"A hero can be anyone": My Review of The Dark Knight Rises
As a Batman fan, I get the feeling that those involved with The Dark Knight Rises were making the movie just for me.
Of course, they have no idea who I am. I've never met them. They have no idea what I would have liked. My only way of explaining that connection is that the folks who made this movie and the two preceding it are fans of The Batman just like me and did the things they've always wanted to see.
Deshi Basara
The Dark Knight Rises is a fitting title. There are many ways in which the "rise" plays a part.
- Bruce Wayne making his return as Batman after eight years
- Bruce Wayne having to climb out of the Lazarus? pit with inmates chanting "deshi basara" which means "rise" or "He rises"
- A stabbed Bruce Wayne sacrificing his life for Gotham, only to be found alive at the end. Christ figure imagery, anyone?
- John Blake finding the Batcave and literally, rising out of the water and, as I would like to believe, becoming the new Batman a.k.a. The Dark Knight
- Gordon using the flare to ignite the Bat symbol overlooking the city
- The end of A Tale of Two Cities being read at Bruce Wayne's "funeral": ...I see a beautiful city and a brilliant people rising from this abyss...
I loved Bruce's rise out of the pit, not only because it's inspirational, but because the filmmakers took their time with it. He wasn't just thrown in there with his back healing in a day and getting out during his first attempt. Bane's plan (as it is in Knightfall) to break Bruce's spirit is almost successful. Bruce suffers physically with a broken body while he watches Bane destroy his city. When he can't take it anymore, he wills himself to get up, put his body back together, and train for his climb. In his third attempt, Bruce doesn't use the rope as a safety net. That says so much about Bruce Wayne's character and how he has no fear. The bats flying out of the pit's walls was a nice visual and symbolic touch to remind him why he was escaping: to return to Gotham as Batman to help restore the city he loves. The creatures that once frightened him were now giving him strength.
The Hero Gotham Deserved and Needed
There are aspects of every part of this trilogy that make me fall in love with Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne, but The Dark Knight Rises just amplifies all of them.
He starts as a recluse, having shut himself off to the world because Batman has become an enemy of the people. But, even when Batman couldn't show his face and he wasn't wearing the cape and cowl anymore, Bruce still cared what was going on around him. He watched the Harvey Dent celebration from the shadows of his balcony. He held Jim Gordon's hand in the hospital. He encouraged Selina Kyle and John Blake to be the best versions of themselves. What that tells me is that it's not the Batsuit that makes the man. He could be a hero without the suit, but as he explains to Blake, there are reasons to wear it.
And, wear it again, he does.
When Batman makes his return after his eight-year absence, an older cop tells the younger officer, "Oh boy, you are in for a show tonight, son" and he wasn't kidding. I loved the shot of Batman first walking up to the thug he knocked off the motorcycle that started with his feet and tilted up to reveal (if you couldn't already tell) who it was. Being a big fan of the Bat-Pod (seriously, how cool was it no matter who drove it?), my jaw drops every time I see it jump that ramp to get away from the multitude of cops. So yeah, Batman put on a great show that night.
The image of Batman that sticks with me the most from The Dark Knight Rises is the shot of him looking straight at the audience before The Bat disappears into the distance and over the water. Because it's the last time we ever see Bale's Batman onscreen, in some weird fourth wall way, I felt like he was saying a goodbye to ME.
Before seeing the movie, I had speculated from trailers and interviews that Batman would "die" and Bruce Wayne would live so the ending wasn't terribly surprising to me. What I hadn't counted on was that even though I guessed part of the ending correctly, it still affected me in a profound way. Seeing those kids in the school bus, cheering on The Bat as it flew by with that heroic music underscoring the moment is goosebump-inducing.
Batman's actions in saving Gotham City from Bane and Talia's terror earned him a statue, but more importantly, the redemption in the eyes of the citizens who built it in his memory.
"It doesn't matter who we are. What matters is our plan."
When I first heard Bane was going to be the villain in Nolan's last Batman movie, my response was "Bane? Really?". I knew who he was and what he was famous for, but he'd never been a villain of any particular interest to me. But, once this picture made its way to the Internet and I witnessed Tom Hardy's performance in the trailers, I was 100% on board.
