I think the author really captured the essence of the sense that despite all the hustle and bustle in the film, at its core, it seemed like kind of a non-event … like I was never really that worried or terrified about what was taking place, like oh its just cuddly bane and his loveable minions…

Please, fanboys, lay off the scathing attacks and death threats. I noticed that a good number of the more cogent non-obsessed people still agreed with the author. When you get this much hatemail, you know you are probably doing something right, i.e. saying something that badly needs to be sad.

While I liked this movie, I too felt it had problems, from the indiscriminate use of the VERY recognizable bits of NYC skyline (though some scenes were clearly filmed in Chicago) to the way Bane was made into Robespierre. I think Nolan wanted to tell a specific story here, and that it wasn’t really a Batman story.

THE BEGINNING: Batman has been fighting crime since we last saw him in TDK, though in a very weakened and diminished state; he is only dealing with your run-of-the-mill criminals, so he gets by. Alfred presents the idea that he should retire, but knows in the back of his mind that Wayne will never give up being Batman, because Batman is who he is; it’s what keeps him alive. Alfred and Wayne both know that the only way he could ever give up being Batman is if some outside entity forces him into doing so by drastically altering his life (i.e., through death OR revealing his identity to the point of rendering an alter ego useless).

ENTER BANE — this is our outside entity who is going to change Wayne’s life, BY FORCE.

1.) BLOW THE LID OFF: Yes. You have to literally tear down Bruce Wayne’s world. Revealing his identity to Gotham is one way of going about it. The LOS present a perfect lever for achieving this: arrive in Gotham, announce your plan of destroying the city, and reveal Batman’s identity to the public. Therefore, Bruce Wayne is exposed both in terms of having to deal with this new terrorist threat and the entire police force that is on their way to Wayne Manor to arrest the Batman. What will Wayne do? I don’t know, but this is what I call TENSION. The LOS are highly trained and highly efficient: they come to Gotham and do what they should: expose Bruce Wayne’s identity to get Batman out of the way, and race to get the bomb detonated. Now, Bruce Wayne has to deal with becoming the Batman quite literally by shedding Bruce Wayne, escaping the police by abandoning the manor with Alfred, and at the same time race against time to keep the LOS from setting off a bomb THAT THEY PROMISE WILL WIPE GOTHAM OFF THE MAP. Again, this is TENSION.

2.) JOHN BLAKE, the hot new cop on the scene, leads the police assault against Bruce Wayne. Blake keeps in contact with the LOS at all-times; he is working for them. BANE is focused on the task at hand, but is so consumed with narscicistic and nihilistic tendencies that he compromises the LOS’ plan by wanting to fight the Batman. He knows that the police will be too slow for Bruce Wayne, intentionally thwarts his capture in the hopes to face him alone, one on one — he looks forward to and savors the moment.

3.) MIRANDA TATE takes over the Wayne board, etc. Has a relationship with Wayne. Finds him irresistible. Wayne sees a possible long lasting love.

4.) JOHN BLAKE goes about his business but is really double guessing his involvement with the LOS. He is compassionate at his core and questions what he’s doing with the LOS, rejecting most of their methods but reveling in some — he has a soft spot for people and their freedom at justice — he begrudgingly accepts the LOS mentality, but he questions authority (just like Bruce Wayne rejects the command to execute the prisoner in BB under LOS training). Bane has general disdain for Blake, but accepts him as he is initiated into the LOS under the auspices of Ras al Ghul’s successor (who is yet to be revealed). Bane is skeptical of Blake because he wasn’t taken in by Ras, but taken in after Ras’ demise by his successor. Blake has killed people, but he regrets it — he has been brainwashed into thinking that this is how you fight crime. Blake has a respect for Batman.

5.) THE POLICE CORNER BRUCE WAYNE — Blake is the one who confronts Bruce, revealing that he works for the LOS, and that his real name is AZRAEL. Blake brings Wayne to Bane — they fight; Bane kicks his ass. Is imprisoned with the rest of Gotham’s wealthy. Bruce Wayne is BROKEN.

