The Dark Knight Rises

[Phil in the Blank]

Why is she "essential"? I can see why comic book fans like her because of her origin in the comics, but within the movie itself why is she essential? In other words, if she was cut out and Bane made the sole villain how would the movie be hurt?What about this: Take her out of the movie altogether; have Bane be the brains as well as brawn behind the scheme. Give Talia's scenes to Catwoman, whose relationship with Bruce can be fully fleshed out, so the ending feels earned.Suddenly you have a better movie.

Bane, I think, showed quite a bit of intelligence throughout the movie. He is no Bane from B&R. Talia was working behind the scenes to manipulate Bruce into giving information that was vital to the success of the plot. It would be somewhat hard to imagine Bane with his mask casually heading up to Wayne asking to see his power generator.Now could you have re-worked the script so she wasn't in it? Sure. Just as you could had re-worked TDK to use The Riddler rather than The Joker. But then we would be dealing with two very different films then what they ultimately turned out to be.The biggest flaw with Talia is that she is underdeveloped in the final cut, and I get the feeling that many scenes were left on the cutting-room floor for pacing reasons. Personally I think she needs more screen-time, not to be cut entirely.

[rockNrollaDIM]

*liked* for the bitchface

[JackO]

]

Why is she "essential"? I can see why comic book fans like her because of her origin in the comics, but within the movie itself why is she essential? In other words, if she was cut out and Bane made the sole villain how would the movie be hurt?What about this: Take her out of the movie altogether; have Bane be the brains as well as brawn behind the scheme. Give Talia's scenes to Catwoman, whose relationship with Bruce can be fully fleshed out, so the ending feels earned.Suddenly you have a better movie.

You take Talia out there is no connection to Batman Begins. You have another side quest movie like TDK. Catwoman didn't need any more scenes. She had a full arc. Any more scenes to describe her arc would be too much. TDKR earned it's ending by the previous 2 films. Edited August 17, 2012 by JackO

[The Dark Alfred]

I hope we get to see the director's cut at some point. I have been busy, haven't seen it the past two weeks, but I'm eager to catch another IMAX showing before it leaves the cinemas.I disagree with the comments that Talia needed more screen time, she had by far the most acts in the entire film, just her parts weren't demanding much actual screen time. She was involved in pretty much everything.

Edited August 19, 2012 by The Dark Alfred

[CDK]

I have watched this movie once per week since it opened, I am going to say up-front that I love what Nolan did with the Batman world in BB and TDK so I am very biased, and I have waited this long to review it because I wanted to really let it all soak in as this is the end of this version for Batman, so with that out of the way, here we go.....I had very high hopes for this movie, as I said before I love what Nolan and company have done with this character and the world they set him in, the dark and serious tone, the complex way they actually show Bruce Wayne to be from BB to TDKR, it has all been right what I have wanted and that stayed true for this final film, the end of this trilogy, it totally worked for me and finally the superhero/comicbook area has 1 excellent trilogy.The action, the score, the story, the connections to Batman Begins were all just great, Bale was excellent again, Caine, Oldman and Freeman the same, the new members were all solid as well, JGL as the 'next one', Hardy who did an amazing job as BANE, and the standout is Hathaway as Catwoman, she just nailed it. Leading up to this flim I really had no idea what would happen, I made sure to stay away from any and all spoilers on the net and the trailers never really gave anything away, so my guess going in was that Bruce Wayne/Batman would either die saving the city or be injured so badly that he could not go on and a new 'Knight' would take his place, as the main goal from day 1 for Bruce was that The Batman would be a symbol, something everlasting, incorruptible, and they did a great job ending it.I loved how we see the toll that years of kicking the shit out of Gotham's scum took on his body, the pain and weight on Bruce with not being able to go out and be The Batman because he took the fall for what Harvey Dent did, Batman is who Bruce really is and how he found a way to deal with his parents death, his anger with what happend to them drove him to become Batman, it was his way to make sure nobody else would go through what he did and without being able to be him the result on Bruce was brutal.BANE, wow, Nolan made the right choice and more so once we learn who he is connected with (LOS), he was big, brutal, a real threat, over confident, cocky, even funny at times with his one-liners, and very smart, the perfect end villain to go against Batman. Their first fight was amazing, no score, just two men fighting, to see Batman get beat down like that was nuts, the constant talking BANE did was perfect, mocking Bruce and his training, and finally the breaking of his back, the image right from the comics, was a nerd-gasam for me. I love Hardy's take on him, the fact that he was the protector of that bitch Talia was even better, he took all the focus off her so she could destroy Bruce & his company from the inside while BANE broke his body & spirit, masterful plan.Gotham being isolated from the rest of the US, chaos on the streets, the public in fear, the Police trapped underground but given food so they don't die was great, BANE was all about pain & punishment, he broke Batman's body, leaving him in that prison while allowing him to watch Gotham fall apart and giving Bruce the faint hope that he could escape that prison by climbing out one day, classic. The Batman Rises, saves Gordon & Blake, Catwoman & Batman team up, war on the streets, the final fight with Bane, fly's off with the bomb, dies saving Gotham, and then everything that followed, it was a great ending and I am totally shocked that Nolan gave Bruce such a happy send off, I really thought he would be dead at the end of the film, not fake dead lol.Anyway, I could go on and on about it but I really loved this movie, I actually wish it was longer as I feel that his actual rebuilding of his mind and body in the prision and his RISE were rushed a bit, hopefully Nolan will do what he never does and makes a director's cut of this movie, but after watching it 5 times so far and counting, I could not be happier, an excellent ending of the Nolan/Bale trilogy.I have my own little issues with it, but I will keep them to myself, lol.

