Official Talkback Thread: The Dark Knight Rises

**Firefly** · July 21, 2012, 11:00pm

I saw the flick and enjoyed it a lot. I think it might be my favorite of the 3 films, but it has been awhile since I've seen the other two. Bane's voice kind of reminded me of Sean Connery. I'm still not the greatest fan of how Bale speaks when he is Batman. Other than that, no real complaints.

About that ending...

**Dr Kain** · July 22, 2012, 01:40am

So I saw it again today and found it to be even more enjoyable than before. I even noticed things I had not noticed before, which was a bonus. It still has some flaws, but that is just how it is.

- - - Updated - - -

Originally Posted by Mr. Shokoti

Has Selina Kyle ever been said to be bi? I know Holly Robinson is gay(who I'm assuming was the character in TDKR played by Juno Temple), but I'm not sure where Nolan fell short on Catwoman's sexuality when I don't think it's ever been an issue before in the comics.

Selina and Holly having a relationship of sorts has been done before. I'm pretty sure it was in Year One you saw them acting like a couple. Plus there have been a few comics showing such, especially the first time (I think) Holly died.

BTW, I noticed that when Bruce pulls up Selina's picture on his computer, it mimicks one of the comic covers from a few years back. That was pretty neat. I also thought Hathaway was excellent and I loved how her cat ears were actually night vision goggles.

**mbaker** · July 22, 2012, 10:25am

In light of the recent Colorado shootings, I'd like to say A few things in defense of Batman. Is 'The Dark Knight Rises' A dark, and gritty movie? Yes, but it portrays Batman as A hero none the less, and in no way should be blamed for the tragic shooting. The shooter, himself is to blame, and must be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

Having said that, I thought I'd give A brief history of Batman. Created in 1939 by Bobe Kane, The Caped Crusader has been A part of American pop culture in many forms outside of comics. Perhaps he's best known by many baby boomers through the 60's TV show starring Adam West, and Burt Ward. Campy, and silly, yes, but it was how alot of people were introduced to the character. After the series ended, the culture changed, and so did Batman. At least in the comics. In pop culture, people's image of Batman was still immortalized by Adam West's campy depiction from TV. All that changed with Tim Burtons' 'Batman' movie from 1989. Which made A dark, serious Batman more acceptable in mainstream pop culture. This lead to A few more movies, and A critically acclaimed animated series that revolutionized action cartoons.

After A tarnished reputation by Joel Schumacher's 'Batman & Robin', Batman was rescued from the clutches of camp by Christopher Nolan with three movies. One of which had A depiction of The Joker portrayed by the late Heath Ledger that has been the subject of this tragic shooting with the gunman dressed up as said character. Batman has been open to many different interpretations, and that's how he's survived as A character. Weather he's depicted as gritty, or campy, he's always been A hero born of tragedy to become A symbol of hope.

While the media is filled with violence, and immorality, this has also been A year of heroes arising from the Hollywood sewers, and aspiring greatness in our multiplexes. This trend started, in my eyes, with 'The Hunger Games'. An adaptation of Suzzanne Collin's series of 'young adult' novels set in A dystopian future that's A haunting commentary of reality television's dominance, and government tyranny that features A great heroine for young girls. Katniss Everdeen, who sacrifices herself to partake in these games in order to save her young sister, is A much more substantial role model than 'Twilight's Bella Swan, or the rest of the Hollywood ***** that pollute the pop culture landscape. Then there's 'The Avengers'. An epic adventure featuring Marvel Comic's most iconic super heroes, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and The Incredible Hulk fighting alien invaders, has so far become the highest grossing movie of the year, and A movie that everyone can enjoy.

So, you see, we need heroes now more than ever, but government intervention is not the answer, and might lead it A dystopian future of our own. Bottom line is, these heroes have shown that there are better people to look up to than the glorified criminals, reality show brats, and glittering vampires polluting our pop culture. That's not only my defense on Batman, but A commentary on the emergence of heroes making A difference in our movies. If Katniss, Batman, and The Avengers taught us anything this year, it's that out of tyranny, adversity, or even tragedy can come greatness.

If we make ourselves more than what we are, we become something greater. We have no idea the effect we can have. Let's all be greater.

**BlueStreak** · July 22, 2012, 10:45am

That is nicely written.

**Shredder** · July 22, 2012, 03:45pm

ok, so a few things.....

who was the cop gordon saw at his home? I want to say dent, but from the second film obviously not...

Talia was a tad predictable...so was the new robin. ghost of Rha's was not.

i'm guessing that alfred knew it was bruce at the end? and I'm assuming he was with salina?

not a bad movie. liked it better than 2.

