The Dark Knight Rises What would you have eliminated or changed?

[El Hombre Gato]

Me, and many others, feel that TDKR has too many sub-plots and side-characters. For those of you who feel the same, what would you have eliminated or changed?

My list

- Batman's 8 year hiatus.
Keeping Batman out of action for so long cheapened his confrontation with Bane. I'd rather watch Bane defeat and break a Batman at his prime instead of one whose out-of-practice and with a bad knee.

- Dagget and the Wayne Enterprises take-over.
Ultimately, it's rather pointless. If Miranda Tate had been a true girlfriend for Bruce and someone who closely collaborated with him on the energy device, Nolan could have eliminated the entire Dagget/Wayne Enterprises/stock market angle. You see, if Bruce and Miranda were very close, he could have made her understand why the device could be dangerous and ultimately scrapped. But the device exisiting [BLACKOUT]would have been enough for her to give Bane his orders.[/BLACKOUT]

- Alfred quitting.
This aspect of the story bothered me. Alfred should have never left and abandoned Bruce. Especially in a time of crisis. I understand his point-of-view, but he also has to understand that Bane is dangerous and the police could use the extra help. Ultimately, they did. At the end of the day, Bruce won the argument. And it makes Alfred look bad. He should have had more faith.

- The lack of Selina Kyle / Catwoman.
Catwoman disappears for most of the 2nd act. Plus, she's not given the time to develop a true romance with Batman. Their whole relationship seems forced.

- Batman's [BLACKOUT]retirement[/BLACKOUT] and John Blake
I don't understand how Blake is supposed to follow in Batman's footsteps if he has no training whatsoever. He's a regular street cop. Batman should have [BLACKOUT]sticked around[/BLACKOUT] to mentor him.

 

[lostzilla]

Miranda Tate eliminated so far.

And i would have changed...

Spoiler

...Talia al Ghul for Ra's as the villain behind the curtain.

I would have changed Blake's time on screen. So much for a simple...

Spoiler

...Robin.

And more, much more Catwoman, for god sake!

 

[El Hombre Gato]

Miranda Tate eliminated so far.

And i would have changed...

Spoiler

...Talia al Ghul for Ra's as the villain behind the curtain

I'm fine with all that. Although I think the reveal came too late. It should have been when Bane broke Batman and not at the end.

 

[Boom]

Spoiler

- The eight year hiatus. I would have gone with five at most. Oh, and I would have completely ditched the idea that Bruce's knees had lost almost all of their cartilage and therefore avoid the unnecessary complications and potential plotholes that accompanied it.

- The Dagget subplot. Lose it entirely. It was stupid as hell, and weakened Bane's character for the better part of forty five minutes.

- The League of Shadows angle. It added nothing to the film. Sorry, but "full circle" doesn't cut it here.

- Lose John Blake and Mirands Tate completely. The former basically monopolized the better part of the film's second act, and Miranda Tate was so underdeveloped that I couldn't be tortured into giving a **** about her.

- Alfred quitting. I'm sorry, but this is too much. I would have honestly rather seen him die than see him walk away from Bruce. This scene was depressing to me for all the wrong reasons.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

- The Dagget subplot. Lose it entirely. It was stupid as hell, and weakened Bane's character for the better part of forty five minutes.

You're right. Bane didn't have much to do in the beginning because Nolan was too busy explaining the Daggert angle.

 

[The Guard]

Offhand, Foley and Dagget are relatively pointless additions. Bane could have had a more direct role, which he did already, and still taken over Wayne Enterprises, and Gordon could easily have taken Foleys role.

I would have given Miranda more conflict, and since Dagget and Foley were gone, given Bane and Talia more interaction together.

 

[Victarion]

I have yet to see this movie, but

Spoiler

I'd open the movie before the official prologue. The scene would be some rich businessman who hired Bane and his men. His compound would be heavily fortified; he'd have just ratted out Bane's group and be under the protection of the law. Bane would appear from the shadows, kill him, then vanish into the night.

In regards to Catwoman

Spoiler

I'd have Bane hire her outside of the country to head into Gotham City, to gather evidence that would implicate Harvey Dent in the Two-Face murders.

In regards to Bane

Spoiler

He'd pick Gotham because America and her allies would view Dent as a hero. The Dent Act would be considered for other countries, to help them combat crime. Bane would see himself as a liberator of the people by making an example of Gotham. He'd have been previously imprisoned by the League of Shadows for his father's crimes. He'd have rejoined them later to drive a schism in the League, taking some of their membership with him to form his splinter group.

In regards to Miranda Tate

Spoiler

I would have Talia as someone interested in persuing her father's interests in a slightly less extremist fasion. This would include her interests in environmentally friendly energy and getting Bruce to give back to Gotham as his parents did.

I still have yet to see this film, but it sounds like its at least on par with TDK, or perhaps similar to Batman Begins, on a wider scale. These are just my preferences.

 

[ALP]

I would have actually included Alfred in the middle of the film instead of having him apparently teleport to Mars for an hour and 30 minutes.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

I would have actually included Alfred in the middle of the film instead of having him apparently teleport to Mars for an hour and 30 minutes.

