The Dark Knight Rises ~spoilers inside~

[Trekker 42]

Has anyone seen the man of steel trailer before the film. I don't know about superman.... More like fisherman!!

Yeah did you know there's two versions actually? ONe with Jor El Narrating and the other with Jonathan Kent. Very different tone set by them too. The Jor El one sets a tone of hope and the Kent one a tone of uncertainty. Pretty cool I'd say. But this didn't make me stoked for Superman as much as I hoped it would.

That final shot though... GOLD.

[minimadman]

Just saw it in Imax and I wish I could say that I love it. I will need to see it again and hopefully then I can.

[gambitron]

I also wanted more out of the Superman trailer, although I am still excited for that movie.

[DarkRedShadow]

I loved it. Perfect end to the Batman trilogy. To be fair about the whole bomb thing; every hero movie this year has a doom impending device that the heroes need to stop {The avengers had the kitari teleporter thingy and spider-man had the magical lizard transformer 3000} though the thing that made this one shine was the fact that Nolan really made it a heavy situation with you actually caring about what happens to the humans. They threw in the device of doom for The Avengers and The Amazing Spider-Man and only had it there for our heroes to stop something. Tom Hardy LOOKED FIIIIINNNNNEEEEEEEEEE and that's coming from a straight male. Though I did predict that JGL would be Robin {Though I am sure he becomes Nightwing with Batman being gone} ever since they announced he would play Blake. He was described as a cop that helped Batman and Gordon AND he was "made up" by Nolan; think about it, would Nolan really make some Schmo no one knows about a main character? BUT I still had a giant smile on my face when the girl said "you should stick to your real name, Robin". Talia was already listed on IMDB as herself so no surprise there. For a second there I thought there would be no Scarecrow since we were already so far in the movie but then Cillian Murphy showed up as the judge and I started "smurfing" it's great when you have your 2 of your favorite comic characters in a movie with both being surprises {Scarecrow and Nightwing}. Michael Caine made me teary eyed TWICE! He did great!

[TM2 Dinobot]

Call me tin-man because Mr Cain's performance did not move in the least.

[Punisher]

Call me tin-man because Mr Cain's performance did not move in the least.

Me neither. He is absolutely wonderful, but his character wasn't invested enough in this film (IMO) for him to get an emotional response from me. Maybe if I would have watched Batman Begins recently (haven't seen it in years) I would have felt more for Alfred.

[DarkRedShadow]

Call me tin-man because Mr Cain's performance did not move in the least.

Me neither. He is absolutely wonderful, but his character wasn't invested enough in this film (IMO) for him to get an emotional response from me. Maybe if I would have watched Batman Begins recently (haven't seen it in years) I would have felt more for Alfred.

Eh, I guess there is something with me and watching Old English men cry. Hey did I just describe BHM there?

[Turtle]

Saw it last night, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Talia was the most obvious "plot twist" so much so that it was weird watching that scene- it clearly was supposed to be a big revelation for Batman, but for us it was just duh so it was hard to feel the emotion of that scene. Blake was great, annd really epitomizes what I was hoping for but did not at all expect. I thought that if Nolan could successfully translate Catwoman (which was done by leaps and bounds), then he would also be able to Nolanize Robin, which he did with overwhelming success. I loved the character throughout the movie and he felt so much like his own character while also clearly having elements of Dick and Tim, but I was still pleasantly surprised with his name at the end. And seeing him find the cave and all... amazing. I got chills.

Bane was superbly done. He felt like a truely imposing menace. Someone mentioned his speaker box voice quality- I actually liked that. It really gave sense that Bane didn't just stand in a room, he occupied it. In that vein, I loved the courtroom scenes, where he sat silently while Scarecrow claims that Bane had no power there.

I also really liked how many ideas we've seen in comics that were so deftly combined into this story. Very impressive, very epic. I thought it was a great way to end the trilogy while still allowing endless possibilities for a future team. Anything is possible.

I've also got to say that the tragedy really did color the film. From start to finish, my mind wandered to that horror, and when the movie was all done, I was left with that disappointing feeling when closure has been denied. I don't understand any better why it happened. In the movies, the hero saves the day, the bad guys get caught, and we all cheer while the credits roll. It's over. No such luck for those that lost lives their lives and those that survived them.

[Twisted Two-Face]

I'm still not sure if i like the film or not. I need to see it again to fully process it. And while seeing a film a second time SHOULD be enjoyable, i don't want to feel like i NEED to see it again.

There were a lot of problems. I'll get those out first:

Nuclear bomb. Sorry, just no. I'll leave it at that.

Alfred leaving. He was sorely missed.

