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

[JackWhite]

Got my tickets for Dunkirk next Tuesday. There really is nothing like the anticipation of a Nolan film.

 

[Brother Jack]

He's always been good. It's just more and more public keep catching on to him.

If The Prestige were released today it would probably get more acclaim just because he's now a bigger name.

It's crazy to me how much people still sleep on The Prestige. It's a masterpiece and, for me, Nolan's best single film (I'd probably put all of TDKT as his crowning achievement thus far).

 

[The Joker]

Nolan has evolved so much as a filmmaker.

As all good directors do.

 

[The Chris]

Got my tickets for Dunkirk next Tuesday. There really is nothing like the anticipation of a Nolan film.

So true. I thought i had fun getting ready for Baby Driver with Edgar Wright's older work. But this week, watching all of Nolan's work so far. It's just a different holy beast.

 

[BatLobster]

It's crazy to me how much people still sleep on The Prestige. It's a masterpiece and, for me, Nolan's best single film (I'd probably put all of TDKT as his crowning achievement thus far).

I definitely see the argument for it being his best film (it's up there for me), but I do kind of have a hard time weighing his smaller/medium films against his larger films. The ambitions are just so different, even though all the films have his touch. For me it's like trying to compare American Graffiti with Star Wars.

The Prestige is definitely a brilliant film though, no question.

 

[shauner111]

He's always been good. It's just more and more public keep catching on to him.

If The Prestige were released today it would probably get more acclaim just because he's now a bigger name.

I don't think he was talking about quality. He has evolved a lot as a filmmaker since his early days. Since Prestige especially.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

The Dark Knight Rises turns 5 today.

Spoiler

[YT]KXxw-zXRqOs[/YT]

Happy anniversary.

While TDKR and Interstellar were still heavy on expositional dialogue, I think TDKR is where you really see Nolan begin his shift to more visual storytelling- the pit is just such a great visual metaphor in and of itself. Scenes like the climb and the ending, two of the most powerful moments in the film- all play out with no dialogue. It certainly helps to have Hans Zimmer on your side, but I really think it's an incredible sequence- both in conception and execution. Especially in the context of the trilogy, when you consider that young Bruce falling down the well is one of the first images we see. For a series that has been criticized from the beginning for being too "talky", there really is still some great visual storytelling across the three films- but I think it really came to the fore in TDKR.

I like your view of it.

 

[Ryan]

Same here although for me every time try to rewatch TDKR it gets just worse and worse.

Ditto for me.

 

[BatLobster]

Taking a dig at the movie on its birthday...harsh dude.

 

[Awest66]

It really does feel that most of the hatred aimed towards TDKR comes from the fact that it didn't follow the TDK sequel blueprint that many had conceived of in their heads (Batman fighting crime as a wanted vigilante, "The rise of the freaks" continued, Bruce accepting it's his lot in life to be Batman for the rest of it) rather than any actual problems with the movie.

I'm not saying that applies to all the movies critics but by and large that is the impression I get when listening to the supposed problems of TDKR.

 

[Bruce Malone]

I think TDKR hold's up quite well.

It'll probably be the last major Super-Hero film to be made that attempted to be a pure film and not just a cog in some grander connected studio universe.

 

[Kreem Pi]

Logan?

 

[BatLobster]

Logan definitely was an exception, but it also didn't cost $250 million.

 

[The Chris]

True, that cost less than usual because of the R rating right?

 

[Ryan]

It really does feel that most of the hatred aimed towards TDKR comes from the fact that it didn't follow the TDK sequel blueprint that many had conceived of in their heads (Batman fighting crime as a wanted vigilante, "The rise of the freaks" continued, Bruce accepting it's his lot in life to be Batman for the rest of it) rather than any actual problems with the movie.

I'm not saying that applies to all the movies critics but by and large that is the impression I get when listening to the supposed problems of TDKR.

Could be, not for me though. I remember seeing TDK and having a "blueprint" that it would follow in the footsteps of Batman Begins and it was completely different to my expectations but in a good way. TDKR actually came out exactly what I thought it was going to be after I saw that first teaser trailer and so it was a let down for me. I still watch it more repeatedly than any other marvel or current Dc film and thought Hardy gave an amazing performance.

 

[BatLobster]

True, that cost less than usual because of the R rating right?

Probably, but I also think it had to do with the aims of the film. It was meant to be a more stripped-down Western, not a huge spectacle.

 

[Brother Jack]

Logan definitely was an exception, but it also didn't cost $250 million.

Logan is the only other one to do what Rises did successfully. But yeah, the scale of Rises sets it apart even then. Iron Man 3 attempted something similar but because of the MCU constraints couldn't (also because it wasn't that great).

 

[BatLobster]

http://www.mtv.com/news/podcasts/happy-sad-confused/christopher-nolan/

This is probably one of the coolest and most relaxed interviews I've ever heard Nolan give. His Bane impersonation at 24:40.

Actually worth a listen though, it's a well-rounded interview that isn't only focused on Dunkirk, a good amount of Batman talk in there.

 

[The Joker]

Link doesn't work, Batlobster.

 

[BatLobster]

Sorry about that, fixed it.

 

[shauner111]

Dunkirk was awesome. Justice League trailer? Everyone thinks it's awesome. I think it looks like a giant video game.

 

[JackWhite]

Glad you enjoyed Dunkirk, Shauner.

Yeah, I just don't know how people actually think JL looks good after that trailer. I know, I know - different strokes. But still, the film looks like pure trash.

 

[Herofan]

Having rewatched it, I think I've got to rant against it.

The main flaw was plot-structure and motivations. Why is Ra's vision being furthered by someone he excommunicated? And why does Batman choose now to come out of retirement?
There are some shades of recent politics and/or just goofiness in Bane bellowing about "THE CORRUPT!!!!" when he's openly threatening the city with destruction just over people leaving. I also didn't like or understand his voice as much as before.
Bane learning about and revealing the deception felt too much a coincidence (and shouldn't have been that damaging to Gordon's reputation or the authorities in general).
Selina Kyle nicely wasn't as evil as I remembered but she was still much too unlikeable, too smirky without having enough of the necessary charisma.
Bruce Wayne comes off too negatively in the first half, saying that Rachel was his whole life and hope outside of Batman and not knowing that abandoning the reactor would and did hurt the company profits so much.
Tate feels pretty thrown-in, not adding much but in retrospect obviously suspicious and likely bad.

 

[Herofan]

It really does feel that most of the hatred aimed towards TDKR comes from the fact that it didn't follow the TDK sequel blueprint that many had conceived of in their heads (Batman fighting crime as a wanted vigilante, "The rise of the freaks" continued, Bruce accepting it's his lot in life to be Batman for the rest of it) rather than any actual problems with the movie.

Well it does feel both disappointing and unbelievable that Escalation just for some reason stopped and Batman just wasn't needed at all anymore but those weren't the only problems.

 

[Awest66]

Well it does feel both disappointing and unbelievable that Escalation just for some reason stopped and Batman just wasn't needed at all anymore but those weren't the only problems.

In my opinion, The "rise of the freaks" plot line was realized in The Dark Knight to it's fullest extent without going straight into "Arkham City" territory.

It's sequel was under no obligation to continue that idea.