The Dark Knight Rises The TDKR General Discussion Thread - - - - - - - Part 156

[Shinobi Shaw]

Reddit kills brain cells, Batsy. Scientific fact.

The absolute truth.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

The absolute truth.

I think I'm just tired of the internet's constant default of snark towards everything. Like if you enjoy something or are positive about something outside of the 'new' thing deemed perfect, you're an idiot.

Reddit is pretty bad at that, especially.

Everything has so much baggage, too.

 

[Sawyer]

 

[The Joker]

I watched the trilogy this week for the first time in quite a while. Aged like fine wine. All three movies. Love them. Stellar casts, great stories, terrific villains. All three movies loaded with Batman comic book influences.

TDK is still my favorite. In a league of its own. For more than just the usual reasons people say. One thing that stuck out for me on this rewatch was the villain plots. Reason why is because the stakes are higher threat wise in BB and TDKR because they're destroy Gotham plots, but Joker's city wide panic, chaos, and fear mongering felt more authentic to me. It even seeps into the criminal underworld when they'd rather get their ankles broken by Batman than cross the Joker.

Bane's revolution speech inter cut with the mobs going through the streets smashing up rich people's homes, the Cops trapped underground, the kangaroo courts being held etc was great. But Joker hanging out a speeding Cop car window after blowing up Police HQ, killing Rachel, and burning half of Harvey's face off leaves a much bigger impression. At least for me.

There's lots of great little subtle things you notice again on rewatch sessions too. Like the parallel between the death of the Waynes and Rachel's death in terms of seeing Bruce's reaction afterward. In both scenarios he's alone in a room silently grieving, Alfred walks in talking about preparing a meal, Bruce says nothing, Alfred says "Very well" and starts to leave and Bruce calls him back and they have a comforting talk where Alfred emotionally reassures him. Bruce even blames himself in both instances. "It was my fault, Alfred. I made them leave the theater. If I hadn't gotten scared...", "Did I bring this on her? I was meant to inspire good. Not madness. Not death". So good.

 

[Gothamsknight]

I rewatched Batman Begins and TDK again recently myself, and am planning a rewatch of TDKR again soonish. I honestly really believe this is my favorite film trilogy of all time. The thematic richness of each movie, the journey, the characters, the incredible cast, the score, etc. Nobody has done Batman better in live action, imo. It's pathetic how as the years go on people have tried to claim that Nolans Batman films were ashamed of being comic book movies, and that can't be further from the truth. Imo, what makes a great comic book film, and move in general, is not if it's a carbon copy visually of the comics. That's easy to do, honestly. What's more important is if the film(s) respect the source material, take influence, and preserve the most recognizeable and identifiable traits of all the characters, stories, etc, while also adapting it into film that general audiences will enjoy. This is why when someone claims Afflecks was the most comic accurate, I scoff. It's easy to make a costume or frame resemble the comics, but it's much more difficult to make a great movie that not only transcends the genre, but influences movies in general. Hell, James Bond ended up getting impacted by Nolans vision of Batman.

This trilogy is so deeply personal to me. It'll never be topped, imo.

 

[BatLobster]

I really want to do a trilogy rewatch myself soon! I've been trying to convince my wife to do a marathon with me. She loves TDK. Anytime she wants to watch a Batman movie her top choices are basically TDK or Returns. Great choices...but as a result, she's pretty much only seen BB and TDKR once each (when they were in theaters) and I'm honestly not sure how well she remembers them at this point. I always get "Eh isn't that the one with Katie Holmes?" when I mention Begins.

I want her to see the trilogy with fresh eyes and I want to go on that ride vicariously too, haha. My feeling is, while yes TDK is the best of the three as a standalone film, the three films combined tell an even richer story that only enhances TDK. The beauty of TDK is that it's such a singular film that you can watch it on its own and it still works as a definitive Batman story, but the beauty of the trilogy is that all the films elevate one another and you can get a much richer experience if you really take the journey, dive in, peel back the layers, notice the details, etc. It's endlessly rewarding to revisit in that way, especially with how the films have only grown in relevance over time IMO.

