I waited for the dark knight to rise and rise and rise and
rise some more and indeed he did. The title implies infinite idealism; that so called infinite scope for opportunity that resides within humanity. I support
change even if it is revolutionary and I have to express my disagreement in
ideological terms with the direction taken by Nolan in this film. Let me note
that I did a commentary recently on this topic whereby I agree with the
position taken by the villains of the Batman, particularly Ra’s Al Ghul: Gotham
should be allowed to die. Indeed it is the legend of Ra’s Al Ghul that surfaces
once again to tackle Batman in the form of his descendants; the most notable
being Bane who claims to be continuing the work of the League of Shadows and
their last mission to destroy Gotham city which Batman thwarted in Batman Begins (2005). ‘Is Ra’s Al Ghul
immortal? Are his methods supernatural?’ asks Ra’s himself who embraces the
shock of Bruce who thought he watched him die in balls of fire in the 1st
act of Batman Begins. My disagreement in ideological terms does
not mean that this is a bad film because from the perspective of Batman
regaining the respect of the Gotham populace some sort of heroism was required.
As Ra’s Al Ghul, like Bane in this picture discovered, that there are certain
Gotham citizens that you should not underestimate and in this case it is the
Batman with his allies. It is this
heroism that makes batman rise in estimation even if it is predictable because
we have seen it portrayed before where the heroes save the day from the menace
that pervades society at a particular moment. It is this ability of Batman to
dig deep which proves the point that if more people act like the batman then
Gotham can rebuild. Logically therefore Nolan could not continue to
revolutionize batman in our eyes and that of its citizens because the point of
the trilogy is batman being acknowledged for his heroism and about the frightful
determination which will always delay the inevitable revolution of the
capitalist class. ‘I’m whatever Gotham needs me to be,’ says batman at the end
of The Dark Knight (2008). In The Dark Knight (2008) he sacrificed
his celebrity status to protect the integrity of law enforcement officials
particularly that of Harvey Dent whose mind was broken by the Joker. In this
film he becomes the hero Gotham needs in a time of crisis but the question
still remains: Is Gotham really worth saving? Has it not reached the ‘pinnacle
of its decadence’? I believe that the
revolution should have taken sway and not its opposite: a counterrevolution. I
have always maintained that Batman is motivated more by his self interests as a
capitalist as opposed to being an advocate for real change. This film has
proved my point that philanthropy is seen as the best means to protect a city
that is rotting (See my review of Midnight
Cowboy). Whatever the case Nolan took the logical step to have Batman
portrayed as a hero but this film goes one step further and makes him the
embodiment of an ideal where ‘anyone can wear the mask.’ This point is brought
forward in the remarkable first fight between Batman and Bane. Batman looks
completely ordinary in the fight. The only difference here is that when anyone
feels they can wear the mask a lot will be diluted in terms of succession
especially as Batman will not be around to guide new generations. A lot of vulgar elements will spring in place
of the original. It would make a film on its own to see batman’s successors
take up the mantle. I can afford to spoil a bit here as I am sure many have
seen the film by now. Whereas Batman
Begins and The Dark Knight
reveled in mystery and cover ups The
Dark Knight Rises brings everything to the surface and this is why the
comic book elements come to the fore here or why the film may not seem as
muddled like the first two. The film is very straightforward and whatever would
be a profound mystery in the first two is not as important here because batman
is redeeming himself as a hero. For
someone to be a hero it has to be acknowledged by the people you are trying to
save and this is why the film is as open as it is. This is
reinforced when we see batman battling in daylight against the mercenary forces
of Bane. The first two were about
discovery and consolidation where it was realized that some sacrifice had to be
made for a change to come. Batman retired a criminal but it brought about
stabilization in the society. The war was essentially against the mob which the
Joker embodied as its last ditch effort to save itself from annihilation. In
this case there is no mob to fight and so it is external forces that will bring
about the ‘necessary evil’ that Gotham will have to tackle. This film is
therefore not as riveting as the first two simply because everything was a
mystery whereas in this case, based on the premise of the film, it is necessary
that it be straight forward so that batman can be redeemed in the public’s eye.
