SPOILED Dark Knight Rises, with SPOILERS discussion

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

I warned you! Do not, I repeat DO NOT read on unless you've either seen DKR already, or you like to have your fun spoiled!

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

I saw it last night with a few friends, and I am quite certain I liked more than any of them. There were a few problems I had, but I did like it quite a bit.

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

This is a weird nitpick, but while I didn't mind that the Pittsburgh Steelers were replaced by the Gotham team (which makes me think that maybe in the Movie U Gotham is where Pittsburgh is, not that it matters in the least), it took me out of the moment that they were playing another fictional DC Universe city. I don't think I would have minded if it was Metropolis or even Coast City, but I think the added realism of having Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger made me want a real team in there. (I'm sure there were some I didn't recognize... after I saw Ben Roethlisberger and knew Ward was going to be in it, I looked for Troy Polamalu but didn't see him anywhere.)

Incidentally, I was sitting right next to a guy who works for the Colts, and he was saying out loud, "Booo! Wrong team!" I think he thought we would all think it was funny, but no.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I thought they were playing a team from Rapid City, SD. They don't have an NFL franchise (that I know of), but it's a real city.

[Rich Lane]

Pittsburgh doesn't have a bay.

Wandering Sensei said:

(which makes me think that maybe in the Movie U Gotham is where Pittsburgh is, not that it matters in the least), 

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

Okay. Well, that's fine. As I said, that part doesn't matter in the least.

Rich Lane said:

Pittsburgh doesn't have a bay.

[Alan M.]

Gotham City is, apparently, in Gotham State — when they're cut off, the officers on the bridge keeping people from leaving are wearing uniforms that say "Gotham State Police" on them.

 

(This explains why, in The Dark Knight, we see license plates that say "Gotham" on them; at the time, I thought it was ridiculous that they would try to present a license plate had a city rather a state on it...)

[ClarkKent_DC]

I just got back from seeing it. First impressions -- WHOA! I spent half the movie with my jaw in my lap, between the "Oh, no they didn't!" moments and the "I read that story!" moments. 

Well and truly done.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Other thoughts (as per usual practice, I haven't read the rest of this thread -- yet):

• I kept waiting for the opening credits to start, and about 20 minutes in, realized it just wasn't going to happen. This isn't the first movie I've seen without opening credits, but it's not typical.

• More harkening back to the previous films that I would have expected, but it helped tie them all together

• I just knew this earnest rookie detective would be a Robin somehow.

• I always loved Anne Hathaway, but I really loved her here. She wasn't and wouldn't have been the first person to come to my mind to be the femme fatale, because she started out playing chirpy ingenues in so many teen movies. But I had no doubt she could deliver, and man, did she!

• Two and a half hours and it didn't drag one bit. I usually feel that nearly every movie I watch could have been half an hour shorter, but not here.

• I did notice that Batman was not on screen for long, long stretches at a time.

• That whatever-the-heck-it-was on Bane's face -- why did the costume designer think that was a good idea? It wasn't. Okay, so they don't want to do the luchador mask, fine, but it was difficult at times to comprehend what Bane was saying.  And Christian Bale's Batman voice didn't help matters either.

• This was one of those movies where things start off bad and get worse, and you know the hero's going to save the day ... but the longer it goes on and the worse it gets -- and it keeps getting worse and worse -- you do wonder how he's going to do it. And then it gets still worse, and even more worse, and you then start to wonder if he's going to do it. Masterfully done.

• Man, I love Anne Hathaway. In the early going, she played the demure little maid, but when confronted by Bruce Wayne, she went to cold, calculating battler in seconds.

• Ra's al-Ghul! Nobody told me he was going to show up here!

• The reveal of Talia I did not see coming.

• Likewise the tie between Talia and Bane.

• I saw it with my son, which was my first time and his second. He very graciously did not reveal anything, although he did allow that the second movie in the series had "the best opening ever," and this one had "the best ending ever."

• He did think it was hard to swallow that the ENTIRE police force was trapped in the sewers, and I have to agree. On the one hand, you did have to explain away how Bane could take over without the police to stop him, and that ploy makes sense -- but yeah, not the ENTIRE police force.

• It didn't really hit me until quite a ways in -- I was picking my jaw up off the floor at the sight of the bridges being blown -- that they were doing a riff on "No Man's Land"!

• What? The President of the United States is a White guy?

• Nice little act of Bruce Wayne there, walking around with a cane.

• What's that his doctor said? Scar tissue, no cartilage in his knees, and worse? He really does need the cane? Ouch! 

• I knew right away, however, that when Selina Kyle was being delivered to Blackgate Prison that they were doing "Knightfall."

• My son pointed out that the Gotham football team was comprised of Pittsburgh Steelers players. But the opposing team was "Rapid City"? Why not Metropolis or Central City or Coast City or Keystone City or Ivy Town?

• Ah, Michael Caine as Alfred. Just superb.

• I always thought there's a story to be told about the years Alfred essentially raised Bruce after his parents were murdered. A servant becomes a father figure, but still is in the servant role? He has the moral authority of a parent, but the place of an employee -- there are some interesting story threads to untangle there.

• The whole hijacking the airplane in mid-air bit -- WHOA! My jaw was in my lap.

• I have to admit, the whole financial machinations in the early going were a bit hard to follow, but as more things fell into place, they made sense.

• Christian Bale, what can I say? He was excellent. Morgan Freeman, too.

• The fanboy in me did say, when Alfred opened the door to the Batcave by playing three notes on the piano, what happened to setting the hands on the grandfather clock?

• On the other hand -- the Batcave is back! Yay!

• Oh, and I just love Anne Hathaway! 

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

I know a lot of people didn't care for Tom Hardy's/Bane's voice, but I seriously thought it was glorious.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I wasn't crazy about Bane's voice -- it didn't kill the movie for me, but I just didn't quite buy that it was coming out of him -- and though I haven't seen Highlander, I did think Connery.

[ClarkKent_DC]

The bit at the end with Alfred at his table just giving a nod to Bruce and Selina at their table was spot-on. No grand reconciliation? No walking up to him and giving him a hug? Chalk that up to proper British reserve. After all, Alfred has kept Bruce's secrets for Bruce's entire life; no reason for him to stop now.

And I agree; it was important for us to see that Bruce was alive. And it was important to see who he was with. How long that might last ... who knows? It's enough that they're together for today.

[Philip Portelli]

I saw it today and it was very good. A bit surprised that they said eight years had passed between films, the difference being a man in his prime and starting to slow down.

• The Scarecrow was there, Harvey was flashbacked, Rachel mentioned but not the Joker! And he survived! I realize the reality of the situation but in story it seems odd. Though I can't see the Joker working for Bane let alone with him.
• Talia was a shock to me. And after she was revealed, I wanted to see her battle Catwoman. Oh, well....
• I didn't think Anne Hathaway was a good choice for Selina but obviously I was wrong! Still I can't believe she could breath in that outfit not that I'm complaining!
• Finally a Robin without the creepy relationship!
• A happy ending for the Dark Knight...unless Man of Steel flops!