 

[Gothamsknight]

My fiancee isn't a big movie buff (aside from Lord of The Rings) or comic book fan. But she secretly loves TDK trilogy even if she won't fully committ to saying it ouright haha, and I got that truth out of her. Probably because I won't shut my mouth about it if she says it.

 

[BatLobster]

My fiancee isn't a big movie buff (aside from Lord of The Rings) or comic book fan. But she secretly loves TDK trilogy even if she won't fully committ to saying it ouright haha, and I got that truth out of her. Probably because I won't shut my mouth about it if she says it.

I love that for you. I hope you exchange understanding nods about loving the trilogy over a fernet-branca some day.

 

[DoomRulz]

One scene in TDK that always bugs me is the Batpod ejection scene, now follow me on this...

Batman punches a few buttons, and then we hear, "eject sequence initiated". But just then, it looks like Bats braces his arms and hands against what end up being the Batpod's handles.

But then, as we see the engagement of the ejection, we cut back to shots of Bats pulling down on, and twisting, the actual ejection handles, and then the bike ejects, as he's holding on to the handles.

Does anyone else think those shots were edited in the wrong order? It seems unlikely that he went from twisting the handles to immediately grabbing the steering handles in the space of a split second just before the bike sped off.

 

[Gothamsknight]

I love that for you. I hope you exchange understanding nods about loving the trilogy over a fernet-branca some day.

That's my dream haha

 

[The Joker]

One scene in TDK that always bugs me is the Batpod ejection scene, now follow me on this...

Batman punches a few buttons, and then we hear, "eject sequence initiated". But just then, it looks like Bats braces his arms and hands against what end up being the Batpod's handles.

But then, as we see the engagement of the ejection, we cut back to shots of Bats pulling down on, and twisting, the actual ejection handles, and then the bike ejects, as he's holding on to the handles.

Does anyone else think those shots were edited in the wrong order? It seems unlikely that he went from twisting the handles to immediately grabbing the steering handles in the space of a split second just before the bike sped off.

Honestly I never noticed it if that is what happened. But then I can't say I am a keen observer of little details like that. For example on my latest rewatch I noticed something I never noticed before in the bazillion times I have watched TDK over the years. In the scene where Two Face confronts Wurtz in the bar, I noticed a guy passed out at the end of the bar;

Took me 16 years to notice that guy.

 

[Rick190293]

I watched the 3 again in cinemas this year, and my love for them just got bigger. TDK got the most packed screening, people cheered and clapped at the end just like in 2008. I really think this will be my all time favorite Batman adaptation, no matter how great Reevesverse is, and even knowing The Batman is better at some points in my opinion (atmosphere, batsuit, fight scenes), I don't think it will ever top the impact of this trilogy for me.

 

[DoomRulz]

Honestly I never noticed it if that is what happened. But then I can't say I am a keen observer of little details like that. For example on my latest rewatch I noticed something I never noticed before in the bazillion times I have watched TDK over the years. In the scene where Two Face confronts Wurtz in the bar, I noticed a guy passed out at the end of the bar;

Took me 16 years to notice that guy.

Ha, nice catch. But yeah, the more I watch the ejection scene, the more I wish I could ask Nolan about it!

 

[The Shape]

Ha, nice catch. But yeah, the more I watch the ejection scene, the more I wish I could ask Nolan about it!

That entire chase sequence takes a few liberties in terms of editing -- just to make things look and sound cooler -- but it all works IMO. Think about the moment when the Batpod shoots the glass doors before driving through the building. We see the Batpod shoot the glass doors from the outside, then a random quick shot of the Batpod riding outside somewhere else is inserted, before we see a shot from inside of the building showing the Batpod shooting out the glass doors AGAIN and then driving through them inside. Doesn't make any sense but completely works and has just the right momentum for the sequence.

