Ah, The Dark Knight Rises. The summer movie most anticipated by grown men still living in their parents’ homes across the globe. I have a love-hate relationship with Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. On one hand, it’s hard to argue against what a bold, masterful take they are on such a beloved character, saving the franchise after it had sunk into the depths of self-parody (two words–Batsuit nipples). The acting from Christian Bale and virtually everyone else involved in the films is strong, with gorgeous visuals and as real-world a plot as one can expect from a comic book movie.
I suppose that’s where the problem also lies in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy–striving for reality in a world inhabited by a millionaire dressed as a bat who fights ninjas, a man in clown makeup and, now, a guy in a gas mask who isn’t a white power survivalist and a woman in cat ears who exists outside of a Japanese brothel. Try to rationalize it all you want, but the world of a comic book character is inherently ridiculous, and ignoring that fact doesn’t make it any less true.
To make the tightrope walk of plausibility even more difficult is the advance buzz that Dark Knight Rises contains a heavy undercurrent of real-world politics to it. Which is okay in and of itself, but I have a feeling that a significant percentage of adults are going to be getting the majority of their political insight from viewing a Batman movie. And that means we’ve completed our transformation into man-children watching Sesame Street–information being fed to us by silly looking characters because it’s the only way our attention can be hld.
I have a feeling that, ultimately, The Dark Knight Rises is going to disappoint. Not last-episode-of-Seinfeld disappoint, but maybe Blake Griffin lack-of-skillset-development disappoint. The movie is almost three hours long. It has two villains (always a hallmark of a bloated superhero script. Yes, I’m even including The Dark Knight.) And it carries the burden of having to wrap up Christopher Nolan’s Batman saga. Has any movie that attempted to end a trilogy ever been the best of the bunch? Other than Booty Talk — Favorite Asses #3, the answer is “no”.
Computer graphics are out of control in movies lately. When did people stop giving a fuck about seeing anything that looked remotely realistic on their screen? It all looks like […]
Rick on July 17, 2012
I don’t think the Booty Talk trilogy is an apt comparison, if only because Booty Talk 1 was a stronger start than Batman Begins. I didn’t feel like they made Booty Talk 1 just so they could make Booty Talk 2.
David on July 17, 2012
I look forward to your review after having seen it.
Heezy on July 17, 2012
Christian Bale’s a great actor, but I cannot stand his Batman voice. I imagine that’s how he would sound in real life if he were suffering from septic shock.