Bruce surviving a six mile nuclear blast. I don't care that Nolan wants us to leave it up to our interpretation or that Bruce became more than a man, that's just ridiculous.

Talia obviously being Talia. A little too drawn out how perfect this girl was. (I mean, i figured she was Talia when Marion was cast, but still)

Time gaps. A lot of this i'm sure is do to cutting it down, but the jumps made all of the healing processes really watered down. We saw major pain and suffering and then BAM Bruce is back to kicking down walls.

Bane's booming voice. Too...voice-over.

Catwoman. She really didn't add anything to the plot. Very disappointing.

That said, there was a lot it did right too:

Scarecrow and Ra's with their cameos; these sorts of things make me love the series and Batman. Brilliant scenes.

The Bane/Talia/League of Shadows backstories. Made the movie. It detracted from Batman's story, but it was really beautifully done. I hadn't seen Talia's backstory coming.

Bane's presence. I'm not sold on the design or the voice, but he really had the presence of a beast and a true horror show for Gotham. The raw power was overwhelming.

Every scene with Alfred. Michael Caine added so much emotion to the film, i thought i was going to tear up.

Political subtext. Really interesting development for a Batman story, and it worked.

So, yea. I mean, i liked it. It was a grand finale and went a little beyond my expectations. The overall story and whatnot was very brilliantly done. But it certainly was not the best of the trilogy, and it has a great deal of flaws that just irk me. Going to see it again because it really made me think, but i didn't really want to *need* to.

All in all, not amazing, but certainly not horrible.

[minimadman]

All in all, not amazing, but certainly not horrible.

Agreed. Joseph Gordon Levitt was the best part of the movie for me. Although I do wish that he'd been given more to do so that it's clear that he is physically able to carry on the Batman legacy. As for Bruce surviving the blast they make it confusing by showing Batman piloting the Bat with 5 seconds to go and then tell that he fixed the autopilot leading you to believe he wasn't in it at that point. Very confusing.

[Shanester]

I loved it. There wasn't much I didn't like about it all. I agree with Brobot about Cain. He was the best actor in the film, IMO. He nearly had me in tears. I couldn't understand Bane at times. Thats about the worst of it for me.

[dj87]

I think Caine is far from being a great actor, as someone I know pointed out... he's spent his life dining out of "you were only supposed to blow the blaaahhhhdy doors off!" Nolan certainly brings the best out of him though, in these here Batman movies and Inception.

by the way, decent start? Far from 100% on the head, but I only used bits from my small parts bin. The new Northstar head looks like a pretty good fit, no?

[Turtle]

Very nice.

[MisterMiracle]

I paid $25 and watched the Batman Marathon at my local theater (Batman Begins, Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises). I still do not like Batman Begins (there are a few things I like but for the most part, it's hard to get through). Dark Knight is still mind blowing several years later and after multiple views. I...HATED Dark Knight Rises. I thought Catwoman was ok but that she wasn't really needed. Bane just pissed me off and I can't stand Ra's Al Ghul in these movies. I liked the Robin character. I saw all of the "plot twists" coming a mile away. If I could go back, I think I'd just watch Dark Knight three times in a row instead of watching Batman Begins and Dark Knight Rises.

[TM2 Dinobot]

Half in the Bag has a nice review up, addressing the Chris Nolan Haters/worshipers. http://redlettermedia.com/half-in-the-bag-the-dark-knight-rises/

[MiniFiend UK]

I enjoyed it, not as good as the second one but it was ok.

The Action sequences where good especially the whole batcopter truck part.

Michael Caine was for me the best player in the movie.

Officer Blake was a cool fit and a nice reveal.

The way the story tied into the first movie.

Catwoman did nothing in the whole movie.

Not enough Batman the movie for me dragged alot until the last quarter/third.

Banes voice grated on me all the way through.

[MisterPL]

Catwoman did nothing in the whole movie.

Aside from stealing Wayne's fingerprints, leading Batman into a trap, defeating Bane, and running away with Bruce's heart, I totally agree with you. Yeah, she kicked some ass along the way but anyone could have done that. Bring back Halle Berry.

[Twisted Two-Face]

Catwoman did nothing in the whole movie.

Aside from stealing Wayne's fingerprints, leading Batman into a trap, defeating Bane, and running away with Bruce's heart, I totally agree with you. Yeah, she kicked some ass along the way but anyone could have done that. Bring back Halle Berry.

I think he means she added nothing, not that she did nothing. All of her things could have been to another character and it would have been the same movie; there was nothing major or defining for the Catwoman character. The DC Animated Short Catwoman brought more to the table.

