell it was the start of something special.

 

[Supersaiyan66]

For people wondering why Bane and Talia waited months to detonate the bomb, he explains it in his speech to Bruce in the prison. He wanted Gotham to have hope, to feel like they would be okay. Only to have it ripped away.

 

[Tony Stark]

I really disliked TASM. Found it watchable but just really forgettable.

The problem is there's very little new in that film, and it's a bit disjointed. I think it's a good setup for the 2nd film going forward. The best thing about TASM is Garfield's performance, which I prefer to Toby's.

 

[Tony Stark]

I'm kind of wonder why an organization capable of infiltrating the city that well needed to steal a nuke within the city. Seems like they could've snuck one in.

Also, all they really did was steal it. Why in God's name would anyone build a reactor that has a detonator on it? Or that turns into a bomb by basically just removing it. It wasn't intended to be a weapon, but yet it was still a weapon designed like a weapon which pretty much just made it a weapon. It had to be a reactor? Couldn't it have just been a bomb Bruce thought was too dangerous and didn't want to release, maybe one that Rutger Hauer's character had commissioned?

I will say, just to reiterate. I don't dislike this movie. I just found the writing to be pretty convenient and contrived, more like a disaster movie. While I found his previous two more dramatic and more tightly written. I think it took itself less seriously though because the actors were having more fun with it this go 'round I feel.

I agree, the writing was pretty sloppy in the parts you mentioned. It's like Nolan and Goyer went out of their way to make a needlessly complex plot. [blackout] A device used for sustainable energy that Bruce mothballs to prevent it from being used as a weapon, then bankrupts his company. Then he has to turn to Miranda Tate to save his company and protect the device, who happens to be working with Bane, who has the only scientist that can turn it into a nuke, and then kills them. [/blackout]

I was a little reminded of Spider-man 3 by that in that it was a string of coincidences that are way too contrived to be believable. A meteorite carying a symbiote just happens to crash right where peter is. A bad guy running from the cops just happens to fall into a sand pit where they're doing science experiments in the middle of the night. The sandman just happens to be the guy who really killed Peter's uncle.

It's that kind of contrived sloppy writing that takes away from some of the brighter parts of the film. Now obviously DKR is a much better film than SM3, as it has a more serious tone, and they were pretty faithful to the Knight fall story line. That still doesn't excuse the sloppy writing.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

I would argue that the idea of releasing a "fear gas" through gotham's water supply with a "water evaporator" weapon is more convenient than the events of TDKR

but I see where you are coming

I made the assumption that Pavol's work took sometime and no one else could have weaponized the reactor as quickly as he did. The reactor wasn't preset to be a bomb.

I'm not a nuclear physicist though.. lol

that was actually my only big plothole moment of the first two films... It vaporized water, yet had no effect on humans who are 70% water......

 

[spideyboy_1111]

what really makes me laugh is how some people don't see how the "fear gas" and "mutation gas" are the same plot device in BB and TASM

Which both in turn are like magneto and ocks machines? Its called comic book villanry 101

 

[BatLobster]

The difference is those are all unrelated coincidences in SM3.

Everything you just pointed out could be attributed to [BLACKOUT]Talia's patience and scheming. [/BLACKOUT]

The super efficient writing style in which each plot element propels like 5 others is nothing new for Nolan. We should be expecting that at this point. Maybe for some people it was a bit too much in this film, but it's pretty much what I've come to expect from the Nolans.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Basically TDKR is just an example of trying to cram 20 pounds of story into a 5 pound bag.

 

[KILLING JOKER]

Basically TDKR is just an example of trying to cram 20 pounds of story into a 5 pound bag.

That's my biggest gripe and why I think there's so many moments that call for suspension of disbelief in the movie. It's just overstuffed and it's trying to tie all of these things together.

