The Dark Knight Rises

[saveus1011]

I'm so thankful my feeble mind couldn't pick that up.

[sshuttari]

Well I thought he was Robin not Batman. But ok!

[Mikey-Bizzle]

Saw it at the iMax last night and thought it was the best film of 2012 anyone that says othewise is a liar!!

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by Mikey-Bizzle

anyone that says othewise is a liar!!

Fascinating.

[MasterChief117]

My BIGGEST problem with The Dark Knight Rises, and maybe Nolan's interpretation of Batman, is the absolute meaning of Batman. To me, what made Batman so great, was seeing a man(rich, 1%er) who had suffer a great tragedy, basically driving him to the brink of madness, he uses his own fear to balance himself out and to make sure what had happened, never happens again. It's Bruce Wayne's story, Batman is, the meaning of Batman and I really have never been a fan of someone else doing Batman, nor 'It does not matter who Batman is '. OF COURSE IT MATTERS. The reason why Batman is Batman is the whole reason why Batman even exists!?


That's always completely bothered me, but oh well.

[Neverending]

I have nothing against another person becoming Batman. So, my only issue is that it's completely out-of-character for Bruce Wayne to pass on the baton without him supervising in some shape or form. I can't imagine him sipping coffees in Florence, Italy without constantly thinking of John Blake's well-being. He would meddle sooner or later.

[JBond]

Eh, he could Google him now and again.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by Neverending

I have nothing against another person becoming Batman.

Then you're not a Batman fan and you won't understand why Batman fans have inherent issues with Nolan's movies.

[JBond]

As long as it's not George Lazenby.

[Deexan]

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Tornado]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Then you're not a Batman fan and you won't understand why Batman fans have inherent issues with Nolan's movies.

Don't say that like it applies to all Batman fans. A lot of Batman fans, including myself, love Nolan's films.

[Deexan]

[Justin]

That's cool.

[Henri Ducard]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Then you're not a Batman fan and you won't understand why Batman fans have inherent issues with Nolan's movies.

You didn't like Batman Beyond?

[DarthVader 2004]

That concept works but shouldn't the cop been named Terry whatever. I liked all 3 movies and all but if ask me something feel incomplete. Just seems like things are missing from TDK to TDKR. I think 4 movies would have been ok really.
But thats not what we got and yes as a Trilogy this is quite good but most peoples complaints I hear has been that the series seemed to be forced to end in 3 and leaving more questions then answers between the 8 year gap.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by JBond

Wow, it's like he solved "Lost," or something. Now all I have left to say is...no ****. I thought the ending was "extremely clear", as he himself put it.

Agreed.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by sshuttari

Masterchief!!!! You need to read this article is effing amazing!!! I'm surprised no one else has picked up on!

Also everyone does but I think masterchief will be blown away!!! Like I was. What a great movie and ending!!


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The Meaning Of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Fate In 'The Dark Knight Rises' - SPOILERS

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhugh...ises-spoilers/


Now that Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy has come to a conclusion with The Dark Knight Rises, everyone is talking and debating the meaning of the end of the film, and what happens to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character John Blake. So let me break it down for you and explain, including perhaps the one obvious thing that everyone seems to have missed so far. Read on! But be warned, here there be SPOILERS!

First of all, let me clear one thing up right away — yes, Bruce Wayne really is still alive at the end. For some reason that escapes me, a segment of fans are insisting it’s “open to interpretation” whether Bruce actually is sitting in that cafe, or if it’s just Alfred’s imagination. But there should be no confusion, the shot of Bruce at the cafe comes amid a montage of scenes showing each person close to Bruce finding out a bit of information revealing Bruce survived the nuclear blast. Lucius finds out Bruce secretly did repair the autopilot on “the Bat,” Gordon finds a repaired bat-signal on the roof of the MCU (contrary to some reviewer’s misunderstanding, Gordon didn’t repair it himself, he walks up and looks shocked to find the new bat-signal, runs a hand over it, grins, and looks around, all in the montage about Bruce’s actions), John Blake gets a big bag full of equipment and a GPS locator, and Alfred gets Bruce’s money and then sees Bruce at the cafe. Bruce’s arc ends with him finally being able to move on with his life, and without that fulfillment Bruce would actually have no true character arc (getting his back fixed and climbing out of the hole to fight Bane again is not a full arc, for those inclined to say the climb out of the pit is the major point in his arc).

Now, I’ll move on to the main question about the film’s end, and the one most of you are probably still unsure about — what happens to Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character at the end, and who exactly will he become? I previously wrote, prior to the film’s release, my theory that the character John Blake would be Nolan’s version of Robin in this film, and it of course turned out to be pretty much true. Blake has the background of Tim Drake, for the most part (his father is murdered due to a gambling situation, and he later deduces Batman’s identity while still a young kid), but then grows up to have Dick Grayson’s adult life (being a police officer and ally of Batman who has dealt with the tragedy in his childhood in a more productive and healthy way than Bruce dealt with his own tragedies, plus that whole chalk emblem, all adds up to a “realistic” incarnation of Nightwing). Then, we find out that his actual legal name is Robin. So I’d argue that yes, he definitely served the role of Robin in The Dark Knight Rises. Meaning he was ALREADY Robin, he isn’t going to become Robin in the future.

