Top 5 problems with The Dark Knight Rises

[supersizeme]

First I would like to say that for the most part I liked TDKR. For an action flick it had alot of exciting scenes and fantastic effects. And as a life long Batman fan I am naturally ecstatic to see a Blockbuster Batman movie done with all the trimmings of top notch hollywood film. I guess after the last Batman movie The Dark Knight I was expecting the latest film to be at least on par with, if not better. Very few can deny the excellent job the late Heath Ledger did with the character of the Joker. That is why I am so puzzled how they got this last movie so wrong. I know that normally the last film in a trilogy has the undesirable job of tying up all the loose ends so there was alot of material to go through and resolve. But TDKR seemed to miss used the time and didn't explain some crucial points that would help the movie make sense to the viewer. I would like to say I am not normally a person who goes into a movie looking for flaws to rip it apart. I understand that the transition from comic to movie is never precise and there are alterations that need to be made. I like to go into a movie with an open mind and try to buy into the world the film maker is fabricating for me. But here are the Top 5 reasons I couldn't totally buy into Chris Nolan's TDKR. If you can enlighten me on any of these points please reply, maybe I am looking at it the wrong way. But if you agree can you please post why.

#5
John Blake is the most intelligent man in Gotham? He has to be, he was the only one to figure out Bruce Wayne is Batman. I mean he is not just suspicious or maybe has a conspiracy theory. He goes to Bruce's mansion and tells him to his face with the conviction of a judge who has sat through an entire trial and is super sure of the defendant's guilt. No one else notices that the same time Batman disappears Bruce Wayne becomes a recluse. And Blake figuring out the secret identity so early in the film makes Gordon look like an idiot when he figures out in the very end. I mean Gordon worked intimately with Batman and he never figured it out. A man who was such an excellent cop and detective he rose through the ranks and ultimately becomes Commissioner of ALL of Gotham is out smarted by a beat cop.

#4
Bruce Wayne has a healing factor? He must, first he is a cripple for 8 years and with the help of a knee brace jumps back into the role of Gotham's protector without missing a beat. Then he takes the beating of his life by Bane and gets his back broken, only to recover from all of this in a matter of 5 months. But not only does he recover he is better than ever able to beat Bane when he couldn't 5 months prior in better health. I can't imagine the prison he was in nourished him better than living in Wayne manor with his own butler.
Lastly he survives a shiv to the side pilots a nuclear bomb out over the bay and escapes the 6 mile blast radius with 5 seconds left on the detonator.

#3
Gotham's finest are the most dedicated warriors and care nothing for themselves. They must because not only do they all go into the sewers leaving Gotham totally defenseless. But after being trapped for months they emerge from the wreckage in full uniform with just a little dust and dirt on them. I know they have been receiving rations but have you ever gone a day without a shower? Imagine 5 months in the same clothes in a stinking cave. And on returning from the cave in what do they do? The charge head first into a lopsided battle where the enemy not only has the advantage of having the high ground, but is waaay over gunned and has tanks. Do the cops go and check on their families and loved ones? No they charge head first into their most likely doom without so much of a glance in their loved ones direction.

#2
Bane is the new Dr. Evil. Remember in the first Austin Powers movie when Dr. Evil captures Powers and has a meeting with his evil minions. They discuss what to do with Powers and Dr. Evil's son volunteers to shoot him. No they put him in a pool with laser guided sharks so he can escape and defeat Dr. Evil. In TDKR Bane has won, he beat and incapacitated Batman. There is anarchy in the streets of Gotham and the outside world is cut off. And finally he captures and fakes the death of the ONLY scientist in the world that can turn Wayne's power source into a nuclear bomb and what does he do? He waits for months for Batman to get better and has a chance no matter how slim to come back and defeat him.
He tells Batman that he is there to finish Ra's Al Ghul's ultimate plan. Well good ole Ra's wanted to destroy Gotham, that's it. So when Bane is victorious and is able to do what the Great Ra's Al Ghul is unable why doesn't he just press the button and blow up Gotham? Why doesn't Talia make him, that's what she really wanted.

#1
This is the one thing that disturbed me the most. BANE!!! I will start with his voice. Not only is it hard to understand but he sounds like Sean Connery? Bane looks to have come from some Middle Eastern country but he sounds like an irishman? Ok that is a minor gripe. Here is the major gripe, what happened to the Venom? Venom is what makes Bane ..Bane.
I have watched the movie twice and no where in the movie says anything about a steriod strength enhancing drug. They explained that his mask emits gas that is some kind of painkiller. So what you are telling me is that ANY man that is dedicated and works hard enough can come along defeat and break the BAT. No ordinary man can beat the Batman. Batman is definition of dedication and iron will. He has pushed himself to nearly perfect his human physiology along with his unmatched intellect. So what does Batman do when he feels his first fight with Bane was going the wrong way? He throws a few smoke bombs and turns out the lights. You would think he would have something more effective in his utilityt belt, maybe a taser, pepper spray or even rape whistle. There was nothing in the movie Bane that makes him Bane, not the experiments, not the strength enhancing , not even the cool mask, they should have just called him Thug Leader 1.

