Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy is often hailed as being the best series of Batman films ever and as being the perfect example of how a film reboot should be done. Nolan has gained hundreds of thousands of fans as a result of this trilogy but has also accumulated a lot of criticism for plot holes or unexplained parts in these films.
I absolutely adore this trilogy but, of course, no film can be absolutely perfect but there are scenes in this trilogy that a lot of people would have happily left on the editing floor. Here are ten scenes in the Dark Knight Trilogy that didn’t quite match up with the overall tone of the film, were sloppy or were just a bit embarrassing. They should have either been cut or replaced with something else.
Please note that there will be some spoilers here…
10. Opening Scene – The Dark Knight Rises
The opening scene of the Dark Knight Rises isn’t bad but it is a bit pointless… Compared to the opening scene of the Dark Knight it is a bit tame and seems sloppy.
There are a few parts which are a bit hard to believe; like how Bane luckily manages to encounter the world’s dumbest CIA agent who doesn’t even want to see what the two extra prisoners’ faces look like under the hoods before taking them on the plane. Why did they really need to fake the nuclear scientist’s death when they were going to kill everyone on the plane so no one would know it was Bane who took him anyway? When the CIA found the plane wreckage and saw it was riddled with bullet holes were they not a little bit suspicious?
These are very picky questions I know but, by the end of the film, you find yourself thinking what the point was in that scene. When the plane is dismantled it is quite cool but did we really need to see how Bane kidnapped a nuclear scientist? What do you think? Do you think there was anything else that could even have replaced this scene?
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24 Comments
Disagree on the first. They faked Pavel’s death to make sure he wasn’t searched for afterwards. It was a lot more essential to the film’s plot than TDK.
Agreed, the opening scene of TDKR was one of the best scenes in the whole film!
GOOD LIST BUT NO.7 WAS AWESOME AND ITS IN BATMAN YEAONE THE COMIC THAT THE MOVIE WAS HEAVY BASED ON AND WOULD PEOPLE STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE BAT POD
I actually loved that Alfred part in DKR. It made me appreciate and care for his character more. I also loved the tidbits of humor like “so that’s what it feels like.” You nailed it with Scarecrow, though. He went out like a punk. I also would have taken the Talia character out completely. Bane went out like a punk and immediately got turned into a henchman. She didn’t bring much to the movie, and the twist was so late and so unnecessary I could have done without it.
This one bothered me for AGES – what about Bruce taking an entire ballet out of Gotham in The Dark Knight? It’s not like he shows his face that much in public that people would have suspected him leaving town for a few days. Now the attention is drawn – it’s even in the papers. Then he bails off the boat in the middle of the ocean leaving Alfred to lotion the hotties up. Wouldn’t they wonder where he was going? Wouldn’t the papers ask them when they got back how their trip was? And wouldn’t they say, “it was great until he jumped off the boat to hitch a ride with some pirates.” Then there would be even moooooore suspicion.
I largely disagree with most of the points made. I a can see how many of them bolstered the story.
1. The point of the first scene is to INTRODUCE Bane to the viewer. To establish that he is badass and he is a tactician in how he operates. It also alludes to Bane’s efforts as being part of a movement when one of the henchman willingly dies.
2. Again this is a plot device to heighten the pressure Batman feels to turn himself in. Also you are assuming that the statement made by the man was an “official” police view. Even though it was a cop that stated it, the statement was not necessarily representative of the entire force. If the police were like “sure don’t negotiate with that terrorist no matter what” Batman would have no reason to reveal himself and the movie would have been an endless parade of the Joker killing police officers.
3. I agree whole heartedly about Talia death scene.
4. This is a comic book movie. Having a bat sonic devise is totally acceptable. I don’t think it was a bad scene at all.
5. The thing with the other driver is that it made the deception of Commissioner Gordon more believable. Just imagine having a masked commissioner Gordon driving the van. That could easily raise suspicion. Also the driver’s attempt at comedy makes it appear as though he is talking to someone he knows thus further masking the deception that it is Commissioner Gordon.
6. The Alfred scene where they cut to him imagining seeing Bruce adds to the sympathy. The expression on his face when he realizes it is not Bruce magnifies the plot point. As you stated, it visually also tied the earlier part of the film with the end.
7. I sort of agree that the scarecrows demise is a bit underwhelming, but at the same time I always thought he was more of a nod to the source material and therefore used to relate it to the comics. Not to be a threat to Batman and to provide Rachel with something to do besides just be the damsel in distress.
8. I think Batman using his disguised voice when he stated “So That’s What It Feels Like” is a bit nitpicky. So maybe he did not know if Selina was hiding around a corner and could hear him…or maybe he is disciplined in his approach to being Batman (supposedly that is the real him) in that he never knows who might be listening to him. Not really an issue.
9. My take on Batman falling and saving Rachel was that it was his cape that slowed the fall which is can clearly be heard fluttering and is somewhat extended. But I could be wrong.
10. I sort of agree about the Batpod flipping…but maybe Christopher Nolan did it for his kid. He is the director after all, the scene took all of two seconds and it is obviously memorable if not believable as it kind of came out of the blue.
Totally agree with you on 4, 8, 6, and 9.
Very nickpicky list
I was going to comment, but you expressed just about everything I was going to quite well.