I know most people consider Heath Ledger's Joker portrayal to be the best rogue in the trilogy (he did win an Oscar for it), but in a lot of ways, I enjoyed Hardy's Bane even more. Lots of complaints were talked and written about regarding his voice for the character, but I loved every second of his accent and delivery. That speech in front of Blackgate? Holy crap. I'm drawn into it every time.
Bane is intimidating to everyone from Dr. Pavel to Daggett to Batman, yet could make a joke at unexpected times and shed a tear when Talia recounted the story of her protector. He was terrifying, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Such a multifaceted villain.
I don't know why, but I was shocked when Bane broke Batman's back. I had no idea if they would include that classic comic book element in this version or not. I went in with low expectations and geeked out when Bane said his famous line, "I will break you" and did the most realistic version of the back breaking possible. I shouldn't have been so pleased to see the Bat broken, but the nerd inside me loved it despite it being hard to watch. After three viewings, I still can't believe they actually showed it, cracking sound effect and all.
Pain might have been Bane's kryptonite, but he wasn't the only character who felt it and that's what makes that theme so good. Bruce had physical pain from his fight with Bane, emotional pain in Alfred leaving him, romantic pain because of Miranda's betrayal, and spiritual pain when seeing the city he loves tormented. Talia's motivation to continue her father's wish in destroying Gotham was brought on by the pain of her past. Selina's pain over what she had to do in order to survive in her life brought her so much pain that she sought out a way to erase her actions. Gordon's lie to protect the city was eating away at him.
It's amazing what great writing and acting can do to change a "Really?" to "This was perfect!" and that's how I feel about the choice to use Bane in The Dark Knight Rises.
"I'm adaptable."
As I suspected would happen, Anne Hathaway totally nailed the character of Selina Kyle in my eyes. She was sexy and sly when she needed to be, but was also shown to be emotionally vulnerable and compassionate when showing her true self.
Two of my favorite Selina scenes are 1) her fight in the bar when she kicks serious ass and then transforms into a scared little girl as a ruse to escape the cops and 2) coming to the rescue of a boy being bullied by bigger men.
The reason why I love the apple scene so much is that throughout the Nolan Batman franchise, young boys are used in interactions with Batman or talking about Batman because they are representations of a young and innocent Bruce Wayne. For Selina Kyle to stick up for a young boy who is symbolic of Bruce's younger years, no matter if it was before or after his personal loss, is another reason why she is such a great match for him. She is, basically, showing that she would protect, not only young kids who can't defend themselves, but also the man she loves (which she does when she takes out Bane) if needed.
The parallel of Selina going to Blackgate at the same time Bruce is in the pit is just storytelling at its finest, y'all. Selina might have gotten out of Blackgate because Bane blasts the doors down while Bruce, majestically, climbs from the pit without fear, their first meeting after they are both free is fantastic. I don't think Selina knows what to feel immediately upon seeing Bruce alive and coming to find her. At first, she's so relieved because hope has returned and maybe a little bit because she fell in love with him, but then she tries to recoil into her defensive mechanism, which he calls her out on. It surprises Selina that he is not seeking revenge on her for leading him to Bane (which was actually his idea in the first place) and instead, encourages her to be better because he knows that she's capable of it.
One of the things I wasn't expecting going into the film was that we would see much of Selina's home life. So to see her apartment several times was fun for me. It showed how different her world was from Wayne Manor, but of course, due to Bruce's negligence and Bane's Stock Exchange trading with his fingerprints, Bruce becomes just as destitute as she is.
Just like Bruce visiting Selina at her home, she spends time at Wayne Manor. It may have been to steal his fingerprints and his mother's pearls, but I was ecstatic that she had a scene with Alfred! Selina might as well have been talking to her future pseudo father-in-law in that moment. In my opinion, that interaction showed her destined association with the Wayne family even before she first lays eyes on Bruce.
Speaking of Martha Wayne's pearl necklace that was shattered and restored (SYMBOLISM!), can we take a second to give it up for how that was integrated back into the story? Much of Bruce's motivation in life revolved around his father's example and words to him as a child so it was nice to see that his mother had just as much of an impact on his life. He protected those pearls in what he was told was an "uncrackable" safe, but they ended up around the neck of the woman he was meant to be with because she was the only one who could get to them. There's something symbolic in that, somewhere.
