Discussing "The Dark Knight Rises" (part 2)

Previously, I began talking about the elements that I loved in the film “The Dark Knight Rises”.  But, as I mentioned last time, this movie also has facets that I don’t care for at all.  So for today, I’m going to highlight the elements that I didn’t like.

As I said before, major spoilers abound ahead (except for #1).  If you haven’t seen the movie, and you want to be surprised, you have been warned.

#1: Bane’s muffled voice

I want to emphasize this clearly: I liked the Bane character in this film.  Some didn’t, but I did.  But what I didn’t like was the fact that he was difficult to understand.  Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an interesting cinematic idea to have him appear in this mask, but don’t have that mask muffle his voice.  If the viewer doesn’t have the subtitles on, you can’t catch everything he is saying.  Some have stated that you can get the gist of what he is saying, even if you can’t understand every word.  Fair point, but it shouldn’t have to be that way.  You should be able to understand everything.

#2: Miranda’s death scene

First of all, throughout most of the movie the audience doesn’t know that Miranda Tate is actually Talia, the daughter of Ra’s, the main villain from “Batman Begins”.  Once that revelation is given, we don’t really get to see her as Talia for very long until she dies, which is a real shame.  

Furthermore, her cause of death is unclear.  Talia is in a truck, and it topples from the street into a parking garage.  The fall isn’t very far at all (check this out on you tube, if you wish, there are good videos of this scene), yet oddly, she is near death.  She dies after gloating that she has completed her father’s work.  But again, why exactly does she die?  After all, Commissioner Gordon was in the same vehicle, and he is completely unharmed by the fall, despite the fact that he isn’t wearing a seat belt and (if I’m not mistaken) Talia is.  It’s not clearly explained.

#3: The final five minutes

Please don’t misunderstand me on this point: I don’t dislike the ending in the slightest; I very much liked it.  But I’m not crazy about how the filmmakers chose to conclude the film by bouncing from character to character.  There’s John Blake quitting the force and finding the Batcave, then Commissioner Gordon discovering the repaired Bat-signal, and Alfred discovering that Bruce faked his death, and ran away with Selina.  I was beginning to tear up at seeing Bruce very much alive, but the scene quickly cuts to someone else again.

 

Yes, I would concur with someone who argues that these shots are important conclusions for each of these characters, but I would contend that it’s too choppy.  I would have preferred that they linger on these developments a little while longer.

For example, I would have liked to have seen a final conversation with Bruce and Alfred.  Have Alfred walk up to Bruce and Selina at the cafe and say something like, “It appears reports of your demise were exaggerated.”  “Yes, Alfred.  It was better that way.”  “Your secret is quite safe with me,” Alfred might have replied.  “What’s next for you?”  “The next chapter of my life,” Bruce might have answered, “It’s Blake’s fight now.  I’ve retired.”  

Not only does this provide the audience closure for the Alfred/Bruce tension (something that was sorely lacking in the movie), it also shows that Bruce knew that Blake would discover the Batcave and subsequently choose to protect Gotham, something that is only hinted at in the film.

Kevin