Spot on. A big issue for me is that the film is overcomplicated. Batman Begins and The Dark Knight hit the ground running. However, there’s so much set up in Rises. There’s Bruce’s failed energy project, which isn’t even failed it’s just been abandoned. There’s the boys home, Dagget trying to take over Wayne Enterprises, the clean slate, Bruce being a recluse, Miranda’s involvement with the clean energy project, the vague history between Bane and Catwoman. My problem is half of those things aren’t even that interesting. There’s also way too many characters. I think Foley, Talia, Daggett, and his assistant Stryver should’ve all been cut at the script stage.My feelings on Rises are still mixed after 8 years. I think it gets more right than wrong, and ultimately, I'm satisfied where the film ends.
Its alot of the stuff in between that always makes it problematic for me at least. I think its biggest issue is that its just overwritten . There were lots of ideas and concepts that were interesting, but ultimately I think its could have benefited from streamlined in terms of ideas , subplots, and characters.
But then again, Hardy is great as Bane, Bale gives another great performance, and Hathaway is a great Catwoman.
The first Batman and Bane fight is classic, The idea of Bane breaking Bruce emotionally, Physically, mentally, financially, is great as a means of challenging our hero on every level. I also really like the idea of Bane basically bull dozing his way through every obstacle until he finally breaks the spirit of the Bat ,and the Spirit of Gotham.
But then again, after the breaking of the bat and the ceiling off of Gotham , the film sort of looses steam for me and never really rises, pardon the pun , to that high of the sewer fight , even with all the chaos afterwards.
So for me, the film is still a mixed bag, but its still one of the better Batman films, even with its weaknesses.
Having said all of that I agree that the film had more good than bad. However, I’m also mixed overall. I do think the strongest thing about the film is Bruce’s arc. I just love when filmmakers take these iconic characters and put them dark situations (with the exception of Luke Skywalker). It reminds me of Spider-Man 3 a bit. I think it was ballsy of Raimi to take a recognizable character like Peter Parker and turn him into an egotistical *****e who’s hellbent on revenge. It’s kinda the same thing in Rises where Nolan took an icon like Batman and turned him into a broken man that welcomes death. Him having to get the fear of death back and wanting to live his life is a good arc for the character and a nice way to end his story.
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