By the end of this film it is a clear sign that the dark knight revolution is
over for even if the joker was to resurface in this context he would appear as
gimmicky as the scarecrow/Dr. Crane does. This is why when you see all three
films together you will understand that this film exposes the idealist element
or why men running around in costumes is not necessarily reflective of our
everyday reality. The question is: what if someone were to take up the mantle of
a masked avenger of the night? In the
first two the corrupt bureaucracy or the systems of governance within the
society, which most of us are not privy to in terms of their intricacies, were
the realistic elements that bound these fanciful characters and made them more
believable. Even the joker, the mad dog, was bound to the realistic element of
the mob just as batman is bound by the police force. In this film it is all about
the ideal of batman and so the comic book elements come to the fore inevitably
especially as the police are incapacitated and this is made more apparent when
John Blake (Joseph Gordon Levitt) tosses his badge away near the end. The film
does make clear that Batman as the ideal is now the dominant force in society
and not the police force.
Whatever you say the film does leave a residual feeling in
your mind.
The film occurs 8 years after The Dark Knight when batman took the fall for Harvey Dent. Bruce Wayne
(Christian Bale) is locked in his mansion as a recluse however he is brought
back into the fray as his empire begins to crumble by way of Selina Kyle (Anne
Hathaway), who is supposed to be Catwoman without the obvious title, who
infiltrates his mansion and steals something very valuable and it is not his
mother’s pearls. An underground movement headed by Bane is also connected to
the downfall of the Wayne Empire especially as Wayne houses a fusion reactor, beneath the river, that
can be used for evil purposes. This forces Batman back into the fray although
with his powers diminished against the imposing figure of Bane (Tom Hardy).
With batman still a wanted man can he rescue Gotham from this new threat
especially as the demons from his past threaten to engulf him? With the aid
of the world weary Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the idealist cop John
Blake (Joseph Gordon Levitt) he just might. Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) is
also a surprising new character.
What’s good about
this film?
What I admired about this film is the underground movement
and the architectural structure of Gotham society on display. This is a clear
improvement over The Dark Knight and
is more in keeping with the scope of Batman
Begins. In The Dark Knight the
many layers of the city were not exposed as they are here simply because that
groundwork was laid in Batman Begins. It’s
successor instead focused more on the various eccentric personalities that
collided as well as their real time counterparts (the mob, the police force,
the business elite and the office of the district attorney). It was limited
more to words spoken than to visual architectural recreations. Batman Begins had less flair than The Dark Knight but it showed us the
many layers of Gotham city including the narrows which is completely absent in
its successor. The Dark Knight Rises
goes back to basics by including a welfare organization that houses the orphans
that comprise the dispossessed class because from this class will spring new
hope as is evidenced by John Blake and Selina Kyle. The Dark Knight was more of a middle class phenomenon with only the
joker as a representative of the underclass. It was more about those in power
coming to blows which is why the joker tells Harvey dent ‘The cops have plans,
the mob’s got plans. They’re all schemers trying to control their little
worlds. You had plans.Look where that got you.’ The joker was therefore a clear standout
because he was the voice of those at the bottom although as a more eccentric
representation. The Dark Knight Rises
therefore offers a clearer picture of the various infrastructural layers of
Gotham city from the perspective of Wayne Enterprises which seems to be the
beacon of hope for Gotham city. This is not a complaint because in Batman Begins the parents of Bruce Wayne
(Martha and Thomas Wayne) always supported the philanthropic effort in order to
help needy Gothamites. The precedent was set and we realize that something is
amiss when the usual funding for an orphanage, which was home to John Blake,
from Wayne enterprises has mysteriously stopped. We learn that a corrupt
businessman in the form of John Dagget plays a key role in the decline of the wayne empire that is to follow.
The underground movement in the sewers headed by Bane shows how things can
fester once stagnation sets in regardless of the impressions thrown around on
Harvey Dent day. If , as Alfred (Michael Caine) claims, Bruce Wayne as batman is
waiting for things to happen then so is Gotham because they have not really
changed as a society apart from defeating organized crime. The same power
structures are in play that led to the outbreak of criminality which is why a
clue is offered early on that some of the runaway orphans say that money can be
made in the sewers. From a perspective of the layered architecture that is
brilliant. It shows that criminals traditionally represent the under classes of
society and no matter how you try they just go further under. Organized crime
is thriving in the sewers although with a more revolutionary front. When Bane
and his men emerge it is a genuine shock for while the so called criminal
element may have been subdued you cannot eradicate them entirely. This is why I wished Bane had a different
agenda apart from merely continuing the agenda of the league of shadows. He represented
a true revolutionary force in this film and delivers this for the most part
until he is defeated by the counterrevolution in the form of Batman. The many
architectural layers of this film are superb and the cinematographer, Wally
Pfister, deserves kudos here as well as the art direction team.
