Escape to the Movies: The Dark Knight Rises

[Ftaghn To You Too]

DKR was much better Than the Dark Knight, which is saying something considering I love me some Dark Knight. I saw none of the flaws that Bob did, really. In fact, the mid-movie event that he claimed to break the flow was one of the best things they could have done. The rise is to become to Bat again. The second is to become more than the Bat, which is what this movie was about.

I think Bob's fanboy is showing.

 

[CharlesA]

I'd written a whole thing on how dumb it was to compare it to Avengers, but then I got tired. Dark Night Rises is a really great movie, watch it with love. If you go in expecting to be disappointed, you probably are going to find things to disappoint you. Most of the time you get what you're looking for. Watching the review after the film, I feel like Bob basically set himself up to distrust the movie, maybe not to get burnt? I don't know. It is the best movie I've seen this year.

 

[Gatx]

Huh, I didn't think it he would've been retired since the end of Dark Knight, I mean the ending made it seem like the big lesson was that it was his responsibility to continue being Batman despite being an unpopular figure, but I guess hero Gotham deserved but the one needed right now was more literal than I though.

 

[chadachada123]

I enjoyed it. It wasn't as good as the Dark Knight, mainly because it lacked the "chaotic (insane) evil" that the Joker brought, but it still managed to keep the noir-style-ish theme-ing going throughout the movie.

 

[BehattedWanderer]

You didn't miss much in the Superman trailer, Bob. There wasn't much to miss. Also, I'm so proud of you for not actually spoiling any of the twists this time! That had to be hard for you, for as much as you like telling us everything. Though, the mixed review definitely has it's claims. The movie was great in places, and sloppy in others. The sense of flow is like water turn to pudding to ice to water again--all over the place, inconsistent, and doesn't help you in the slightest. But, it is great where it's great, though.

 

[Monty McDougal]

So what is the quote from Kingdom Come?

 

[ZombieHunter]

What was the Kingdom Come quote that Bob referred to? I missed that.

 

[Dylalanine]

Disagree. Completely disagree. This was a fantastic movie and I enjoyed it much more than the Dark Knight and the comic book-cheesy Avengers. The Avengers was much less substantive a movie than this one and even its sincere Iron Man character arc was trumped in DK Rises.

Bruce needing to relearn how to be Batman twice? Necessary--the first time he was much too atrophied and mediocre. He had to rise (yes, pun intended) to a massive challenge.

And additionally, the dearth of Joker's mention? The Joker's chaotic, devil-may-care Modus Operandi didn't have the same drive and focus as Bane's terrifying "Sympathy for Osama" ploy for Gotham's reckoning. I didn't miss Joker.

This was a satisfying end to the new Batman trilogy. I was on my seat's edge the entire movie.

 

[Denizen]

Just came back from seeing it. I think this was a really well put together review by moviebob and although I agreed on most points, I have a few disagreements but they are very minor. I can see where moviebob is coming from on them.

I'll leave out all the rest and just go to this one:

Spoiler

I totally was ok with batman having his "second" rising because to me it felt like he had come out of hiding too soon and wasn't ready or even prepared (his batman trademarked preparedness wasn't there to save him) for something we saw he couldn't handle. Even Alfred was furious that he had done something so stupid leaving Bane to get away.

Bane doing what he does best was explained later by what we find out was the purpose of his mask. He even says in the beginning of the movie that something like, "No one would take me seriously until I started to wear this." Turns out it was a twist on his source of strength

As a general thing for the rest of the movie in respect to the previous two, definitely a great film and stands on its own. I was worried that it had too much to up against but by the time it was over, I was not only impressed but greatly relieved. The film has a satisfying ending and is far from how The Dark Knight was and thankfully so. If it was too close to the previous one, it would've been a passive form of self-defeat. Instead it took a different direction in how Batman can save Gotham by him not being the only one to help. Isn't that the whole concept behind the Bat-Family? "I'm beginning to think he is more of an enterprise than a single individual" (something like that).

I gotta mention that my favorite part of the movie was how everything tied together so well. This movie showed how they had planned this all out from the start with callbacks and even interesting visually-symbolic callbacks to the previous movies. Some so subtle that they flat out showed one, I even heard someone go, "ah," when it happened.

Highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. It's not a letdown, it strives to do different things from the previous one with new conflicts and obstacles and succeeds.

Spoiler

Impending backlash on his recovery in the middle of the film. You know everyone who wants nitpick will use that and keep going back to that as their only ammunition.