The build up to the Batpod launch is also perfect.

 

[OnLeatherWings]

I watched the trilogy this week for the first time in quite a while. Aged like fine wine. All three movies.

I really have to agree - I think in the current atmosphere of comic book film-dom, going back to the Dark Knight Trilogy is a breath of very fresh, very needed air after the last 10+ years of MCU-ified comic book films and Snyder-dom.

Visiting a series that is in the genre of comic book films but tells 3 complete, but still connected stories, that doesn't overstay its welcome, isn't undercutting everything with quips, uses real sets and stunts, has something new to say about the source material, and most of all - the series actually ends...it just feels really good.

No spin-offs, no previews of what's to come, nada. That's all you get. Complete. Done-zo.

I know one could say that The Batman '22 is a breath of fresh air, and I agree to an extent - but I still can't connect with that film and I was so eager to. Instead, it encouraged me to reconnect with this series that I'd kinda soured on post 2012.

 

[Blade Hoarder]

I want Nolan to come back and make one more flick. But this time instead of Zimmer it’s Ludwig Gorranson, instead of Lee Smith it’s Jennifer Lame, and instead of Wally Pfister it’s Hoyte Hoytema.

Plus Nolan himself has improved leaps in the last decade. It would be an interesting thing to behold.

 

[BatLobster]

I want Nolan to come back and make one more flick. But this time instead of Zimmer it’s Ludwig Gorranson, instead of Lee Smith it’s Jennifer Lame, and instead of Wally Pfister it’s Hoyte Hoytema.

Plus Nolan himself has improved leaps in the last decade. It would be an interesting thing to behold.

I've had the same thought. I know it'll never happen, and probably shouldn't...but I think it would have the potential to be an absolute monster of a movie.

 

[The Joker]

Never say never. Things that seemed highly unlikely to near impossible have happened. Tobey Maguire/Andrew Garfield/Tom Holland Spider-Man movie with the og movie villains returning too. Michael Keaton playing Batman again.

You just never know.

 

[Rick190293]

This. RDJ is back at Marvel, Hugh's Wolvie is back, and the list goes on. When the money talks, expect the unexpected.

 

[Filmfreak]

It's true I guess that you never know, but to be fair Nolan's chances of ever doing a fourth film were always way way lower than all of the examples above. Even Bale returning I find pretty unlikely, but we're talking about the whole creative force here, not just an actor, which is one thing that separates him from the others.

 

[Sawyer]

One of those things is not like the others, so let’s get hypothetical: Branagh in Nolan’s Gotham. Who would he play?

I feel like he could’ve been a good alternate candidate for Gordon, but for funsies, I’d say have him throw a bit of extra weight on and be Nolan’s Cobblepot.

 

[The Joker]

I always did want to see Nolan's take on Penguin. Oswald is one of the more grounded Batman villains. I think he would fit like a glove in the TDK universe.

 

[Gothamsknight]

Philip Seymour Hoffman was my fancast for Penguin back during TDK days. Massive potential.

In regards to a 4th TDK movie with Nolan, I have learned to really never say never. Nolan may be against it now, but his brother isn't and I could potentially see it being a full circle moment for Nolans career some years from now. Who knows?

 

[Awest66]

I always did want to see Nolan's take on Penguin. Oswald is one of the more grounded Batman villains. I think he would fit like a glove in the TDK universe.

I'd have loved to see Nolan's take on the Penguin.

Back in the day when everyone was speculating on what the sequel to The Dark Knight was going to be and who the villain was, A lot of fans were clamoring for it to be Black Mask and I always thought "Why not just use Penguin? He can do everything that guy can do just as well if not better"

 

[Herofan]

Especially watching the films close together, does it feel weird that TDKR would have had the Joker unable to escape from prison/being inactive for years and otherwise doesn't at all reveal a fate for him? Especially given that OTOH there are a lot of references to and following-up on of Harvey Dent?