Spoiler

Why the hell does Bruce trust Selina who just betrayed him. Why does he allow himself to get caught when he magically appears back in Gotham? Bane could have just blew his head off. After 2 films of keeping his secret idenity 2 characters in this film just automatically know he's Batman. I liked the move but those kind of things really tend to irk me in movies. A little more thought writing and you can improve on that stuff. Ditch the useless characters, reduce Blake's fricken screen time. Geez

 

[spideyboy_1111]

I was under the impression that bane knew who Bruce was the whole time... And didn't care

 

[MarvelKnight]

Saw this on opening day and I thought it was flat-out amazing. My only 2 gripes were[BLACKOUT] bane's demise[/BLACKOUT] and

Spoiler

the whole autopilot being fixed.. I felt that was a COMPLETE cop-out. How better to cement your point that this epic trilogy is really over than to kill off BW/Bats in an amazing feat of self sacrifice for his city. Instead they 'leave the door open' and it lost all of it's effectiveness of shock and my initial jaw dropping when the explosion first happened.

Still a great movie, but absolutely disliked those 2 points

 

[Reikowolf]

I was under the impression that bane knew who Bruce was the whole time... And didn't care

very much like Ras Al Ghul. In scope of realism, his secret can't last forever. Even the comics have had a hard time keeping that aspect fresh.

I know a lot of people didn't like it but I enjoyed how Blake figured it out. Especially how the kids used to make up Legends about Bruce Wayne.

 

[spideyboy_1111]

very much like Ras Al Ghul. In scope of realism, his secret can't last forever. Even the comics have had a hard time keeping that aspect fresh.

I know a lot of people didn't like it but I enjoyed how Blake figured it out. Especially how the kids used to make up Legends about Bruce Wayne.

But the way Blake figured it out didn't make sense... " you've got that orphan face" what??? Sorry but that's a cop out.

 

[Tony Stark]

Basically TDKR is just an example of trying to cram 20 pounds of story into a 5 pound bag.

Exactly. It's not a bad movie, there's just way too much going on.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

That's my biggest gripe and why I think there's so many moments that call for suspension of disbelief in the movie. It's just overstuffed and it's trying to tie all of these things together.

Spoiler

Why the hell does Bruce trust Selina who just betrayed him. Why does he allow himself to get caught when he magically appears back in Gotham? Bane could have just blew his head off. After 2 films of keeping his secret idenity 2 characters in this film just automatically know he's Batman. I liked the move but those kind of things really tend to irk me in movies. A little more thought writing and you can improve on that stuff. Ditch the useless characters, reduce Blake's fricken screen time. Geez

I liked pretty much everything they presented but like you point out you'd blink and something new had happened, and then a second later the emotional impact was gone because its on to the next scene.

That scene on the roof, the interrogation of Joker, the 'magic trick' were really drawn out scenes that gradually built tension and the characters always had time to reflect.

In this movie you had a lot of very emotional scenes that simply had no payoff. Alfred's gone and Bruce doesn't even really mention it, just kind of moves on. He sleeps with Miranda then at the end he's trying to save her because, does he like her, it's not clear. Bane and Talia are going to sacrifice themselves but they never dive into the emotions. They treat a bomb going off like they are waiting on a bus.

That's really all it is.

Like you say with Selina, wasn't she basically screwing him over until the very end?

Foley died, no one cares. Wasn't that like a really good friend of Gordon and Blake? They're not sad?

The Mayor is dead. The city freaks over Dent but not their equally noble Mayor?

They'd sure as hell care about the Football team (at least Hines Ward is okay ).

It just felt like with every scene they just wanted to wrap up and move to the next thing.

So like I say 20 pounds of story in a 5 pound bag. At least you can say though they made it entertaining and cool unlike Raimi.

 

[batman1115]

I dont get how everyone is picking TKDR apart saying that TDK was better, but....

-how does batman/bruce just catches plane rides with smugglers and no
one questions it?

-how the ferry scene was not only terrible in itself, but the biggest,
baddest criminal on the boat basically saves everyone? really?

-how he survives the fall at the party with rachel?

-how bad the batman dialogue was at the end with the joker.