**SCB** · July 22, 2012, 03:55pm

He was Deputy Commissioner, played by Mathew Modine aka Private Joker...

Alfred's smile told it all.

**Shredder** · July 22, 2012, 04:08pm

Originally Posted by SCB

He was Deputy Commissioner, played by Mathew Modine aka Private Joker...

Alfred's smile told it all.

hmm, i don't remember the smile.....second viewing ho

ahh, k. I knew he had to be someone

**MOTU_Maniac** · July 22, 2012, 07:25pm

My wife and I saw the movie yesterday morning and thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

**Krueger** · July 22, 2012, 07:30pm

I really, really liked it. I think I prefer it to The Dark Knight. I took it as a very dark film, but it wasn't without hope. Particularly at the end. I really did like Bane, too. Even the voice. At times it did sound a bit weird. Like an amalgamation of a Scottish and a posh English accent. But sometimes it did sound genuinely frightening.

But yeah, quite a bittersweet film in general.

**Benedict Judas Hel** · July 22, 2012, 07:51pm

I just saw it. It was good. Not great. Bane's voice was annoying. It sounded like an old English man. Hardly terrifying. But the movie was alright.

**Darth Latveria** · July 22, 2012, 08:31pm

Originally Posted by Benedict Judas Hel

I just saw it. It was good. Not great. Bane's voice was annoying. It sounded like an old English man. Hardly terrifying. But it was alright.

**Shredder** · July 22, 2012, 08:46pm

did anyone else think Jim Cummings with banes voice? It sounded strangely familair

**Benedict Judas Hel** · July 22, 2012, 08:49pm

Perhaps in Canada it does, Doctor Vader, but not in good ol' U.S. of A.

**gbagok** · July 22, 2012, 09:04pm

Originally Posted by Shredder

did anyone else think Jim Cummings with banes voice? It sounded strangely familair

I'm telling you. Gandalf recorded through an office fan. Cheapest effect of the movie since they got McKellen drunk for it. (jk, I liked it!)

**King Tycho** · July 22, 2012, 10:03pm

Great movie, best I've seen this summer! Here are my thoughts http://kaaredyrness.wordpress.com/20...-knight-rises/

I like that this came out the same summer as The Avengers. Maybe it will finally cure Hollywood of the "Oh, that was successful, let's copy that" syndrome having too such drastically different comic book movies. It shows that good writing and directing are far more important to making a good film then aping what someone else did.

**TheShadow** · July 22, 2012, 10:06pm

So I saw the movie today despite the fact that I have disliked all of Nolan's other Batman offerings. With that said, I thought this was the best one out of the bunch. I want to say my assessment of that is mostly due to Ann Hathaway's superb performance as Catwoman, something that I can't say for the other villains from the other movies, including Joker, except for Scarecrow in Begins (that was acceptable).

It was a bit surreal seeing my hometown (Pittsburgh) as Gotham and I thought it was downright weird the way Heinz Field was used. I've never been a fan of Bane at all, and I didn't really care for him here either. I could not understand what he was saying sometimes and his voice was not properly mixed so it sounded above and removed from his surroundings. I liked Bruce Wayne more in this movie and coupled with the Catwoman use tipped the scale for this one finally. I also liked the reveal of Talia, I did not really see that coming.

The scene at the ball made me think of Bruce Wayne and Selena Kyle dancing to "Face to Face" in Batman Returns. Probably not an intentional nod, but I'll take it. Did anyone else want Batman to say at some point "Somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb"? No? Just me?

Originally Posted by Firefly

About that ending...

I completely agree with you.

**Moominsthenmotu** · July 22, 2012, 10:23pm

Bane's voice based on Bartley Gorman, who was King of the Gypsies in the UK for a spell. There's a YouTube video of him. The voice won't be immediately apparent but is more based on the sickly Gorman's voice who Hardy had researched while preparing to play "charlie Bronson" a real life prisoner here in the UK.
So, for Tom Hardy "Bane" ingredients - look up 'Bartley Gorman King of the Gypsies' and 'Hardy Bronson Trailer' on YouTube.

**Dr Kain** · July 23, 2012, 01:11am

Whether you love or hate Nolan's version of the bat universe (and honestly, it is either this or the god awful movies from the 90s, so it isn't like you have a choice), you have to admit that Nolan knows how to put a multitude of villians and characters into these movies without them feeling forced. I mean, we have had:

Batman
Fox
Alfred
Gordon
Flask
Loeb
Two-Face/Harvey
Joker
Scarecrow
Ras'al Ghul
Ubu
Talia
Mr Zasz
Falcone
Maroni
Catwoman
Holly
Bane
Dagget

I'm honestly surprised he did not find a way to sneak Sionis and Thorne into the movies.