Bruce takes the necklace back from Selina at the charity ball, but when they start a new life, that's the only thing missing from the estate. Bruce makes a point to grab the pearls for Selina, the Catwoman, the jewel thief, and probably future Mrs. Wayne. I absolutely love that Martha Wayne's necklace becomes symbolic of Selina's role in Bruce's life.
Selina's story and character arc is one of my favorite things about The Dark Knight Rises. It shows that anyone can achieve redemption if they want and choose it. Her reward for her heroic choices is not only a pretty token of pearls (which she wears in the cafe in Florence), but a fresh start with the man she loves.
Holly Robinson? Admit it, that's pretty awesome.
General audiences may not have made the connection, but I was pleasantly surprised by the comic booky (specifically, Year One) inclusion of Holly Robinson in the film. At one point, IMDB said Juno Temple was playing Holly Robinson so I knew she was supposed to show up, but had no idea how she would be used. The IMDB page went from saying she was "Holly Robinson" to now saying she is "Jen", but Juno Temple played a character that was every bit the Holly Robinson from the comics.
I've read questions about Holly's interactions with Selina interpreting Selina as bisexual and I completely disagree with that and agree with this (although, I guess you could argue that Selina becomes whatever she has to in order to survive). If anything, when Holly comes up to Selina and hugs her from behind, I believe that's actually showing Holly's sexual orientation. Selina probably took Holly in because she had nowhere else to go. I've always considered Selina to be a big sister or even a maternal figure for Holly and that's how I saw it in The Dark Knight Rises.
Holly's inclusion in the story was not only awesome because it was very comic booky and paralleled Selina with Bruce (and his relationship with Blake) by having someone they took care of and/or mentored, I'd also like to think that when Selina leaves Gotham with Bruce, just like how Blake's potential future is that of The Batman, it could be that Holly becomes the new Catwoman.
"Goodbye, Alfred."
One of my biggest worries going into The Dark Knight Rises was that Alfred would die, thanks to his "I won't bury you" line from trailer #3. From that, I thought that would mean he wouldn't be around to bury Bruce.
Turns out, I read that line incorrectly.
Alfred, literally, does NOT bury Bruce Wayne underneath that tombstone because Bruce is NOT dead. But, that doesn't stop Alfred from making me cry while he's crying in front of that tombstone. Or, the scene in which Alfred tells Bruce the truth about Rachel's letter. Or, when Alfred describes hearing Bruce's baby cries echo in the house. I mean good grief, Michael Caine. The emotions, man. Every time.
Bruce may say "goodbye" to Alfred, signifying the last time he'll see him in Gotham, but it's definitely not the last time they'll see each other forever.
Alfred Pennyworth's purpose in life was to take care of the Wayne family. When Thomas and Martha were shot and killed, his life's work was then to protect and raise Bruce, a child he had known since his birth. Every character of good in this story got a reward, but Alfred's might have been the sweetest. He had worked his whole life to make sure Bruce Wayne would be okay and seeing him alive and happy was all he needed to know his mission had been completed.
Robin John Blake
Before The Dark Knight Rises was released, there was much speculation and debate on the Interweb about whether or not Joseph Gordon-Levitt's John Blake character would turn out to be Robin. After all, he sort of looks like a Robin and John Blake was a rather obscure comic book character.
When all that was going on, I, as I often do about these things, had a discussion with chiri_chan about whether or not John Blake would turn out to be Robin. We both wanted it to happen and she was more certain of it than I was (mostly, because when it comes to speculating on stories, I try never to speak in absolutes like a Sith), but I'm glad to know that we both got what we wanted. For me, I was hesitant to say "Yes, he is most definitely Robin!" because I remembered reading that Christian Bale was against the idea of a Robin in the Nolan version of Batman. No way would he show up if Christian Bale of all people didn't like the idea. But, I wanted it to happen, not only to have a Robin to Bale's Batman, but because of the interaction between Selina Kyle and John Blake. I liked the idea of Catwoman talking to Robin about Batman.
Blake is such a good detective (which is an appropriate term used for a future Batman) that he figures out that Bruce Wayne is Batman (which, as I was reminded, is also something Tim Drake does). Blake and Bruce have common backgrounds in being orphans and knowing an anger that comes from sadness. Both develop a disdain for guns. And, neither of them fear death. I thought it was a nice touch that in the scene when Blake pretty much tells Bruce that he knows who he really is, there are masks on the shelves which was visual throwback to both of them knowing what it is like to wear one.
