The Dark Knight Rises What is your opinion on the overall quality of the fight scenes in TDK and TDKR?

[CapedCrusader14]

I tend to overlook stuff like that, mainly due to the fact that I've seen it happen in so many other movies.

 

[BH/HHH]

In Batman Begins I did find it too choppy at first yet watching the sequels I realised it was actually the most effective way to see Batman fight.

 

[MAKAVELI25]

I tend to overlook stuff like that, mainly due to the fact that I've seen it happen in so many other movies.

Not really in a movie this big though. With the budget and resources Nolan had there's little excuse for how bad some of his fight scenes have been. I love the first two movies but that Hong Kong fights scene is almost laughable

 

[CapedCrusader14]

Not really in a movie this big though. With the budget and resources Nolan had there's little excuse for how bad some of his fight scenes have been. I love the first two movies but that Hong Kong fights scene is almost laughable

It's always sort of reminded me of the Stormtrooper syndrome. Henchmen can't aim or shoot properly. All the goons in the TDK Trilogy seem to be no exception

 

[Tequilla]

It has the same problems most western movies have in close combat. Choreographies adapted too much to performers with very little agility , and no knowledge of fighting. Mix that with directors having very little experience with this area , and usually the results are lacklusters. But he definitely knows how to prepare fights , and even if sometimes the choreography isn't nothing to rave about , he achieved some very good scenes (the high note , bat vs bane , even the second one has some very nice touches). And he showed a lot of improvement .Keysi style also doesn't help , the swings are very tight and controlled , and it reduces the cinematic movement. That's why some of tdk's feel a little choppy , because he went the right way with a much more pronounced movement , but the small length style doesnt help.

Begins idea is nice , but im not particulary a fan of the execution.

I'll never forget reading about mr richard norton (a martial artist that started as a bouncer and bodyguard to stars , but then became an american actor who worked a lot on hk during the 80's and 90's ) , and he was asked what's the difference he felt from america to hk , and he said on the first day he was going to do a closeup shot and he thought it would be a simple pick up shot like he usually did , huge swing he bobbled the head and cut...but no. Sammo Hung just said the one thing he should know how to do was to take a punch. t: So he was really getting punched in the chin , with his mouth stuffed so he wouldn't break his teeth. This is the sort of realism that you either get it or you dont. And they cant put people in jeopardy , that's why there's always this falseness or staged fights in a lot of movies. If they want to crash a car , they go ahead and crash a car. They dont do exactly the same to movie stars.

 

[Tequilla]

It's always sort of reminded me of the Stormtrooper syndrome. Henchmen can't aim or shoot properly. All the goons in the TDK Trilogy seem to be no exception

About star wars and fighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ3SPmmHKps

 

[CapedCrusader14]

God I love that video.

 

[JackWhite]

About star wars and fighting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ3SPmmHKps

"Aim like a drunkard. Jump like an idiot."

 

[Anno_Domini]

This happens a couple of times in TDKR. Even in that rooftop fight sequence with Catwoman everyone tries to hit him conveniently ignoring the fact that they are holding guns

That fight didn't look way too obvious though. Just like the Hong Kong scene in TDK. It doesn't look way too obvious with a group of people with guns than one solo person just trying to hit Batman with a gun.

 

[Fudgie]

This happens a couple of times in TDKR. Even in that rooftop fight sequence with Catwoman everyone tries to hit him conveniently ignoring the fact that they are holding guns

Yup. The only two fights worth a watch are the two Bats vs Bane ones.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

Yup. The only two fights worth a watch are the two Bats vs Bane ones.

Speak for yourself. While I agree that the first Bane vs Bats fight was the best one in the trilogy, I was a tad disappointed by the second one's length, although it's still good and satisfying to see Batman gaining the upper hand and beating the crap out of Bane. I enjoyed the idea and execution of the shaky cam in BB and I thought the Prewitt building scene was good as well. Overall, yeah, fight scenes are definitely not this trilogy's strong point although I must stress I've always been fine with them, even the Hong Kong one which does look a bit too choreographed in parts. I love the part where Bats is dragging Lau away and throws an awesome punch at one of his mooks who tries to stop him. The way it sounded you'd think it was some sort of super-punch. There's a similar moment in TDKR, during the second Bats vs Bane fight when the latter punches Batman towards the steps. Again, the volume seems to have been brought up for that particular punch.

 

[BatLobster]

The music during the second Bane/Bats fight is what makes it for me. Just makes it so epic. I also love how graceful Batman is in that fight compared to the first one. Like how when Bane catches his punch, he eventually realizes he can't overpower Bane, so he uses gravity to his advantage. Then when he finally breaks the mask with his gauntlet, he just lets Bane go berserker mode and overexert himself. Total boxing match.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Both of the Batman/Bane fights in Rises are the best fight related scenes in the whole trilogy imo.

 

[Anno_Domini]

Both of the Batman/Bane fights in Rises are the best fight related scenes in the whole trilogy imo.

I think that had to be the case with a villain who would actually fight. The train battle with Batman and Ra's al Ghul was really good as well.

