The Dark Knight Rises

[MagnetMan]

With Neeson and Murphy making cameos, and Eckhard being shown in memorial photos and flashbacks, the Joker is the only villain from the Nolanverse not appearing (or even being referenced) in TDKR. I understand Nolan didn't even want to give the slightest impression that he was trying to cash in on the memory of Ledger (and I honestly don't think that would have been his intentions if they had shown flashback footage through the course of telling the story.) But... would any of you have been offended if a) they referred to the Joker through dialogue only or option b- if they had used flashback footage from TDK like they did with a couple of quick snippets of Dent?I think it would have been unacceptable to recast the role or even have a stand-in for a silhouette or showing someone from behind with a purple coat and green hair. What's your opinion?

Edited July 24, 2012 by MagnetMan

[lab276]

Someone brought up before that if The Joker had been referenced in any way, it would've made people miss the character and take them out of the film. Something like that anyway.

[MagnetMan]

Someone brought up before that if The Joker had been referenced in any way, it would've made people miss the character and take them out of the film. Something like that anyway.

I can totally see that. But while they were making all the call backs - especially the Scarecrow - I thought, "Wow, in a perfect world, we could have had a minor nod to all the villains in this franchise."

[Adm56]

Maybe having something like this pop up every few minutes might have helped some of the time challenged amongst us.http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Expu1pumA-w

I think that would have been an excellent idea! Then EVERYONE would clearly see how absurd a bomb with a FIVE MONTH timer is !I REALLY need to do my homework and find some films I can apply the five month timer to and see if they still hold up...Oh! I got one!In a New Hope Han, Luke and Leia underestimate the ease of their escape and you better believe their ship can be tracked sister! Pursued by the Death Star they had better hope a weakness can be found or Yavin is toast! But it's not over yet! 5 months later....

[Jessie]

Showing the joker would have reminded people how much more entertaining he was than bane. That's not down playing hardy in any away. He did all he could with his character but unfortunately the joker is a much more fun and entertaining character.

[Adm56]

This is a game they whole family could play! I have a TV show to pitch. Kiefer Sutherland...not QUITE fresh off the success of Young Guns could play a former FBI agent (or something like that) foiling some sort of major terrorist plot. Sounds like it's already been done huh? Well here's the cool part... each episode will show him foiling the plot in REAL time! So if the nuke takes 5 months to go off that will mean each episode covers roughly a week of his investigation! Cool!

[mattmav45]

I'll still need to see it once more, but after a few days I'll say this.........it's a good film, and I enjoyed it for the most part. I don't know though, it just felt like a lot of it was just going through the motions for me. I really wanted to be excited and feel something at the climax (sexual innuendo, anyone?) but it just didn't work for me.

I will say I think this will work much better when all three are watched together, but I still think BB is the best.

BB- A-

TDK- A-/B+

TDKR- B

Edited July 24, 2012 by mattmav45

[rockNrollaDIM]

Expectations are important for this movie, though. People who loved TDK and didn't see/remember/cared for BB wouldn't love TDKR. It works as its own film but it works better as the conclusion of this larger story.

Even thematically TDK is a sideshow movie when you link it to BB and TDKR.

Very true.. I was thinking the same thing. It's like in Final Fantasy games when you choose to play a sidequest, that's TDK. TDKR and Batman Begins are so much more similar.

[rockNrollaDIM]

Seeing it in glorious IMAX tonight :DAt this point I've discussed it so much there will be no point in giving it a full review, but maybe I'll actually grade it after this viewing.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

TDK is still my top Nolan batverse movie. I didn't fully appreciate BB when it was out in the theaters, but that was because 1) again, I'm not a big Bale fan and I'm still very much a fan of Keaton's Bruce/Batman and 2) the Katie Holmes factor. However, I loved the supporting cast of BB so much, and I found the story compelling, right up until the finale. Loved the shoutout to the Joker though. And I do own both on blu-ray.I think my biggest problem with the trilogy is that when the focus is just on Bruce and his MANPAIN!!, I lose interest really fast. I really enjoy Bale most as Bruce when he's fighting and when he's interacting with the supporting cast. Otherwise, the character falls flat for me; however I can see why other's like his work here. So I'd rank them:TDK: ABB: B+As of right now, after only one viewing: TDKR: B-/C+

Edited July 24, 2012 by WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

[MrPink]

I think my biggest problem with the trilogy is that when the focus is just on Bruce and his MANPAIN!!, I lose interest really fast. I really enjoy Bale most as Bruce when he's fighting and when he's interacting with the supporting cast. Otherwise, the character falls flat for me; however I can see why other's like his work here.

That would be a problem for me normally, but Bale really stepped it up for this one. From someone who thought he completely phoned it in for the Dark Knight, he killed it here. Usually you get even more lazy as the series goes on, but he surprised me.

[rockNrollaDIM]

What Katie Holmes factor? She was fine in BB.

[fishstick]

Any fans of Breaking Dawn part where Bane imprints on the baby and becomes her protector and then they fall in love when she`s of age that makes their romance un-creepy and then her dad excomunicates Bane cause his WWE looks offends dad`s ninja esthetics?

[pmoore]

What Katie Holmes factor? She was fine in BB.

Agreed. What is the general consensus about who was better: Holmes or Gyllenhaal?Team Holmes. Edited July 24, 2012 by pmoore

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

What Katie Holmes factor? She was fine in BB.

I... did not enjoy her performance personally. Couldn't get "Joey Potter plays dress up!" out of my head. Probably unfair, I admit.I did like her in Pieces of April.

Any fans of Breaking Dawn part where Bane imprints on the baby and becomes her protector and then they fall in love when she`s of age that makes their romance un-creepy and then her dad excomunicates Bane cause his WWE looks offends dad`s ninja esthetics?

Oh Lord... LOL!By far, I'm Team Gyllenhaal. But I'm a huge Maggie fan. Edited July 24, 2012 by WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

That would be a problem for me normally, but Bale really stepped it up for this one. From someone who thought he completely phoned it in for the Dark Knight, he killed it here. Usually you get even more lazy as the series goes on, but he surprised me.

While Bale's acting was fine, the characterization of Bruce from the get go in the movie really bugged me and pervaded the rest of the experience for me. I *hated* that he hung up his cowl for almost a decade. Hated. And the reasons for it just annoyed me even further.

[rockNrollaDIM]

Agreed. What is the general consensus about who was better: Holmes or Gyllenhaal?

Team Holmes.

I liked Gyllenhall but I prefer Holmes... the switch was too unnatural for me. And umm, uhhh, well... I could never unsee this:

[Adm56]

Maggie's not a supermodel but she's not ugly either. I don't think any of you guys would throw her out of bed for eating crackers.

[Hatebox]

While Bale's acting was fine, the characterization of Bruce from the get go in the movie really bugged me and pervaded the rest of the experience for me. I *hated* that he hung up his cowl for almost a decade. Hated. And the reasons for it just annoyed me even further.

Consciously or not, I think one problem people may be having with TDKR is that at no point does it suggest that Bruce being Batman is actually a good thing for him. Alfred, the series' voice of reason, resigns because of it and is happy to see he's no longer Batman at the end.Whether people like that aspect of it or not, it's quite a ballsy route for a superhero movie to take the more I think about it.

[Noctis]

I'm glad he's no longer Batman.