What I really loved about the reveal of Robin is that during the film, Bruce/Batman is teaching Blake how to be Batman in the advice that he gives him. He tells Blake to wear a mask to protect the people he loves. Bruce tells Blake that the point of Batman was that he could be anyone and by the last shot of the movie, the ideal of that statement comes to fruition.
Bruce and Blake's relationship isn't always serious. When Batman comes to Blake's aid and after they fight side by side, Blake yells out "You missed a spot!" which prompts Batman to kick one of the mercenaries who is trying to get up. That was so Batman and Robin, it was ridiculously fun.
It's cool to go back and rewatch the movie and follow John Blake knowing who he becomes in the end. At one point, when attacked by one of Bane's men, the guy asks Blake, "Who are you?" and there is no response. That question is a question of his identity. Who is he, really? He has to figure that out. Is his name John Blake or is it Robin John Blake? Is he a cop? Is he an orphan who helps other orphans? Is he Robin, the Boy Wonder? Is he the next Batman? Maybe he's all of those things combined.
"Thank you, Christopher Nolan!" - BatCat Shippers Everywhere
I've loved Bruce/Selina and Batman/Catwoman interactions since 1992 when I first saw "Batman Returns" so seeing them on the big screen together for the first time in twenty years was one of the aspects of The Dark Knight Rises I was most looking forward to.
And, this movie did NOT disappoint.
I absolutely love that Bruce and Selina first meet each other without the costumes. I think that's so important because it shows that their bond is built on who they really are, not the masks they hide behind. Their Meet Violent (as opposed to a Meet Cute) is fun because it, immediately, sets up the Cat-Mouse nature of their relationship. She steals his mother's pearl necklace and his fingerprints. He uses a crossbow on her. She knocks his cane out from under him and gracefully jumps out of his window.
I can't express in words the geek that bubbled up within me every time Batman and Catwoman were in costume together. Him helping her on the rooftop and immediately, challenging her on the gun issue by knocking hers out of her hand. Them flying away in The Bat together (which, in my silly comic book mind, was the equivalent to Lois Lane flying with Superman). Him giving her the Bat-Pod, which she rides just as well as he does (and is actually a very comic thing because Selina/Catwoman rides motorcycles). Oh, and that kiss before Batman goes off to do his hero thing? Iconic stuff right there, boy. I had to laugh about it because when I saw it with a friend, she leaned over and whispered, "there's no time for this" and as the comic book / BatCat fan that I am, I responded "there's ALWAYS time for this". It wasn't the only time they kissed in the movie (and I'm glad their first kiss was as Bruce and Selina), but to see Catwoman wrap her arms around Batman and plant one on him before he saves the city is the absolute greatest.
I loved that both Bruce and Selina knew about each other. She knew he was born inside Wayne Manor, but wrong on the small detail of which room. He figured out where she lived and visited her there. I really loved that because again, it shows that their relationship was more than their masks. They knew about each other as people.
I was hoping for a Happy Ending for Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, but because I had never seen it done before (due to comic books being a literary version of never-ending soap operas), I didn't get my hope up too much. I don't think I can fully express into words the joy that was in my heart when, like Alfred, I saw Bruce sitting at the cafe with Selina. Bruce Wayne not only gets a fresh start, leaving behind his past of heartache and tragedy, but he chooses to spend his life with a woman who needs that, too.
"Stuck-Up Girlfriend"
Ever since I saw these set photos of Marion Cotillard, I, along with the rest of the Internet, assumed she was playing Talia al Ghul. Even so, I still got duped by the movie with the red herring of Bruce thinking Bane was the son of Ra's. As someone who typically yet respectfully, does NOT like the Talia character, I was glad to be able to hate her again when she finally revealed herself after stabbing Batman.
What I hoped this movie would do and to my excitement in it happening, is that the story paralleled and contrasted the two women in Bruce Wayne's life. Both Miranda Tate and Selina Kyle wore masks (because they had other identities at the time) at the charity ball. Both picked up a picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Both begged Bruce to leave and go away with her (which he ends up doing with Selina). Both, at some point in the story, knew Bruce Wayne was Batman.
