After watching The Dark Knight Rises the first time, I ended up with more questions than answers – and a few complaints of course. I didn’t understand some aspects of the story and couldn’t let a few other things go. That being said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the film and what Christopher Nolan did with it. I praised Bane and Catwoman and really wouldn’t shut-up about them – even today.
I went home and slept on it, woke up, and still felt the same – something was missing, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. No matter how many Tom Hardy pictures I looked at, the movie still felt a little empty to me. It wasn’t until I stepped into the theater to watch the film a second time that I finally understood what was missing. I came out more than satisfied as I rambled to my friend about how much better it was the second time.
So in case you’ve only watched the film once, here are 5 reasons why you should definitely consider seeing The Dark Knight Rises a second time – or more.
Well let me show you some spoilers anyway. Just for old time’s sake.
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10 Comments
Was convincing us to watch The Dark Knight Rises a second time part of your plan???
does he look like a guy with a plan ?
seen it three times and loved it more everytime
I feel the complete opposite, first time it was ok but felt a bit underwelming. But after the second time I noticed how poor it actually was, the plot holes and contrivances were just glaring- and knowing how the plot twist only highlight how poorly the characters were written and portrayed.
Great article mate. Only seen it once myself and loved it, but films do always get better second time round.
I thought it was pretty boring the second time around.
A friend of mine and I have both seen it three times, although independently of each other. However we both agreed that it gets better with each viewing. so many little details can be missed first time around.
Oh, and the bus scene is necessary because it is the final straw in Blake’s abandoning his life as a police officer. Note how he throws away his badge afterwards. This is when he realises that he cannot do enough good trapped within the rules of Gotham PD. Things like this definitely come together better on repeat viewings.
Nice points … but I have to disagree about the section where you claimed it “Confirmed That Some Questionable Scenes Were Indeed Bad”
1) The point of Bruce and Miranda’s romance was there to show that Bruce believed that perhaps there was someone who could allow him to move on from Rachel. Did you not see that it developed immediately after she asked him who it was in the picture? Bruce looks at the picture, puts it down and they kiss. It was supposed to signal that Bruce was making a decision to “love again” which the people close to him like Luscius Fox were egging him on to do when in one exchange he mentions how lovely Miranda is suggesting Bruce should get with her and Bruce gives him an awkward look and Fox says “we only want what is best for you Bruce.” The romance also follows Bruce’s discussion with Alfred where Alfred talks about seeing him someday happy and in love with someone. Those key elements drove the story towards the point where Bruce and Miranda slept together.
2) Blake’s “bus fiasco” was the point at which he realized that “structures became shackles” The point of the scene was to show how institutions failed its citizens …even their most vulnerable…and that would push him to eventually seek justice in the shadows as Bruce had done as Batman (we assume). He then goes on to throw away his badge. I am kind of surprised people missed this point because when he is walking toward the police officers he holds up his badge. I thought the connection was kind of clear here. And related to that…
3) Gordon’s attempt at defending himself would later lead to a validation of the lie that they told in the Dark Knight. The key is that he was defending himself to Blake. Blake is acting as a proxy for the audience questioning his choice. That was not initially apparent (even to me). It is after Blake saw firsthand with the bus incident that institutions cannot be trusted to always do the right thing he then affirms that Gordon was right. He said as much when Gordon was trying to convince him to stay on the force and Blake says to him “you were right about structures becoming shackles.” Actually after I watched the Dark Knight Rises the first time, I thought it contradicted the theme of the The Dark Knight. It was this scene where I thought it reestablished it, which I only caught after watching it a second time.
“I still don’t think they should have spent a whole hour on bringing down Bruce Wayne’s fortune – no one really cared”
Brilliant article! I just slightly disagree with that statement, if the Wayne fortune had been plundered in a couple of minutes than i would not have cared at all, plus i would also feel like critical moments such as this are being skimmed over too fast to reach the “action” which everyone is too eager to get to. But it was quite the opposite for me by making it a lengthy part of the film. As seeing Bruce as a “Financially” broken man seems more emotionally striking when built on properly. Its all about building (strategically) slow and carefully to the final exhausted Batman that we see facing Bane, to be entirely broken. Plus there are some other exceptional and emotional moments in the first half such as (for me personally); the first actual appearance of Bruce Wayne stepping out of the shadows, a crippled man when meeting Selina Kyle was a sad to see him run down and without purpose/drive… He started TDKR already broken to some extent.
The love scene with Miranda and Bruce – did you not see the significance of Miranda telling him we could take her plane and go anywhere in the world? It was her way to get him to the prison pit, instead he went to fight Bane. It was all a ploy