[bobtheodd]

Dude. You put WAY too much thought and effort in this. No movie is prefect or gonna meet the expectations of every viewer. Just sit back with your popcorn and enjoy.

[Wesr]

Dude. You put WAY too much thought and effort in this. No movie is prefect or gonna meet the expectations of every viewer. Just sit back with your popcorn and enjoy.

Trust me you should see the complaints on the movie prop forum i'm on.

[DemonPossessed]

Dude. You put WAY too much thought and effort in this. No movie is prefect or gonna meet the expectations of every viewer. Just sit back with your popcorn and enjoy.

Dude you put WAY too little thought in to the movie. I guess you don't criticize anything you watch? maybe you don't know anything about Batman. Maybe all it takes is explosions on the big screen to make you ?
I agree with what suprasizeme pointed out.

I would also like to add something. at the end of the movie. they reveal that Blake's middle name is Robin....... how cheesy. ok Im over it. but the movie leads you to believe that Blake is to be the next Batman??? !!!!! LOL
(1) He is to be Batman with no training, (keep in mind Bruce Wayne trained for years all around the world to hone his skills to become the Batman)
(2) No money (its hard to buy expensive gadgets to fight Gotham's villains with just good intentions)
(3) No support (no Alfred etc)
Or maybe the movie in leading the viewer to believe that John Blake is to become Robin or Nightwing... either way his guts will be splatted all over Park Row.

[bobtheodd]

Dude you put WAY too little thought in to the movie.

I wasn't going to a dark theater to discover the secrets of the universe, I went to be entertained by a movie that is BASED on a comic. I was entertained. So it did its job. Pissing and moaning about how it didn't fulfill your every fan-boy fantasy is pointless.

[supersizeme]

I didn't mean to start anything and I definitively didn't want to sound like I was whining. I just wanted to in a very subjective and non threating manner voice my problems with some of the plot in TDKR. The main reason I wrote this was I was hoping someone would help me see the movie in a different light or perspective. Take me point for point and tell me how I was interpreting the movie wrong. When Batman Begins came out I was so happy they finally made a Batman movie that was dark and almost felt like a graphic novel, after crappy movies like Batman and Robin this was a very welcome relief. Then came Dark Knight and I was blown away (literally) on how good it was. I guess after the first two my expectations was too high. I know my opinion is just one in a ocean of opinions but I felt compelled to put my thoughts out there and maybe I would feel better. I looked back at what I had written and was taking back at the length and how in depth it was. I guess I am just really passionate about the Dark Knight. It is just very hard when you love something so much for so long and you see someone miss handling it not to speak up and say something. So when someone tells me to relax and just enjoy the movie for what it is, without offering any rebuttals to my points. For me it is easier said than done.

[ole jade jaw]

I think it's cool that you went to a public forum to confirm or deny the quality of something you care about. I wish I was that cerebral. When the Ang Lee Hulk movie came out I just stayed in my house and wept for weeks.....

[Quay]

#1
This is the one thing that disturbed me the most. BANE!!! I will start with his voice. Not only is it hard to understand but he sounds like Sean Connery? Bane looks to have come from some Middle Eastern country but he sounds like an irishman? Ok that is a minor gripe. Here is the major gripe, what happened to the Venom? Venom is what makes Bane ..Bane.
I have watched the movie twice and no where in the movie says anything about a steriod strength enhancing drug. They explained that his mask emits gas that is some kind of painkiller. So what you are telling me is that ANY man that is dedicated and works hard enough can come along defeat and break the BAT. No ordinary man can beat the Batman. Batman is definition of dedication and iron will. He has pushed himself to nearly perfect his human physiology along with his unmatched intellect. So what does Batman do when he feels his first fight with Bane was going the wrong way? He throws a few smoke bombs and turns out the lights. You would think he would have something more effective in his utilityt belt, maybe a taser, pepper spray or even rape whistle. There was nothing in the movie Bane that makes him Bane, not the experiments, not the strength enhancing , not even the cool mask, they should have just called him Thug Leader 1.

I'd have to disagree that Venom is what makes Bane. For me what made Bane is that he was basically Batman seen through a much darker mirror. Venom was just his weapon. Batman has Batarangs, Bane had venom. He was much more than the Venom, some of his best moments (for me anyway) were in Secret Six when he wasn't on the Venom anymore. The Venom itself just didn't fit very well into the Nolan universe. A super steroid that hulks people out is just too unrealistic to fit well within the established parameters of the films.