Fingerprints was a very awkward storyline to begin with, it could have been trashed. Batman's trap just showed she wasn't a good guy; Batman could have found out where Bane was (from Gordon, even), went by himself, and the trap would be the same. Defeating Bane was a total cop-out, i'm not even sure that's a positive for the movie as a whole...one of the worst parts of the movie for me. And the last part could have easily been any girl he fell for, not specifically Selina.

I men, yes these are all hypothetical remarks and we have no way of knowing what would happen for sure, but to act like she was a key part of plot is a little out there.

[MiniFiend UK]

Catwoman did nothing in the whole movie.

Aside from stealing Wayne's fingerprints, leading Batman into a trap, defeating Bane, and running away with Bruce's heart, I totally agree with you. Yeah, she kicked some ass along the way but anyone could have done that. Bring back Halle Berry.

I think he means she added nothing, not that she did nothing. All of her things could have been to another character and it would have been the same movie; there was nothing major or defining for the Catwoman character. The DC Animated Short Catwoman brought more to the table.

Fingerprints was a very awkward storyline to begin with, it could have been trashed. Batman's trap just showed she wasn't a good guy; Batman could have found out where Bane was (from Gordon, even), went by himself, and the trap would be the same. Defeating Bane was a total cop-out, i'm not even sure that's a positive for the movie as a whole...one of the worst parts of the movie for me. And the last part could have easily been any girl he fell for, not specifically Selina.

I men, yes these are all hypothetical remarks and we have no way of knowing what would happen for sure, but to act like she was a key part of plot is a little out there.

He got what I meant.

The only thing I got is that the Catwoman character was kinda added so that it could be shown that even someone as driven as Batman could find some sort of happiness with some sort of equal or even love of a type.

But as Twisted said her key plot points could easy have been covered by a number of the cast members.

[karamazov80]

I saw this last night, and enjoyed the heck out of it. Like Turtle, a couple of the best things to me was the handling of Robin and Catwoman. I knew what they were going for, but Nolan did a better job than other directors would have. He met and really exceeded my expectations with those characters, which was nice. Bane was done very well IMO, though the voice did create problems understanding him sometimes like Shane says. But with him we pretty much knew what we were getting based on the commercials. Catwoman and Robin were a bit less well defined there, so there was more room to be impressed.

My favorite scene of the movie was probably the tunnel team-up between Bats and Catwoman. A Nolan superhero team-up! Whouda thunk it??

Bruce surviving a six mile nuclear blast. I don't care that Nolan wants us to leave it up to our interpretation or that Bruce became more than a man, that's just ridiculous.

He must have gotten off the Bat-plane well before the bomb went off and set the thing to auto-pilot. Seems very feasible to me.

[MisterPL]

The only thing I got is that the Catwoman character was kinda added so that it could be shown that even someone as driven as Batman could find some sort of happiness with some sort of equal or even love of a type.

But as Twisted said her key plot points could easy have been covered by a number of the cast members.

And elsewhere on the web, fans would have complained it was a missed opportunity to include Catwoman. Can't please everyone, I suppose.

Bruce surviving a six mile nuclear blast. I don't care that Nolan wants us to leave it up to our interpretation or that Bruce became more than a man, that's just ridiculous.

He must have gotten off the Bat-plane well before the bomb went off and set the thing to auto-pilot. Seems very feasible to me.

There must be a deleted scene where Lucius asks why Bruce would have installed a 1950's era refrigerator.

[karamazov80]

LOL Well, we don't know how long it really took for him to jump out of the plane. They could have made it appear that he was still in the jet-thing right before the explosion while in truth much more time had passed. I don't think the jet could have reached as far away from Gotham as it did in the film in "real" time, anyway.

[MisterPL]

Not that it's relevant, but I thought this video was interesting.

[pickle]

I finally saw this film last night and really enjoyed it.

I was talking with one of my toy collector buddies after and he asked me which film of the DK trilogy was my favourite and I replied with "I like all three as a group. All are different flavours but best when served together."

I think the scene I enjoyed the most was the small part with the kid stealing the apple and Catwoman telling the thugs to stay off her block. I was all "Oh Snap! No Man's Land reference!!!!" No Man's Land and the Batman Animated series are what got me into loving batman, I had a big nerd boner. It kinda made me wonder why Nolan did not play up a little more No Man's Land with five months of Gotham being cut off from the rest of the world. Maybe hinting at a Jokers block/neighbourhood or something. I understand not doing it out of respect, but it would have been pretty awesome to have some Joker flavour in Dark Knight Rises.

[dj87]

I'm not one to really conplain about little things in films, but I think there was a quick scene with Bruce in the Bat, with just 6 seconds remaining... he must have dropped the bomb and carried on flying... Fast.