Who is he going to become, then? Obviously, Batman. I know most fans seem to feel Blake is going to continue being Robin, and will just now use a mask to disguise his identity — although, that would mean his “secret identity” is his actual literal first name! Nope, that isn’t the meaning of the end of the film. A major theme in the story is “Who was Batman? He was just Batman, the person under the mask doesn’t matter, because ANYBODY can be Batman!” We hear this several times, and it speaks back to the longstanding concept in the Nolan trilogy that a symbol is eternal and cannot be killed or destroyed, and that is what Batman became — an eternal symbol for Gotham, a symbol that would be anybody.

Then, Bruce gives Blake a bag full of equipment to help him locate the batcave, which still contains all of Batman’s equipment. Meanwhile, Gordon was given a brand new bat-signal to call Batman. With Blake getting a cave filled with bat-themed equipment and suits, and Gordon having a signal with the bat-emblem on it, that’s some additional strong evidence that Blake is indeed going to become a new Batman.

But there’s one final piece of evidence, and it’s the “big guns” in my argument. I’ve not seen anyone mention this yet, despite how powerful the imagery is. Consider…

What is the very last shot in the film? It’s Blake, stepping forward in the batcave as the big platform comes up out of the water to lift him into the air toward the Batman equipment that we can see in the distance. The platform lifts Blake out of sight, turning the screen black. And what comes next? The title: The Dark Knight RISES.

Yep, that title has many meanings in the film, including Batman coming back from retirement, Batman climbing up out of the pit to save Gotham, Batman rising as a symbol of hope again in Gotham, and Batman’s general victory over Bane and over the tragedy in his own life. But it has one final meaning, symbolized extremely clearly in the final shot of the film when we see John Blake step forward and that platform RISING to lift him to claim the legacy of Batman that Bruce has passed on to him. The Dark Knight will rise again, with someone else taking up the mantle to keep the symbol alive.

You simply cannot ignore the overt imagery of Blake rising on that platform followed by the title appearing on screen. Notice that Nolan’s films always leave the title until the very end of the movie. That’s where the title of each film has its final, full embodiment: from the announcement that Batman has begun; to the proclamation that Batman is Gotham’s dark knight protecting the city; and lastly to Batman rising to his final, firm status in Gotham as an incorruptible symbol that cannot be killed.

While of course people are free to interpret the story and the end of the film however they wish, I feel that there’s too much importance in the symbolism of that final scene, and in Blake having already served the role of Robin before moving on to serve as the man who will keep Batman’s legend alive. Without those things, the story has a gap and doesn’t truly come full circle with all of the themes of the trilogy. Just as Bruce being alive is necessary for his arc to be fulfilled, so to is it necessary for Batman’s arc and Blake’s arc to be fulfilled by John Blake assuming the mantle as Batman.

And there you have it, dear readers, the real meaning behind the end of The Dark Knight Rises. No doubt, the debate will continue, but I think the evidence is pretty overwhelming and supports my conclusions. What say you, fans? Sound off in the comments below!

VIDEO-CLick to Watch!:

[Dhamon22]

I can't wait to write an article explaining why Luke Skywalker's father is actually... Darth Vader! Its painstakingly obvious!

[Deexan]

Originally Posted by sshuttari

Masterchief!!!! You need to read this article is effing amazing!!! I'm surprised no one else has picked up on!

Also everyone does but I think masterchief will be blown away!!! Like I was. What a great movie and ending!!


------------------------------------------------------------------

The Meaning Of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's Fate In 'The Dark Knight Rises' - SPOILERS

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markhugh...ises-spoilers/

Obvious stuff.

[Neverending]

I pity any person who was confused by the ending.

[Ser Ty Of Ross]

The Dark Knight Sunk

[MasterChief117]

Originally Posted by Tornado

Don't say that like it applies to all Batman fans. A lot of Batman fans, including myself, love Nolan's films.

As well as myself. I always wanted to see a more...Batman centric movie. Nolan films, you never really get to see a lot of Batman, and I always wanted that.


But yeah, I kinda disagree with Daniel's notion that 'most' hate Nolan's ideology. They are well crafted movies, regardless of how much they differ.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by Neverending

I pity any person who was confused by the ending.

As do the rest of us.

[Knerys]

I have been a fan through many reicaration of the character. Nolan's take is just as valid as Miller's, Lee's, Tim's, Burton's or even Kane and Finger's

He explored what we've rarely seen in Batman's stories. He gave something new to consider. I applaud him for giving us a new angle and following through with all the obstacles in his way. He wanted to make Batman real. And to do that you cannot ignore the toll it would take on Bruce Wayne. If Batman goes down its the man inside the suit that gets hurt. We've seen the viligante. Now we get to see the man.

[MasterChief117]

I had a girl text me last night, saying she didn't understand the movie. After conversing for a while about it, I asked her about her favorite movies...her response? Transformers Dark of the Moon, Fast Five and Step Brothers. That 8 just became a 7, real fast.