Hey, in case you didn't hear the collective roar of the Internet last night, the latest (and probably final, unless they decide to go the full Prometheus) trailer for The Dark Knight Rises has finally been released. It was initially planned to screen in front of The Avengers this Friday, but Warner Bros. instead decided to leak it a few days early and allow the fans to clog Twitter with their immediate reactions. If you haven't seen it yet, look no further. And if you have seen it, watch again if you'd like:
This is undoubtedly the cleanest and most revealing look we've had at the finished product, though most of the early sound is covered up by the foreboding music.It's also got some of the first special effects shots we've seen, as the earlier trailers came out too early for Nolan to really have anything done. Some are staggering, such as Bane's airborne escape that was seen in the IMAX prologue back in December. Others are a bit less interesting, such as Batman's new flying Batmobile that leaps over a skyscraper.Sure, it's a cool thought, but you give me a couple million dollars and a computer and I could do that too. What this trailer does best is establish the mood, and there's plenty here to suggest that The Dark Knight Rises is going to make its predecessor look like a playful romp. There's a whole lot of frowning and serious faces to be found here, and things only get worse once the man in the mask comes to town.
Now, to the subject of Bane: he speaks! English! After the initial IMAX prologue and the last trailer, complaints were widespread that it was impossible to hear just what the heck Tom Hardy was saying. He doesn't exactly deliver an extended monologue here, but when he talks it's pretty darn crisp. (Reaction from CinemaCon--where Nolan showed some footage--seems to confirm that the Bane problem is fixed. Though Nolan may never admit that there was a problem in the first place.) In general, this trailer pitches a film that seems to be a natural continuation of The Dark Knight, and I feel like I'm starting to get a clearer picture of what this movie is going to be. And yet, it doesn't spoil all that much.
I've still got a few quibbles, however. Above all, I hope that Anne Hathaway's Catwoman isn't just a quip machine. (The "I don't get into cars with strange men" bit isn't the sharpest dialogue ever written.) I understand that maybe this movie will be in dire need of some comedic relief--there's only so long I'll be able to take Christian Bale getting tortured by Bane--but I think we can do better than that, can't we? Also, these couple minutes don't paint Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character in the most promising light. If anything, he's pitched as a sort of wide-eyed cop who admires Batman from afar before possibly stepping up and becoming a hero in his own right. I like the sentiment, but I'm not sure adding extraneous characters is the best choice for The Dark Knight Rises right now. Maybe he won't be, but Nolan's already got a ton on his plate.
Lastly, this trailer seems to confirm what I've long suspected: The Dark Knight Rises is going to wind up being more dialogue-heavy than people may suspect. And, possibly, more than they're comfortable with. There's a lot of large-scale action to be seen here, but I think the vast majority of the movie is going to consist of people talking to each other about Gotham, their place in the world, and possibly a monologue or two from Bane that questions whether or not he's the real villain or something. I'm excited by this prospect, but also nervous. The Dark Knight was a long movie, but The Dark Knight Rises seems destined to be an even longer movie. So long as the characters are saying smart things, I probably won't mind the slow burn. I do wonder if the fans--justly or unjustly--will turn on it if it winds up being unusually long. I am optimistic, but I maintain my belief that this movie will not be the cure for cancer. In fact, it will probably be the least of the three Nolan Batman films. I'm not saying this because of the footage I've seen, but just because that's what history suggests.
But make no mistake: I will be among the first in line come July.
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