[Gopher]

I completely agree, CDK. The time limit for the movie had to be 165 minutes so that the film could screen in real IMAX auditoriums, but I would have loved 5-10 minutes more to flesh out some of the transitions and relationships in the film.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I 100% agree with CDK.

[CDK]

I completely agree, CDK. The time limit for the movie had to be 165 minutes so that the film could screen in real IMAX auditoriums, but I would have loved 5-10 minutes more to flesh out some of the transitions and relationships in the film.

Exactly, I think 15min more to do exactly what you said would make this film even better, I just get the feeling he left some scenes on the cutting room floor and the main reason would be the IMAX runtime, I really hope he makes a longer cut but I am not expecting him to ever do that. I am glad you two guys agree with me lol.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

The film went by fast imo. It did not feel like a long film.

[tommycruise]

Many people keep asking why Bane let didnt just blow up the bomb right then instead of just waiting 5 months.well heres the answer

its because talia and bane wanted to bang each other for five months

[Kvikk Lunsj]

Bane wanted to the world watch Gotham be destroyed slowly and no one could do anything about it.

[MrPink]

Many people keep asking why Bane let didnt just blow up the bomb right then instead of just waiting 5 months.well heres the answer

its because talia and bane wanted to bang each other for five months

Bane got friend zone'd, while Wayne swooped in and hit it.This is why Bane broke Bruce's back.

[Adm56]

Many people keep asking why Bane let didnt just blow up the bomb right then instead of just waiting 5 months.well heres the answer

its because talia and bane wanted to bang each other for five months

That makes more sense than what Nolan came up with to explain it all. Edited August 22, 2012 by Adm56

[JackO]

I agree with CDK. I wouldn't have minded it to be a bit longer.

[Noctis]

Saw this for a third time with my family and I'm head over heels over it. I can't stop thinking about this film. The last twenty minutes are just phenomenal. My mother and sister both cried when the bomb went off.

[Kvikk Lunsj]

I just saw it for a third time and it is so amazing. Nolan end the series the perfect way. The story works so good as an end story. I am so glad Nolan did not use the Riddler, Black Mask, Dr. Strange, Penguin, ect. The villains were perfect for the story.

[tommycruise]

I think it was necassary to have miranda tate become a villain in the end. Because it fits nolans theme(for the lack of a better word) of always having 2 villains, 1 for most of the film and 1 that comes in at the end.

[The Dark Alfred]

I do feel that the story is so ambitious that it needed an extra 15 minutes or so to be executed perfectly. I do hope we'll see the director's cut with Bane training, more Alfred and Bruce dialogue, maybe a bit more Selina, more prison footages, more final battle scenes. Probably it won't happen, but I have slim hopes for a director's cut release in the cinemas, given the fact that we won't see a Batman film anytime soon, WB might just do that if Nolan approves.

Edited August 25, 2012 by The Dark Alfred

[Noctis]

Repeat viewings really show how Talia was the mastermind behind the entire operation. Talia stabbing Batman elicited the strongest response from the audience.

[bballman24]

Repeat viewings really show how Talia was the mastermind behind the entire operation.Talia stabbing Batman elicited the strongest response from the audience.

Great scene/dialogue, and when batman says "Maybe the knife was too slow" right after she pushes the button had me laughing afterwards.Bruce sure knows how to get on people's nerves... even with a ticking atom bomb looming.Another great scene is with Gordon and Batman at the end with the flashback of Gordon putting the coat around young Bruce. That teared me up. Edited August 27, 2012 by bballman24