Spoiler

Who else wouldn't mind a Nightwing movie? That ending had my friends realizing this might be our only chance for that.

 

[Jake the Snake]

Bob, I respect the hell out of you, don't get me wrong, I think you're an intelligent guy and I usually agree whole heartedly with your reviews.

But today, sir, you're wrong. You are simply wrong. The Dark Knight Rises was a brilliant film. Brilliant. And I want everyone to know you would be doing yourself an extreme disservice by taking this reviewer's word and having jaded expectations about the finale. Thematically, this movie is one of the richest I've ever encountered; the pacing is fine after about the first 20 mins, and the acting is truly phenomenal. There were so many twists and turns...my god, no movie has had me experience brick shitting emotional amazement like this movie (the ending is fucking golden). My friends and I literally spent an hour at the cinema after the film ended just talking about how well it was executed.

Seriously. There are few movies, hell, few works of media in general that have inflicted such a violently astounded reaction in me. Go see this movie. It is absolutely amazing.

 

[Brad Shepard]

Anyone think the sales of this movie will go down now because of the Aurora shooting?

 

[MrCalavera_v1legacy]

snip

You mean: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18921492 ? I don't know if it'll affect the sales, but there will surely be speculations connecting what's just happened to the plot of the movie(s).

 

[Brad Shepard]

snip

You mean: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18921492 ? I don't know if it'll affect the sales, but there will surely be speculations connecting what's just happened to the plot of the movie(s).

They are talking about a shootout scene.

 

[OniaPL]

Anyone think the sales of this movie will go down now because of the Aurora shooting?

Possibly. I mean, the movie had to be a really huge disappointment if he went that far.

 

[Sexy Devil]

*deleted*

 

[Buizel91]

We all knew it was impossible for it to live up to expectations. Maybe if they'd used the Riddler and Catwoman as antagonists... but Bane just doesn't come off as a top-tier Batman villain. Bottom line, they were never going to top Heath Ledger as the Joker.

They could of topped it with Johnny Depp being the Riddler, that would of been epic, but we all know Bane is never the brains behind what goes on, he is the muscle, or at least should be

But meh, they tried something new, didn't work, it happens! At least bob said the film was at least good.

 

[Buizel91]

Oooh forgot to mention, we will see more Batman films, maybe not in this trilogy, but remember we have the Justice League Films coming in 2014/2015

 

[Buizel91]

What other A list non-ridiculous Batman villians could you have instead of 'Bane' though?

Poison Ivy maybe, and as i and others have stated, A Johnny Depp Riddler would of been epic.

Clayface maybe, but i don't think he fits with Nolan's style in these films.

Penguin could of been awesome. But meh, We are stuck with Bane, here is hoping that in the enxt set of films, we see Killer Croc.

 

[Gennadios]

Worst. Superman. Trailer. EVER.

Seriously bob, you didn't miss much, just watch the first 40 minutes of Batman Begins and you'll catch the gist of the trailer.

 

[JoesshittyOs]

Alright. I need to carefully navigate around this post to where I won't get banned.

Let's see what I can do.

Bob. Stop it. I understand there is such thing as opinions, but when was the last time you reviewed a movie that managed to surpass your insane expectations? What movie did you watch here?

This movie legitimately blows Batman Begins out of the water. In ever way, shape, and form.

I personally thought it was better than the The Dark Knight, seeing as how Ledger's rendition of the Joker pretty much was the thing that pushed that movie from "good" to "great". But getting a second opinion on it (might wanna try that someday, you could sure as hell use it), they were either unsure, or still insisted that the previous film was a bit better.

This is the ending that the series deserved. It was almost too much to hope for, but it did it. I went in with high expectations, and I came out more than satisfied.

As well as every single other person in that theater, who genuinely cared enough about the movie to buy tickets to the midnight launch. It's now Avengers or Batman, just as there was Trekkies vs. Star Wars.

What other A list non-ridiculous Batman villians could you have instead of 'Bane' though?

We all knew it was impossible for it to live up to expectations. Maybe if they'd used the Riddler and Catwoman as antagonists... but Bane just doesn't come off as a top-tier Batman villain. Bottom line, they were never going to top Heath Ledger as the Joker.

Once you get past the weird and shocking voice that they had to re-dub, it's pretty impressive how well they adapted Bane for this. It's no Joker, and there really never will be another Joker. But the first half of the movie with Bane is superb. It's just as much his movie as the previous one was Joker's.

I need to leave this thread before I decide to take it upon myself to insist to everyone that's having second thoughts.