The Middle East or India (probably India where it was shot)
is also featured here as the well spring from which this idealism around crime
fighting emerged with Ra’s Al Ghul. The Lazarus pit (which is a prime feature
of that environment here) is a prison that is the most despairing in the world
because it promises hope to its captives yet always lets them down by offering
them the chance to climb to freedom from the well with little or no chance.
Only two have escaped successfully: Bruce Wayne and another who remains a mystery
until the end.
The architectural layers are not without character
representation. And in this case the many characters on film do not seem
superfluous. We have, as already mentioned, John Blake, but another character
that represents the struggling class is the social climber Selina Kyle who is
supposed to represent Catwoman who is not mentioned by that name. Her moral
ambiguity is understandable here because when you want to rise in the
capitalist system you have to be a cutthroat and to court favours as you have
to climb on top of people to achieve the prize. It is an endemic feature of the
capitalist system. It does help that she is a master thief (instrumental to the
capitalist system when competition comes into the fray) and a great fighter. She embodies that but with a conscience
which makes her an unlikely ally for batman. After Bane has led his revolution
she observes a ransacked home and says ‘This used to be someone’s home.’ She
wants a clean slate but is always being dragged back into violence especially
as her world closes in. Batman sees hope in her as he does with John Blake. She
may not be the first choice for a romantic partner but Batman also represents
security for her and this is what morally ambiguous women like herself seek in
such a world where the cutthroat business can alienate you. When you watch Bane
humiliating Batman look at her response to her act of betrayal especially as
you realize that she was doing It solely for her protection. The two sides to
her are revealed in this film: once in the opening act where she appears
ruthless and the other half where she shows her more altruistic side. Anne
Hathaway’s performance is remarkable particularly if you view it more than
once. Her character embodies real live individuals with a certain flair. I know
she represents real live individuals because I have met her type before and the
type I have met have dazzling beauty and are likewise cutthroat when it comes
to attaining security for themselves at all costs. This is an exceptional
character.
Bane is a standout character and represents a counterpoint
to the flair of the Joker. If he does have flair it is his massive physique. I
read an interview of Wally Pfister online where he stated that various camera
angles (theatricality) were used to give this impression especially as Hardy is not as tall as Christian Bale in real terms. Whatever they did it does work.
His massive physique channels unbridled energy yet it is understated at first
because he is in control for the most part of the film. We see it unleashed
when his plan starts falling to pieces near the end. The first fight scene
between Batman and Bane is a classic and I hoped the final fight between the
two would have been as memorable but I understood the essence of it. A lot of
people have understandably expressed disapproval with the final fight but it
was simply a reflection of a change in fortune for each character. Bane’s plan
was falling apart whereas Batman found renewed vigour. It was the same at the
beginning with the first fight as Bane’s plan came to fruition and Batman’s
world likewise crumbled about him. The first fight is exceptional because it
exposes Batman as only Ra’s Al Ghul did before. In Batman Begins Ra’s says near the end as the ill fated train is on a
crash course ‘You’re an ordinary man in a cape that is why you couldn’t fight
injustice.’ Bane does the same here but in a more brutal fashion as he makes
batman look extraordinarily ordinary. ‘. So you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the darkness. I was
born into it. Molded by it. I never saw the light until I was a grown man and by then it was nothing to me but blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me,’ says Bane. He
exposes Batman’s theatricality and deception which would normally befuddle
ordinary criminals. It is a very moving experience and I felt sad for the
batman even though I tended to side with the revolutionary thrust made by Bane.
