The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

And that’s the conclusion of the Nolan trilogy. After waiting what felt like an inordinate of months (for the film’s release), and what seemed like weeks after  opening night, I finally saw The Dark Knight Rises. The buzz for this movie has been crazy for over a year, with everyone talking thinking and wondering about the movie would be about. My wife and I made arrangements for the kids to be watched, and we went through a few hoops in order to meet up at the Menlo Park mall to have dinner and watch the movie. For a while, I didn’t think we would make it. We were both running late, I was coming via train, she was coming by car. I ended up walking towards the mall until she could pick me up, and get us the rest of the way. Somehow, we made it to our seats by 7pm. We ordered drinks and food, and settled into watching.

Do I need to go into the plot? 90’s era Batman villain Bane comes to Gotham, eight years after the events that transpired during The Dark Knight. Bruce has retired from crimefighting, and he’s a recluse. But he has to come back to foil Bane’s grand plot to destroy Gotham. The film was written by the Nolan brothers, and stars plent of new and old actors and actresses.

Can I be honest that I didn’t particularly like the film all that much? Is that sad to say? Yes, I think so. We waited a long time for this film to come out, to find out how the trilogy ended. I was expecting this blockbuster film with an amazing story. Instead, I was underwhelmed by the film’s plot, the reveals and plot twists, and the gaping plot holes in the film’s story. I realize that most of my coworkers loved the film, but I am bordering on annoyance. First off, there may be some spoilers, so stop reading now.

***** SPOILERS *****

A few things that bothered me:

1. Between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, it’s 12 months of Batman and Gordon cleaning up the city. In the comics, there is a long association between the two, and Batman is Gothan’s long time protector. After The Dark Knight, we learn that Bruce retired immediately after 2nd film, so he was only Batman for about year and change. What the heck? It’s like Jeremy Lin playing on the Knicks for only 20 games, and calling him legendary. A guy acting as a vigilante for a year is a blip in history.
2. I didn’t mind the twist at the end with Bane’s story, but Bane’s plot was basically a rehash of Ra’s al Ghul’s original plot. Big whoop. We’ve done this already.
3. Speaking of Bane (pun intended), even with the unnatural ADR post-production voice dubbing, I could barely understand what he was saying.
4. BTW, Bane and Batman are two students of the League of Shadows. You would expect some graceful, acrobatic, skillful  fighting between them. Instead, they resorted to throwing wild haymakers at each other. I thought I was watching an old episode of Star Trek. Batman didn’t use any strategy, no gadgets to even the odds against Bane. Ridiculous.
5. The Gotham City Police City dept was trapped underground for 5 months underground. I understand that they were given food and water, maybe blankets?, but nobody had a beard. Bane was also giving them razors for shaving?
6. Also, that pitched battle between Bane’s army and the GCPD. Years of tactical policie training, and their strategy is to run head-on at the opposing group? What?
7. Why would Bruce keep trusting Catwoman? She kept screwing with him. Also, hows does he find her so easily in such a big city.
8. I understand they filmed the movie in various cities to stand in for Gotham. That’s fine, but I didn’t understand Christopher Nolan sweeping shots of Manhattan. Seeing the Empire State Building and signs for Wall Street doesn’t evoke Gotham. It takes me out of the movie, and I say, “No, that’s not Gotham. That’s New York.”
9. When Gotham, one of the major (fictional) cities in the United States is taken over, the Federal Gov’t does nothing, and leaves it in the hands of a madman? Really?
10. No autopilot?
11. That was some magical medical treatment to treat Bruce’s back while in prison.
12. Robin. Enough said.

***** END SPOILERS *****

So I didn’t like the movie. After waiting all this time for the 3rd film in the trilogy to come out and wrap up the grand story, I was severely disappointed.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)