I saw THE DARK KNIGHT RISES a week before the tragedy in Aurora. I saw the film with untainted, innocent geek eyes and hope in my heart. I saw it in the best possible circumstances on the WB lot... the place where they actually produced the film. I wish every Bat-fan could've seen the final Bat-Film in the Nolan trilogy under such great circumstances. I won't talk about the tragedy and I won't rehash the plot of the film. Plenty of other sites have taken care of this. I want to talk about segments, moments & images that affected me. Thus, heavy SPOILERS from here on out for the uninitiated...
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is simply the best superhero film ever made. In terms of pure emotion it topples THE DARK KNIGHT and BATMAN BEGINS (which were both amazing in their own respect). Christopher Nolan has crafted the perfect Superhero trilogy... and maybe the best trilogy of all time. The three themes that Nolan laced throughout the trilogy are: Legacy, Myth-making, and Death. The pallor of death hangs over this film like an albatross pressing down on your back. You really get the impression that you're watching the last Batman film the world will ever see and that anyone can die at any time... just like real life.
In Batman Begins, Bruce wants to create a symbol that will inspire the citizens of Gotham to be better. To be heroic in the face of crime and inequality. It seems like a hopeless quest. But in the end, when Batman sacrifices himself by flying the Fusion bomb into the sea while Gotham watches it explode in an atomic mushroom cloud... well this very act serves as a catalyst of inspiration for not only Gotham but the World. The final moment right before the atomic explosion we get a close-up shot of Batman's face in the cockpit of the Batwing. He's at peace. You see, Bruce Wayne was dead since Batman Begins. He's been courting death ever since he slipped on the cowl. In the Dark Knight Rises, Alfred pleads with Bruce to let go of his demons and choose life. Alfred tells Bruce of a recurring dream he has in which he goes to a Cafe in Florence and orders a Fernet Branca and sitting at another table he sees Bruce Wayne with a Wife and Family.
A moment later, Alfred tells Bruce the truth about Rachel in an attempt to shake Bruce into consciousness. Instead, Bruce tells Alfred that he's fired. This scene broke my heart into pieces. Bruce is alone in this film. And Bale gives the finest Bruce Wayne performance of his life.
Let's talk about Bane. His voice, his body, his costume, everything about him is hypnotic. He is brute force & death incarnate. A nightmare creation. The scene where Batman is duped by Catwoman into a deathtrap beneath the sewers to face Bane is astonishing in it's cruelty. I felt so sorry for Batman, as every punch, every move was telegraphed by Bane. Batman tried his parlor tricks: The EMP that knocks out the lights, flashbangs, but Bane was born in darkness, which made him unstoppable. The manner in which Bane pulverizes Batman is heart-wrenching. The smashing of Batman's face/mask by Bane's relentless punches made me wince and reminded me of Gaspar Noe's IRREVERSIBLE in which a man's face is viciously caved in by a fire extinguisher. Seeing Batman so soundly beaten gave me a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. And the shot of Bane breaking Batman's back will be seared into my mind forever.
The look on Catwoman's face, as she watches Batman get dismantled by Bane was pure Selina. Caught in the middle and always looking out for herself, Catwoman is caught off guard by her own emotions, as she feels something strange: Remorse. This would be the first step in her journey towards redemption. Hathaway was a huge surprise as Selina Kyle. She looked great in the suit but nobody could've predicted what a nuanced performance she would give. She went from Damsel in distress to kickass warrior in the blink of an eye. The best Catwoman ever committed to the big screen.
Bane's plan: Many people are confused by Bane's motivation. It's really quite simple. Whereas Joker wanted to watch the world burn, for Bane-- it's personal. He wants to break Batman's body and soul. Batman's legacy is to inspire people. To create a symbol that will outlive him. It's not enough for Bane to break Batman's body, Bane also wants to destroy Batman's legacy. Bane wants Batman to watch from his prison cell, as Gotham's citizens cower in fear instead of rise. Once Gotham is reduced to ashes, Bane will have broken Batman's spirit... which I believe to be the primary goal of Bane and Talia's plan. Both Talia Al Ghul (Miranda Tate) and Bane want to destroy the symbol of Batman. They want to tarnish the myth and destroy Batman's legacy.
The prison pit in the "old part of the world" is basically Nolan's version of the Lazarus pit. Bruce is imprisoned in the pit by Bane after his vicious beating. Bruce must watch from a distance, as his city is destroyed. The open ceiling in the inescapable pit is meant to provide him with false hope, just as Gotham's citizens are given false hope that Bane won't detonate the Fusion Bomb. Bruce, who had a deathwish since Batman Begins finally "finds his fear" in the pit. Only when Bruce fears death again and appreciates life does he find the strength to RISE out of the prison and return to save Gotham.
As for the critics who wondered how Bruce returned to Gotham after escaping the prison... You have to assume that the smartest man in the world has bank accounts and secret hideouts all over the world. I don't think the Dark Knight Detective would have much trouble sneaking back into a quarantined Gotham.
