The Dark Knight Trilogy

The Dark Knight Trilogy

If it wasn't cool enough to watch this trailer Thursday morning (I highly recommend wearing your headphones while you do) - it was even cooler re-living the first two in the Christopher Nolan series back on the big screen leading up to the finale of this Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises...

My friends and I were excited to be there and we were glad to induct my friend's 13yr old daughter into our nerddom.  She was not the youngest in the room, but you could probably count the under 16-set on one hand. There were not nearly as many people in costume than I would have anticipated at the theater outside of Philly that we went to. It seems that MOST of the theaters at that multiplex were showing The Dark Knight Rises at midnight. Wow - Can't wait to hear the numbers!
(update 7/21 - numbers being held back this weekend until Monday)

The trilogy began with Batman Begins. I forgot how awesome this looks on the big screen - even better than The Dark Knight. It is also perhaps the "darkest" of the three, in tone and in exposure. I really did not recall the now ex-Mrs. Cruise memorable, but I give Katie Holmes more credit now - she really was not too bad as Rachel Dawes.  We are reminded that  Batman is all too human and how cool Lucius Fox is.  Alfred Pennyworth makes a great Dad and Jim Gordon has not even maid Lieutenant yet. Oh, and my niece reminded me that Morgan Freeman is that guy that does commercials. The best character introduction in this film was that of The Tumbler...

I, unfortunately, missed The Marvel Marathon leading up to the premiere of The Avengers.  As I was constantly annoyed by the jingling of the metal of the lariats our passes were attached to, I could not help but wonder of over 12 hours of that would have made me feel as wacko as an inmate (patient?) at Arkham. I was not the only one - apparently many people complained and a flurry of theater staff came in to patrol during act 2, and made an announcement during the break.  Now, I absolutely understand voicing the complaints about the noisy lanyards - but people apparently complained about audience reactions and clapping. REALLY??? Did none of these people ever see a show on opening night? And, even with the reactions during the first two films - so what if Heath Ledger's performance as The Joker drew reactions from the crowd (he was awesome, R.I.P. Heath) - some people really need to lighten up... Why so serious??

** (updated 7/20)That said, the sad note: this was before the tragic events that unfolded in Aurora, Co outside of Denver, and the above was written prior to the steady stream of posts on Twitter.  We were just about finishing up TDKR when that occurred.  My heart and prayers go out to the victims and families out there. I am so thankful of my tweeps that send good thoughts to me while I waited to hear from my daughter, who lives in Aurora, to let me know she was okay.  That really makes me wish the lariat jingling and clapping complaints were the worst of theater goer experiences.**

Are we really used to seeing Bruce Wayne battered and broken? Yeah, I suppose so - if only so we can squeak in another flashback of his father's supportive words as he reaches for little Bruce's hand to pull him up out of the well on Wayne Manor Estate. "Why do we fall, Bruce?" asks Thomas Wayne... "So we can learn to pick ourselves up." Bruce Wayne is like a Weeble - you may think he's fallen down, but he manages to spring back up. A lot. He's the Batman...

Michael Caine's Alfred makes you really want him to adopt you. Am I right, do you agree? TDKR is full of nods to human nature and how imperfect and mortal we are.  Everyone takes a turn here at some point in this entry.  Bruce Wayne, still seems somewhat imortal to me, but Christian Bale seemed less American Psycho to me despite the torture and torment in this last epic turn than the first two. 


Going into this, I read numerous reports that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was NOT Robin. At least, no one calls him that through the film and there is no silly outfit for him. Wayne is really feeling his age (or as Indiana Jones would say, "It's not the years honey, it's the mileage...") in this one and needs some help and recruits Anne Hathaway's Catwoman (we always liked seeing that duo together, haven't we?) but Officer John Blake volunteers (or subtly blackmails?).


The ending of this round is getting both praise and grief.  Parts of the ending gets you to think and wonder (kinda like the end of LOST?) and perhaps come to your own interpretation.  I know what I like about it - and feel the ending was very fitting of Batman - a symbol of hope.



My questions (Spoiler alert) - 


~  Why does Batman talk to people with the voice when he is talking with people who know who he is under the cowl?


~  When walking on the ice - wouldn't it really make more sense to crawl for better weight distribution - and wouldn't cops know this?


~ How many times can this guy break his back and recover so easy?  Really - in Batman Begins, when he saves Qui-Gon... I mean Ra's Al Ghul, they really both should have at least had dislocated shoulders.


My favorite line in the TDKR:
Batman "So, that's what it feels like" 
(Oh, that Catwoman - acting like a typical kitty...)

I posted this meme on my Twitter and Facebook page - and then could not help but REALLY laugh watching TDKR...

More cryptic spoilers:


Don't bother waiting through the credits for another tease - there isn't one...


The viral video of Anne Hathaway crashing the bike into the camera rig never made it to the final edit...


Apparently Rescue Me alumni do not fare well in SuperHero movies...


Nice to see William Devane back on the screen...


Crowds love seeing the return of villans, no matter how small or petty they may be...


Yes, those are Nestor Carbonell's (the mayor) natural eyelashes...


If Leo DiCaprio had a cameo during this Inception reunion, I missed it


Nice twisted ending...


QuiGon pulls an Obi-Wan...