Well countered points above from Patrick. And while the whole article is impressively structured with persuasive points it really does seem to be a pretty hollow exercise. I’m not a Batman comic fanboy, but just a simple film fan and for Nolan(s)/Goyer (and the production team) to do what they’ve done with the Batman world is nothing short of amazing. Given the terrible comic book adaptations there have been such as Daredevil, Catwoman, Batman and Robin to name a few The Dark Night Trilogy deserves nothing but praise for its spectacular movie attributes. I wouldn’t want any scenes cut. In fact, in Dark Knight Rises I wanted MORE of Bruce in the jail. And more of Bane. These films are to comic book adaptations what The Godfather was to the gangster genre.
I totally agree with #7 and #1. You could have put that bullet reconstruction fingerprint thing on the list too.
You know what? I am not going to read this article, the opening of the movie was one of the best part of the movie, i am tire of the haters and Bloggers of the internet, you guys are a bunch of haters that complaint for every F@#5_ing details for this movie.
Is 2013 lest talk about other movies, like the soon to be overrated Stark Treck 2 and Iron Man 3
You know what? I am not going to read this article, the opening of the movie was one of the best part of the movie, i am tire of the haters and Bloggers of the internet, you guys are a bunch of haters that complaint for every F@#5_ing details for this movies, is 2013 lest talk about other movies, like the soon to be overrated Stark Treck and Iron Man 3
You know what? I am not going to read this article, the opening of the movie was one of the best part of the movie, i am tire of the haters and Bloggers of the internet, you guys are a bunch of haters that complaint for every F@#5_ing details for this movie, is 2013 lest talk about other movies, like the soon to be overrated Stark Treck and Iron Man 3
didn’t mean to spam, my computer is acting crazy
I like the article in relation to the writing. I have to disagree with some of the points. The opening of the film was great to watch. It was a spectacle of film-making. I do agree with your point when it comes to the scenes dilemmas relation to the overall story. You;re very adept at finding the small problems within the film. I like that. Agree with number 7 and 8. Partially agree with 3. Great writing though.
Why do some people have to show that they hate Nolan’s Batman so much? Come on, we all know you love the trilogy :)
I actually do adore this trilogy haha! It was quite difficult picking TEN scenes which is why some seem a bit nit picky – apologies to those who don’t like this.
Lighten up Becky. Most of your points are about things that aren’t realistic. How “realistic” can a movie about a vigilante extraordinaire be? Bruce Wayne climbing (w/o safety rope) out of that pit is a bit far-fetched, as is Batman jumping off the tallest building in Hong Kong and smashing through a window unharmed. Movies like this are built for suspending reality. Relax and enjoy it.
I believe anyone who has concerns about any of Nolan’s Batman films should express those concerns, be forced to watch “Batman and Robin”, and then be asked about those concerns again.
Believe me, I fully appreciate these films compared to older Batman films… *shudder*
I really love this trilogy, when you have to point out ten negative points in anything it’s inevitable people won’t be happy. I appreciate all feedback however.
Ten points spread over three films equals 3.3333. Not a bad average for most films.
: )
I’m sure you appreciate the films – no one would delve that deep unless they did.
Maybe my viewpoint was slightly off, and my commentary was kind of tongue in cheek. I thought Marion Cotillard’s death scene was awful. And what CIA agent wouldn’t look at the face(s) of his unknown prisoners? But the action in that opening scene was great.
Nolan has essentially ruined every other Batman film for me (to varying degrees). And potentially any coming down the line.
the suit was not useless when shot because batman was not hurt, got the wind knocked out of him it appeared and he had been injured and fighting all night already, but it saved his life and no punture wound
10: They obviously took the blood to make the world think that the nuclear scientist was dead so powerful people wouldn’t look for him. Not withstanding, it is to establish to the audience (be they comic book readers and casual audience) the new villain and his loyal henchmen.
8 and 4: Obviously one of the flaws of the trilogy is giving satisfying death/defeat/closure of certain villains. This does not apply to Joker, Two-Face and Ra’s Al Ghul. But Bane is a bad-ass for 2 and a half hours, but then is merely blown away by Catwoman using the Batpod–that’s it? I think once we realize that Scarecrow is a mere pawn in the plans of Ra’s Al Ghul, probably at that point we don’t care (besides Batman got him in TDK).
5: I think the plot giveaway was well used, and no cut necessary. I remember at the midnight showing, the audience clapped when the final scene rolled around. If it’s one thing I always hated about DKR is how Alfred abandons Bruce. When in the comics does Alfred split? He’s always there with Bruce. Maybe that’s the Nolan universe, but still.
3: It’s either a psyche thing, or maybe he’s so used to doing it he’s not thinking about it, little nit picky.
1. Batman is a billionaire with some terrific training and gadgets, I think you can suspend belief for one little scene. Aside from a little lameness, it looked pretty cool.
This is what only Nolan can do to your mind . . . . . . . , . He can shake it and boggles your mind with a lot of questions and this is what makes him the best in the business . . . . . . .his movies are never one-time watchable , no matter what is your opinion about them , you will watch them again & again & so on . . . . . . . . . . . . . If u want your head unused , just stick to the Bay & Emmerich movies . . . . . . . . . .on the whole , disagree with article
I do agree with most of these, but I don’t think you should have had any problems with finding pointless, stupid scenes in TDKR. There were so many bad scenes that I was about ready to kill myself. I think the only thing that I’m a little iffy on is the sonic bat scene in BB.
You could really do a top 15 scenes to remove from TDKR. That would be a pretty easy list to do.