Let's talk about the the Glorious Ending of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Batman does indeed return to a war-torn Gotham that has been cut off from the rest of the world. Bane rules with an iron fist. People hide in their homes. The police force is crippled and trapped in the sewers beneath Gotham.
With the help of Catwoman, Jim Gordon and young Officer John Blake Batman inspires the Gotham Police force to rise against Bane's thugs on the steps of city hall. Batman defeats Bane only to be betrayed by Talia who stabs him with the slow knife that cuts deepest.
This leads to one of my favorite moments in the film. A wounded Batman takes control of the Atomic Bomb. He kisses Selina and gets into his Batwing that is now carrying the bomb which is counting down. Before he takes off, Gordon asks Batman who he is. Gotham will never know who the hero who saved Gotham is?! Batman answers the following:
We flashback and see a young Gordon put his coat around the shoulders of a crying 8 yr old Bruce Wayne. This moment still gives me shivers, as Gordon realizes Batman is Bruce Wayne. Jim, Catwoman and John Blake watch, as Batman flies off into the distance and the bomb detonates. Batman is dead. At this point I was trying real hard not to cry and failing miserably.
Then one of the best montages in cinematic history begins. We watch as a statue of Batman is unveiled. A tribute to Gotham's Dark Knight who sacrificed his life for the citizens of Gotham. We cut to Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, John Blake and Alfred in front of the grave of Bruce Wayne, which is beside the graves of his parents. Gordon reads a passage from a Tale Of Two Cities. Alfred breaks down lamenting: "I failed you." It was Alfred's responsibility to watch over Bruce and now he's dead. This scene destroyed me.
Then we cut to John Blake at the reading of Bruce Wayne's will. Blake inherits a gym bag. When he goes to retrieve it, the person at Waynecorp needs his full ID... which reads: ROBIN JOHN BLAKE! I nearly stood up and cheered. After years of swearing we would see no Robin in his films, Christopher Nolan pulled a Prestige on us. He fooled us. I lost my mind at this point. The definitive Batman trilogy needed a Robin. Robin has been a part of the Batman universe since 1940. Nolan nailed it. Looking back on the film you realize that you're watching Robin in action. The way he springs into action to save an injured Gordon who is about to be assassinated at the hospital. The way he selflessly tries to save the orphaned children. His disdain for guns after shooting two thugs. We were watching Robin without knowing it the whole time! Utterly brilliant.
We then cut to Alfred. On Vacation in Florence. He sits at a cafe and sees a familiar face a few tables away-- a smiling Bruce Wayne with Selina Kyle. Bruce is alive! Bruce gets his happily ever after. After all those years of torment Bruce Wayne gets the ending he deserved. He gave so much to Gotham and to see him smile and happy warmed my heart. Beautiful moment. As for those wondering how Alfred tracked Bruce down? Pay close attention because Selina is wearing Bruce's mom's pearls. The same pearls that have a tracking device in them.
We then cut to Jim Gordon on the GCPD rooftop. The Bat-Signal is repaired and Gordon smiles, realizing Batman is still alive. And then my favorite moment. The moment that still gives me goosebumps. Robin with the help of a GPS system he found in the gym bag, swings into the batcave via the waterfall. He lights a flare just like Bruce Wayne did all those years ago in Batman Begins.
A swarm of bats swirls around Robin... echoing Bruce's experience in Batman Begins. And then...
The floor beneath Robin begins to RISE. The Rising platform revealing the Batcave and the Bat-uniform. We realize that THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is not a franchise ender but a franchise starter.
As the platform rises, the screen goes black and the title appears: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Absolutely magnificent ending.
A few thoughts on the biggest surprise of the film: The Inclusion of Robin. What I loved is that Robin John Blake is an amalgamation of the 3 Robin's in the comic book universe. He's a good cop, as was Richard Grayson at one point in comicbook history. He's constantly referred to as a hot-head, as was the doomed Jason Todd... and he was able to deduce Batman's secret identity just like Tim Drake did. John Blake was the perfect Robin. I like to think that if they were to continue the Nolan-verse, that Robin would eventually become KNIGHTWING and he would look like the picture below.
But in the manner in which the trilogy is structured it's crystal clear that Robin will eventually become Batman. Bruce can live the rest of his life secure in the knowledge that Gotham has a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a Dark Knight. In many ways, The Dark Knight Rises could easily have been titled BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS. As Bruce finally lives a normal life & for the first time, Christopher Nolan gives us a happy, optimistic ending.
Finally, at the end of the trilogy Bruce Wayne accomplished his mission. In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne told Alfred he wanted to create a symbol that would inspire people toward heroism and goodness. The moment Robin John Blake steps into the batcave and the platform rises, Bruce Wayne's mission is accomplished. The final moments of the THE DARK KNIGHT RISES cements Bruce Wayne's legacy, as THE LEGEND OF THE DARK KNIGHT will live forever.
Your Friend,
D.