That is how good the fight is and it is more interesting to see batman come
back from that than the final fight itself because he could have sunk into
ignominy like a wounded dog. Bane learns, as Ra’s Al Ghul was to learn, that the
heroic spirit in the batman is almost indefatigable. His heroic spirit is
enough to mobilize a city that has sunken into a stupor and would more than
likely welcome the revolution. I think the second fight would have been more
dramatic if people witnessed the beating of batman amidst the crowd and then
raised him up to continue instead of beating him down. This would have made the
second fight more memorable but it is clear that Batman is more in control when
he returns and so the final fight is not as affecting. The first fight
literally takes place in the darkness and to watch Batman get such a beating
evoked the wrong feelings in me for initially I expected to be thrilled because
of my support of revolutionary movements. I was moved by the fact that Bane was
crushing Gotham’s only symbol of hope. Bane is very intelligent and is much
like Batman in terms of physical training and so forth. It is as if the
descendants of Ra’s Al Ghul bicker as what he originally put forward has
bifurcated into distinct schools of thought. He trained all of the main
protagonists and antagonists in this film. Batman represents a distinct school
of thought or an advancement of the philosophy created by the Ra’s Al Ghul
movement. This is why he was the greatest student of Ra’s Al Ghul. Bane’s plan
does not work because the citizens of Gotham have someone or something to
believe in which is the batman. If there was no Batman Bane would have won
easily. Batman says ‘Light it up.’ It may not be as exhilarating as when the
bat sign first flies over Gotham city in Batman
Begins but you get the message. This
film is all about who has the momentum or who rises from the underground. When
Bane rose from the underground he had the advantage and likewise when batman
was able to rise from his despair he had the advantage. It is the natural order
of things. Batman, who represents capitalist virtues, highlights that for the
system to reinvigorate itself it must be purged and given the chance to rise
again with a new found spirit of innovation. This is why the mighty United
States of America is losing its way and China is on the rise to new
unprecedented heights in the global economy after the century of humiliation.
This is why I agree with the philosophy of the league of shadows although the
means does not always justify the ends. The eyes of Bane are very disconcerting
because it gives the impression of the repressed rage within an individual that
towers like a small hulk with a brain.
Bane too has an
important back story and how it plays out is well executed in the final fight
for Miranda Tate would not reveal herself if batman did not beat bane. I think
she would have stayed hidden if she could as long as Bane remained her
protector. The security she enjoys is the one longed for by Selina Kyle which
Batman eventually provides. When you look at it from a thematic perspective
this is masterful storytelling. The vulgar critics clearly missed the
boat. The women in this film play
important roles in this film and should not be underestimated because their
roles are more significant than one would expect especially if you view the
film more than once.
I dislike branding in general and batman as well as the
joker were brand names. They represent the dark
side of the celebrity cult in some cases for Batman is at times more a
brutal enforcer of the proletariat, although he does not kill, especially as he
sides explicitly with the police force. In his own way Batman has contributed
to the oppression because it is clear that he is protecting his interests as a
capitalist who must make profit to survive thereby sharing in the spoils of
exploitation. The energy project in this film is a good idea and so forth and
it does represent hope for the future which is why Miranda Tate is interested
as a supporter of the clean energy project. Her support for this project
clearly justifies her important reveal near the end because the league of
shadows was all about cleaning up things from a societal perspective. This
seems to be an acknowledgment from most capitalists because we see the same
emphasis in other films particularly The
Avengers although this was evident in Batman
Begins as an underground movement initially. It still remains an
underground movement here but it is not as affecting as it should be because at
Wayne enterprises everything remains a prototype until brand crushers like Bane get their hands on it and
popularize it as the prototype loses all significance. It is the same thing
that China does to American products that are considered superior in quality; they popularize it and cheapen it and therefore make it more accessible to the
people. America is living in luxury at the moment which is a sign of decadence.
Lastly, the film deals with the issue of masks as everything
is not what it seems on the surface much like the Harvey Dent Act which was
built on a lie. Batman however is less mysterious as a figure as he is drawn to
the mystery of others that continue to surprise particularly John Blake, Selina
Kyle, Miranda Tate and Bane. Whenever something comes from the underground you
cannot see it coming in most cases. This is what these characters represent for
batman and so they are not superfluous. This is why batman moves for anonymity
near the end because the more inscrutable something is the less likely are you
going to break it. Bruce Wayne exposed himself and he paid the price and
towards the end when his enemies expose themselves they pay the price. The
title of this film is clear as batman assumes a near inscrutable figure over
Gotham city and his mantle is taken up from unexpected sources. He made the
sacrifice to give up everything because in the end ‘It is not who I am
underneath but what I do that defines me.’ Bruce Wayne supposedly dies but
batman lives on. ‘You’ve changed things forever,’ says the Joker.
Christian Bale as Batman is not to be outdone and gives a good performance here particularly as a broken man looking for that spark of hope. Everything centres on him in this film and he absorbs it admirably.
That moment where Bane and Batman meet for a second time
amidst the madding crowd is what I have always imagined a scenario like that to be
in a war film.