LOL. Yeah. Where exactly did Alfred go during the entire mayhem?

 

[Boom]

Burma.

What with it being tangerine season and all.

 

[ALP]

I deduce that Alfred was holed up in the batbunker with a 6 month supply of fritos.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

Burma. What with it being tangerine season and all.

And with no care in the world.

 

[batbax]

I would have actually included Alfred in the middle of the film instead of having him apparently teleport to Mars for an hour and 30 minutes.

Yup. I cant believe nolan edited this?? I mean, its like he wasnt trying with some of the glaringly obvious plot holes. I said in the other thread, something feels off about it. Almost like he handed in an original 3 plus hour epic that wouldve been a lot better, and WB stepped in. IDK, thats all I got.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

I deduce that Alfred was holed up in the batbunker with a 6 month supply of fritos.

If Bane knew that Bruce Wayne was Batman then why didn't he attack the mansion? That whole charade with Catwoman was stupid now that I think about it.

 

[MadVillainy]

Alfred. I thought his character wasnt handled that well

 

[batbax]

I wouldve eliminated the John blake running around aimlessly in act 2 in favor of seeing more of banes actual effect on the people of gotham. The trailers and posters gave a sense of revolution. WTF happened? What did all the prisoners do that escaped from blackgate with semi automatics? Also wouldve intertwined this with more gordon and more bruce struggling in the prison. That Prison stuff had SO MUCH dramatic potential. It was decent dont get me wrong, but the focus kept getting taken off of it by the constant cuts to blake doing...whatever it was blake was doing. IDK I gotta see it again. Everyone I went with loved it and I admit I got quite emotional at certain spots, but to say this couldve been so much more is an understatement.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

I feel that Gordon, Alfred, and Lucius Fox got pushed to the back in favor of new characters like John Blake. If this is the finale then the series main stays should have been given more respect.

 

[nogster]

Changes I would make.

Keep the 8 year gap.
But Bruce is not a recluse. He isnt very active with the handling of Wayne enterprises though, and has left that up to Fox and Miranda Tate who he has grown close to.
He spends most his time in the Cave on the Batcomputer, where in an Oracle type role, he monitors Gotham and is Gordon's silent helper in keeping the crime rate low.
keep the rest the same till......

When he returns to Gotham after "rising" from the pit. he appears to Selina as BATMAN. Not Bruce, [which was a WTF moment for me] and asks Selina for help in Breaking Fox out of imprisonment so Fox can prepare for the return of the fusion reactor.

The fusion reactor doesnt get turned into a time bomb. That becomes plan B for Bane and Talia once they realize it cant be detonated with the switch.
Gordon's device that stopped the device from being remotely detonated causes the Bomb to tick down from mere minutes.
Banes mask cannot be repaired and he is dying. Talia races off to make sure their plan to fulfil her fathers dream of detroying Gotham will come to fruition.
Bats is left stabbed and struggling to free himself from being tied on the neck., Catwoman comes in, helps him up and the rest plays out the way it did in the film.

Thats what I wished happened anway.

 

[El Hombre Gato]

he appears to Selina as BATMAN. Not Bruce, [which was a WTF moment for me]

And he still referred to Batman as his powerful friend. How was in not aware that Selina knew? Bane referred to Batman as Mr Wayne right in front of her - MULTIPLE times.

 

[The Guard]

Oh, I'm quite sure they each knew who the other was...it was just poorly handled with allusions to "this or that friend"

 

[BestGirl]

Spoiler

- The eight year hiatus. I would have gone with five at most. Oh, and I would have completely ditched the idea that Bruce's knees had lost almost all of their cartilage and therefore avoid the unnecessary complications and potential plotholes that accompanied it.

- The Dagget subplot. Lose it entirely. It was stupid as hell, and weakened Bane's character for the better part of forty five minutes.

- The League of Shadows angle. It added nothing to the film. Sorry, but "full circle" doesn't cut it here.

- Lose John Blake and Mirands Tate completely. The former basically monopolized the better part of the film's second act, and Miranda Tate was so underdeveloped that I couldn't be tortured into giving a **** about her.

- Alfred quitting. I'm sorry, but this is too much. I would have honestly rather seen him die than see him walk away from Bruce. This scene was depressing to me for all the wrong reasons.

I agree with all this, except for Alred quitting. His motivations made sense to me and it got our favorite butler out of danger. Oh, and get rid of Foley, too. He added nothing.

 

[Boom]

Spoiler

I find it amusing that Nolan said that they were finally going to address the wealth aspect of Bruce's character, only to have him lose all of his money thirty minutes in.

I thought we were going to see him put his money towards philanthropic endeavors.

 

[The Guard]

Nope, that would have been an evolution of his character, and we can't have that.

Ugh.

 

[Boom]

And apparently, Miranda helping Bruce continue in his father's philanthropic footsteps =

Spoiler

Trying to get him to fund her fusion reactor project, to which he says no.

Gripping cinema.

 

[The Guard]

Ugh.