6.) BANE makes his case to the public, telling of an uprising — most of the police force side with Bane, the rest form a fringe — the citizens have turned against each other, those who support Bane and those who don’t.

7.) Wayne tells Azrael his story; they have similar backgrounds. Azrael has sympathy for Wayne. Says he wants to break from LOS, but doesn’t know how. Wayne gives him the option: Azrael accepts.

8.) Wayne finds Alfred in the bunker with Azrael. Alfred is relieved. Wayne has a plan.

9.) Batman gets back in the game. Beats Bane. Finds out Miranda is Talia. She gives him the option of joining her and says that she isn’t angered by her father’s death and the fact that Batman killed him, but instead admires Batman for this; she wants him to join her; says that he will have what he always wanted: a lover and crime wiped clean form Gotham. Batman rejects love because he can’t reconcile that with the death of millions. Talia fights him. Batman Kills her (indirectly) proceeds to displace the bomb, but not before half the city is blown apart, DYING in the process. Half the city is saved thanks to Batman’s actions.

IN THE COURSE OF THESE EVENTS:

GORDON DIES

FOX DIES

ALFRED COMES CLOSE, BUT DOESN’T DIE.

Foley is hailed as a hero and becomes the NEW COMISSIONER — Foley has newfound respect for the Batman and wishes he was still ALIVE. Remembers Gordon’s words that everyone will always need a friend like Batman to help fight evil.

Batman/Bruce Wayne is immortalized in the city. Gotham can’t believe that Bruce Wayne was the Batman. Some still don’t believe it even after it was publicly revealed.

Gotham’s finest attend Bruce Wayne’s funeral service. A somber moment. Foley is there.

CUT TO:

UNKNOWN EUROPEAN VILLA – DAY

Alfred is there. So is Bruce Wayne. HE SURVIVED. Alfred explains that maybe it took something that bad to happen (Fox dying, Gordon dying, half the city dying) for him to give up being Batman. Either that OR your death. And as bad as what happened is, I’m Glad it wasn’t the latter. I’m GLAD you are ALIVE. Bruce explains that even though he’s given up Batman out of necessity, there always has to be a BATMAN. Gotham will be rebuilt. It will get back up. And inevitably things will go wrong again. And there ALWAYS will be a BATMAN. Alfred doesn’t know what this means and we-

CUT TO:

GOTHAM

Half the city is a skeleton of its former self, but already buildings are being rebuilt, structures in the process of RISING. Half the city intact while half, burned to a char, being built to catch up… A WOUND… HEALING….

Foley on the rooftop of the GDP. Looking over files. He spots something: A BRAND NEW BAT SIGNAL. He looks to the sky…

MOVING OVER GOTHAM

Through the half intact cityscape. RISING up to where we see a lone figure standing a top a skyscraper, looking over the city… Batman… watching… a new protector… RISING….. it is AZRAEL and we –

CUT TO BLACK.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Well the movie was actually good.

The one I would say for anyone thought the movie was bad or failed. Its because of your expectations. Nolan is just a human being like you and us. When he made Batman Begins. it clicked and the people rose their expectations. then Nolan made the Dark Knight. he had his own vision and the movie turned out to be a great blockbuster both commercially and critically. Now people had gone crazy and set their expectations from where Even Batman would not exist LOL. What can Nolan do in this situation? He just made a film by his own vision. The Dark Knight Rises actually came pretty good but it wasn’t an answer to those expectations May Be ! who is at fault then? Nolan or the Public ? That’s what I love about Mathew Vaughnn who made X-men first class. That was exactly the question media asked him that about the expectations and he gives a Rat’s ass. he will make the film by his own just like Nolan.

Now people are expecting so much for The Avengers sequel? I hope we don’t see an article about the failure of that movie too, even if its a great box office grosser and acclaimed.