Thematically this film is one of the year’s best. Not
many films will have this depth in terms of possibilities for the future
particularly contemporary films. This film will grow on you the more you see
it as the conclusion of a trilogy.
What’s bad about this
film?
As stated before I disagree with this film on the basis of
ideology because I support the school of thought that Gotham should have been
cleansed and a new start offered to its citizens that have been oppressed for
so long. It is still hard to disagree with the principle established in this
film that hope is buried underneath and so even when it can shine it will
always give people the opportunity to push forward. Bane’s 3-4 month occupation
would have rattled Gotham significantly and it remains to be seen how the scars
will be healed especially as the old guard passes away. This occurs with most
movements where they start out promisingly and either end in ignominy or shame
because the precepts that kept the original movement going were unsustainable.
‘You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain,’
says Harvey Dent. I won’t discuss all the elements here as I reserve that for a
discussion of the trilogy as a whole. I believe that Bane achieved enough to
force Gotham to effect a change. Batman saved them in time from annihilation
and so they should build on the backs of their hero as people have been doing
for years with the heroes that lit the torch for them. I don’t have the exact
quote but in the great film, No Country
for Old Men (2007) Tommy Lee Jones as the sheriff in the final scene sums
it up when he states that he dreamed of his father riding ahead with a light
into the darkness and he knew that he would meet him if he chose to
venture into the dark. The torchbearer that comes before you is an eternal
symbol for mankind. In this sense I don’t disagree with what batman represents
but systems must fall because what acts as an accumulator also acts as a
destroyer. This trilogy of films is significant as an Urban fantasy and
reminded me of the standard set by Blade
Runner which was not as evocative emotionally but in terms of its thematic
elements it was a masterpiece.
There was some disconnect between this film and the previous
two. Firstly, Gotham has a population of 12 million whereas in The Dark Knight it was 30 million
according to Lucius Fox. Secondly, you could not see the villains coming this
time as you did between Batman Begins
and The Dark Knight even if it is eight years in the future. You
did not get a sense of the type of struggle that remained to be faced although
in Batman Begins it all boiled down
to one word: escalation. This film does adhere to it however some people will
feel as if it does not flow from one to the next and this is largely because of
the length of time that has passed and so what was established in this film
does start to seem dated although that is the point of the film: new beginnings
as the old guard passes away. You really
get a sense that it is all over and so the impact near the end makes you unsure
because it seems cold and unfeeling and too calculated at times. On repeated
viewings this position may alter. It is as if you are watching Bruce Wayne wrap
up his affairs very smartly and in a calculating fashion and so the genuine heroism
seems lost. Bane offers a significant challenge which is why I hoped that his
impact was more heartfelt as batman continues his struggle but it seems that
fleeing the scene is the best option but it might not be so good as your
successors will only be vulgar representations of what you represented. It
seemed too rushed because we saw how Ra’s trained Bruce. He would have had to
train Blake in a similar fashion. Batman only gives him pointers and the
reality is not everyone can wear the mask without carrying a gun which is what
we saw with the copycats in The Dark
Knight. Those elements were not
addressed sufficiently throughout the trilogy. I would have expected Batman to
be resigned to his fate despite his personal tragedies. He would continue to
build a team around him however i
understood why he gave it up because you never know when another group
of mercenaries will come and seek to destroy what Wayne enterprises stood for
which is what happens in this film. It just seemed too calculating at times.
They should have made mention of the Joker in respect to Heath Ledger. They could have mentioned him without having someone impersonate Heath ledger's performance. He was more significant than Harvey Dent. They could have provided a shadowy impression of him in lock up or something signalling that he is indeed broken. The Joker would have been humiliated by Bane whether you like it or not. I addressed all this in my commentary.
How did batman recover so quickly in time to save Gotham
from being subject to a nuclear explosion is beyond me? I would have loved to
see an environment that became a wasteland and batman return to inspire the
people to build a new social movement by then Bane would have been gone and the
mandate of the League of Shadows would have been seen to be more accurate. Can
Gotham continue to build on a rotten edifice without some form of cleansing? I
don’t think so because every system goes through a recession or bust period. This
is all the League of Shadows is saying. Batman seems to believe in the rotten
edifice and there is no guarantee that his symbol will radically change things
because capital builds itself through exploitation and no brand can change
that.
I wish the final battle would have been more extensive.
All in All this is one of the year’s best films particularly
from a thematic perspective although some things seemed rushed near the end.
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