As for his mask I'm on the fence. While I didn't much care for the one in the movie, they really couldn't do the one from the comic. While the Lucha Libre mask is cool in the comics, it just wouldn't work in the movie. Not only would it make people unfamiliar with him immediately think he's a mexican wrestler, but it would hinder the actors performance. You can't convey much emotion with your whole face covered. So even though I'm not a big fan of the one from the movie, I can see how it was more practical than a literal translation of the comic mask.

...and of coarse this is all IMHO

[Carnage99]

Dude. Bruce fixed the Bat's auto-pilot feature and used it to take the bomb out to sea.

[supersizeme]

@OJJ
Thanks for the support, I am so glad there are people like you who get what I am trying to to do. Although I have to admit a stray tear did fall from my eyes after seeing Ang Lee's take on the Hulk, but at least the last one with Edward Norton was much better.

@Quay

Thanks so much for views on Bane, this exactly what I was looking for and you have some great points. I do have to disagree with you about the Venom. Every incarnation of Bane I have ever seen, for example Batman the animated series, Justice League Doom,and most recently Young Justice, he has the venom. I do admit I am out of the loop in the comics.
But Venom is how he get's his strength, although if he doesn't use it anymore it's still how he got to be as strong as he is. Like Captain America and his super solider serum, although Cap doesn't have the serum in his body anymore. The experiment with the serum got him to his physical peak. To omit that Cap had any experiments done to him would alter his origin story and he would no longer be Cap and I think it's the same for Bane. And in the TDKR Nolan doesn't necessarily have to Bane use a steriod pump that connects to his brain, just a mention of Bane being experimented on would have been enough for me. Just anything to hint that Bane had some artificial help to go toe to toe with the BAT. I do agree with you on the mask, a mexican wresting mask would not have worked but they could have come up with something a bit cooler i think.

@Carnage99

Of course the auto-pilot was fixed, that part I am not debating. What I am debating is that it clearly shows seconds left on the detonator and Batman still in the cockpit. I just don't think even if he had 10 minutes could he pilot the BAT with nuclear bomb out of sight, then eject. Swim the necessary distance to clear the 6 mile radius all with a gaping wound to his side. That just seems a bit far fetched to me.

[bobtheodd]

I didn't mean to start anything and I definitively didn't want to sound like I was whining.

I wasn't really talking to you. All I meant by my post was you wrote a LOT about that movie and all I though as I left the theater was, "That was pretty good, I need to pick that up when it hits DVD".

[Golden Wolf]

Bottom line the perfect batman movie would have to be 12 hrs long with many many many flash backs at least 30 mins each and then round out the villian a bit enough to just dig them and throw in the action to keep us tuned in have batman save an occasional citizen or group of them maybe some cops then Bane can break his back have him recover return to Gotham to whoop some tail again then put the boots to Bane and shoot the dig / disappear fully heal and live a new life with Catwoman then have Robin / Blake take over with most likely some well placed instructions or let's say some cliff notes / how to be batman instruction guide book And Boom!!!!! we have a new Batman jumping into a new
Bat Ride ready to keep Gotham safe in his own style .

Sorry this was just my small rant about how we could have an epic batman movie so that's why there's no periods .

Now as for bane
I'm just gonna say interesting way to go !

An as for bruce's cripple leg all he does is he straps on his new leg brace from
Fox and he can kick chunks of bricks off the wall ! Why not the guy made the best toys so why not.
All I know is I want one.

If you read this all I hope you enjoy my hurmor and see some of my points Eventhough there isn't many.

Aloha

[SuperSoldierIV]

#4
Bruce Wayne has a healing factor? He must, first he is a cripple for 8 years and with the help of a knee brace jumps back into the role of Gotham's protector without missing a beat. Then he takes the beating of his life by Bane and gets his back broken, only to recover from all of this in a matter of 5 months. But not only does he recover he is better than ever able to beat Bane when he couldn't 5 months prior in better health. I can't imagine the prison he was in nourished him better than living in Wayne manor with his own butler.
Lastly he survives a shiv to the side pilots a nuclear bomb out over the bay and escapes the 6 mile blast radius with 5 seconds left on the detonator.

I thought the knee brace had new waynetech exoskeleton type technology(?).

The pit was probably an homage to the Lazarus Pit. I doubt in the Nolanverse, the pit contained any mystical healing powers but rather as a prison it either broke or strengthens the will of it's captives. Batman didn't technically beat Bane, I think Bane might've had the upper hand before Catwoman interfered.