**Adam_Prince of Eternia** · July 23, 2012, 03:08am

Dark Knight Rises is great. Ann Hathaway as Catwoman is everything!

**pidgerii** · July 23, 2012, 05:39am

I loved this movie, though not as much as TDK. To be fair I was ambivalent towards TDK until my second viewing. The only problems I had with Rises were some unusually sloppy storytelling from Nolan this time around.

That said, surely Michael Caine deserves a Supporting Actor nom for this performance. Hathaway was great as Catwoman. I liked Bane though he doesn't compare to Ledger's Joker, tbf I don't think anyone could.

**HarryCanyon** · July 23, 2012, 09:14am

Originally Posted by Shredder

did anyone else think Jim Cummings with banes voice? It sounded strangely familair

Yes almost like Dr. Robotnik on Sonic The Hedgehog,

Originally Posted by TheShadow

So I saw the movie today despite the fact that I have disliked all of Nolan's other Batman offerings. With that said, I thought this was the best one out of the bunch. I want to say my assessment of that is mostly due to Ann Hathaway's superb performance as Catwoman, something that I can't say for the other villains from the other movies, including Joker, except for Scarecrow in Begins (that was acceptable).

It was a bit surreal seeing my hometown (Pittsburgh) as Gotham and I thought it was downright weird the way Heinz Field was used. I've never been a fan of Bane at all, and I didn't really care for him here either. I could not understand what he was saying sometimes and his voice was not properly mixed so it sounded above and removed from his surroundings. I liked Bruce Wayne more in this movie and coupled with the Catwoman use tipped the scale for this one finally. I also liked the reveal of Talia, I did not really see that coming.

The scene at the ball made me think of Bruce Wayne and Selena Kyle dancing to "Face to Face" in Batman Returns. Probably not an intentional nod, but I'll take it. Did anyone else want Batman to say at some point "Somedays you just can't get rid of a bomb"? No? Just me?

I completely agree with you.

So you disliked the other 2 and love this one the best?

I saw it at the midnight premiere and loved it, it's the best movie i've seen this year besides Avengers, Arriety, Prometheus and Amazing Spider-Man. I'm gonna see it again and it will blow me away again.

Who else thought Bane was as awesome as he was in the comics and animated series? i do.

And who else thought Anne Hathaway was hot as Catwoman? i do, Catwoman has always been one of my boyhood comic crushes since i was 8 reading the comics and adore her in any version except for Frank Miller's ugly bald version from Year One but Hathaway has made it possible for Catwoman.

**Shredder** · July 23, 2012, 10:16am

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Whether you love or hate Nolan's version of the bat universe (and honestly, it is either this or the god awful movies from the 90s, so it isn't like you have a choice), you have to admit that Nolan knows how to put a multitude of villians and characters into these movies without them feeling forced. I mean, we have had:

Batman
Fox
Alfred
Gordon
Flask
Loeb
Two-Face/Harvey
Joker
Scarecrow
Ras'al Ghul
Ubu
Talia
Mr Zasz
Falcone
Maroni
Catwoman
Holly
Bane
Dagget

I'm honestly surprised he did not find a way to sneak Sionis and Thorne into the movies.

that's the other thing.. it's been a while since i've seen the animated series, but wasn't dagget the one who turned clayface into clayface? I'm surprised we didn't get a harvey bullock in this movie

.

**Dr Kain** · July 23, 2012, 10:23am

Yeah, in BTAS, Dagget had created a cream that could remove wrinkles, which is what they used to pay Matt Hagen, and then when he lost his usefulness, they dumped it all over him, creating Clayface.

Dagget was also the one who had hired Dr Milo, who was using a toxin to make animals go crazy, and he was going to blow up the old part of the city in another episode. He was actually a pretty central villian in BTAS, which was kind of cool.

**GeologyMule** · July 23, 2012, 11:58am

We have discussed it and FYI we think it is okay to use "D!ck" when mentioning a characters name.

**SCB** · July 23, 2012, 12:49pm

I don't think it was just facial expressions that lead to Blake figuring out who Batman was. In the movie, he came off as a brilliant detective and strategist, much like how Tim Drake found out who Batman was in the comics.

Also loved that exchange between Blake and Gordon

*People of Gotham. We have no abandoned you*

Blake: what's that supposed to mean?

Gordon: means we're on our own.

Thread: Official Talkback Thread: The Dark Knight Rises

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