But, the difference separating Selina Kyle from Talia al Ghul is the choice she makes. While Talia wanted to fulfill her father's desire to see Gotham destroyed, Selina fought her selfish instinct to flee, turned around, and did what she could to help Batman.
I didn't get the physical "cat" fight between Selina and Talia that I wanted, but to hear Selina call Miranda/Talia Bruce's "stuck-up girlfriend" was good enough to make me smile.
"Gotham! Take control of your city!"
Bane's words to the football crowd might have been a joke to him, but it was taken to heart by the Gotham City Police Department when the government gave up on them. They, literally, were the last stand for the innocents left behind.
At the end of The Dark Knight, the GCPD was instructed to hunt down The Batman. They saw him as an enemy. But, by the end of The Dark Knight Rises, they saw him as a champion and a leader they could all get behind, even erecting a statue (with a shroud, looking very ComicBook!Batman blue) to commemorate his sacrifice.
Not only did good cops like Gordon (how epic was that moment when he puts his glasses back on in the hospital?) and Blake show themselves to be heroes, we got to see a change in Foley, who, initially, wanted to hide from the danger because he thought everything was hopeless. Gordon tells Foley that he doesn't expect him to walk down the street, wearing his dress blues to help, but what does Foley do after seeing the Bat symbol lit up? WALKS DOWN THE STREET IN HIS DRESS BLUES. Despite his earlier cowardice, Foley dies the death of a military hero.
The war theme of this movie was such a great way to go out. There's a slow build from peace to war that goes from Harvey Dent Day celebrations to the Star-Spangled Banner (a song written out of witnessing battle) being sung by a young boy before the city is destroyed to the silence that underscores torn American flags hanging from buildings.
One of my favorite moments in the movie is when Bane orders his men to fire on the GCPD, who have gathered for war in the streets, and right as the camo Tumbler fires, The Bat intercepts it, protecting the cops, who cheer wildly, and begin to charge. They were weary and timid before that, but Batman proved he was there for them. Bruce's goal was to inspire the people of Gotham and to show them that they didn't have to be afraid. And, THAT moment, in my mind, is everything this trilogy is about.
The Legend Ends
I am more than totally and completely satisfied with the ending to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy.
Like every well-told story, all the good guys in the story were given their reward for all the strife they had gone through. Bruce finally found peace and happiness. Selina got her fresh start. Alfred discovered he had succeeded in his promise to the Waynes. Gordon found out Batman's true identity and restored the Bat signal (to make up for previously destroying it). Lucius was given evidence that Bruce might have survived the blast. And, John Blake found new purpose.
The ending to The Dark Knight Rises is fantastic because it gives you just enough answers that pay off the story it set up, but left you with some blanks you can fill in on your own.
By the end, Bane and his people had bankrupted Bruce Wayne. He had no money, so how was he off in Europe with Selina? My interpretation is that they used the money Selina had been, as Bruce had guessed earlier in the film, saving for retirement.
What happens to Bruce and Selina? Did they get married? What were they going to do if they weren't living in Gotham City? None of that is, specifically, answered, but in going with foreshadowing in the movie, I would like to think that Bruce and Selina DO get married (she's referred to as both Bruce's "girlfriend" AND "wife", so either role would fit in the future). I'm okay with them having kids like Alfred's dream for Bruce (if you wanted a strict interpretation, Selina could be pregnant in that moment), but I'm also okay if they don't. I also choose to believe they both retire from their Batman and Catwoman alter egos and they start fresh with the Rykin Data technology. Why would they need to continue in those roles when John Blake and Holly Robinson (who continues as Catwoman when Selina retires in comic book continuity) are, as far as we can assume, back in Gotham?
In regards to Robin John Blake's future, I think he becomes the new Batman of Gotham City. Of course, that's not set in stone nor a definitive interpretation. Depending on what you want to read into it, he could simply become Robin and wait around for Bruce to come back. Or, as my friend Mike sees it, Blake would become Nightwing. But, as for me, in going back to the title of the film (and the fact that there is a new Bat signal) and Bruce's hope that The Batman would serve as an everlasting symbol, I think it's poetic that Blake would continue that legacy. The first shot of the film is a foreshadowing image of an iced Bat symbol cracking to symbolize the cold winter of Batman's "death", but the last shot of the film is the Dark Knight rising.
Thank you, Christopher Nolan and your team, for treating the Batman mythology with the class and respect it deserves.