 

[BatmanBeyond]

The music during the second Bane/Bats fight is what makes it for me. Just makes it so epic. I also love how graceful Batman is in that fight compared to the first one. Like how when Bane catches his punch, he eventually realizes he can't overpower Bane, so he uses gravity to his advantage. Then when he finally breaks the mask with his gauntlet, he just lets Bane go berserker mode and overexert himself. Total boxing match.

The TDKR soundtrack is just superb throughout, and I definitely agree the music is what sells the scene. I too like the clinical and patient way in which Bats eventually defeats Bane. It's reminiscent of the way in which the Mutant Leader is defeated in The Dark Knight Returns as well. I liked that the two encounters Batman had with Bane in the movie paralleled the ones with the leader in DKR, with Batman having his ass royally handed to him during the first fight, but returning with a much more clinical and efficient approach during the second encounter. I'd have liked for the 'Imagine The Fire' track to somehow be used during this sequence though.

 

[Anno_Domini]

It's funny because the first Batman/Bane match up, I think the silence sells that scene but it's totally different. I speculate the difference is that Bane is meant to be victorious in the first fight so that's why the silence "was golden" whereas we had this powerful score drumming up in the background of Batman and Bane, round two.

 

[DaRkVeNgeanCe]

Its crazy for me to think that for years I yearned for Nolan to use Bane as a villain, it really was my top choice after TDK, I unlike most did not want The Riddler. Until Rises not one Batman film really gave Bruce a physical adversary that "met his match". When I was notified he chose Bane for Rises I was super excited, and I couldnt be happier with what we got.

I think the first Bats/Bane fight is one of the best comic book film showdowns of all time, its as brutal as it gets.

 

[The Caped Knight]

I enjoyed all the fight scene in the trilogy, each one worked well to the opponent Batman was facing off against. In Begins the fight was faster due to that fact it was a duel between The Master and apprentice - Ra's vs. Bruce/Batman, In Dark Knight the fight was more chaotic due to the Joker approach and finally in Rises it was brutal and fearsome as a result of Bane.

 

[Macrotus]

The punches in TDKR are so horrible that I'm contemplating whether Chris Nolan wanted it to look like that or not - I mean, as a part of his film noire tribute. Not just the crowd's punches didn't reach and were poorly acted, but there's this hysterical almost Ken/Guile Street Fighter punch that Bane does that misses Batman's face with like a feet. And on top of that, they added a bassdrop sound when Bane does that - but I think it's removed on the DVD/BD. I mean, it's so bad that I think it's actually charming in a way.

 

[MAKAVELI25]

Maybe its just me, but I'm not seeing what makes that second Batman/Bane fight so great. The choreography is alright, but they look more like moderately trained brawlers than master martial artists. Also, Batman is basically losing before he starts hitting Bane's mask. A lot of you are saying that he using his wits/grace and everything, but I don't know why he wouldn't have thought of hitting the big tubes in the first fight

 

[Bruce Malone]

He did take a few swipes at the tubing in the first fight but A) Bane was too fast and B)The piping was pretty strong it was only batman at full strength and with super built up swipes that he was able to damage it.

In the first fight it was batman playing defense pretty much the whole time, the 2nd reversed that.

Either way both fights were amazing (especially in imax). The first one had an extra element of brutality though.

 

[ShadowBoxer]

The fight a scenes in these Bat films are probably the only real weak spot, I mean they aren't terrible or anything like that, but they aren't memorable or WOW worthy ( at least in my opinion). They are just good/ okay.

 

[JackWhite]

Maybe its just me, but I'm not seeing what makes that second Batman/Bane fight so great. The choreography is alright, but they look more like moderately trained brawlers than master martial artists. Also, Batman is basically losing before he starts hitting Bane's mask. A lot of you are saying that he using his wits/grace and everything, but I don't know why he wouldn't have thought of hitting the big tubes in the first fight

Batman isn't nearly as aggressive as he was in the first fight. Sure he's losing until they get to the steps, but what sells his patience and poise in the second fight as opposed to the first fight is the expression on his face when he climbs the steps and regains his footing - in the first fight it's hate and frustration, in the second fight he's calm and determined that he's going to win this war for his city.

I also really love the way Batman blocks and counters Bane during their final exchange. I can watch that all day. The way he breaks Bane down in a matter of a few well timed counter strikes, blocks, head movement and then the straight, upper cut, then front kick. I just love it.

 

[MAKAVELI25]

Batman isn't nearly as aggressive as he was in the first fight. Sure he's losing until they get to the steps, but what sells his patience and poise in the second fight as opposed to the first fight is the expression on his face when he climbs the steps and regains his footing - in the first fight it's hate and frustration, in the second fight he's calm and determined that he's going to win this war for his city.

I also really love the way Batman blocks and counters Bane during their final exchange. I can watch that all day. The way he breaks Bane down in a matter of a few well timed counter strikes, blocks, head movement and then the straight, upper cut, then front kick. I just love it.

I might have to watch that scene again. I don't remember being impressed when I saw it in theaters.

 

[JackWhite]

I might have to watch that scene again. I don't remember being impressed when I saw it in theaters.

I'd watch it again, it was obviously shorter than the first fight. But what I like is how fast Batman ends the fight when he has the upper hand.

If anything though, I would have liked to see those extra shots of Batman taking out a few more goons before he meets up with Bane, like in the spy video.