Editor's Note: I saw this mentioned on the forums and had to get it on here as an interesting take on last week's announcement. Thanks to Scarecrow756 for letting us know about this and for letting us re-post it from his blog.
My Thoughts on the Villains of The Dark Knight Rises
Hey gang, having heard the news of the villains being announced for The Dark Knight Rises, I am now going to discuss my take on the news. In a phrase the news is “absolutely awesome.” First of all Tom Hardy being cast as Bane. Frankly I am not very surprised that he was chosen as Bane. Firstly there were clues when he was cast, they did not come from Nolan as he is quite coy when it comes to revealing information, but from Hardy himself. In various interviews he said he was working out hard for his role in Batman 3, which made me think that he could be playing a buffed up villain. The next clue is found in a little movie he did years ago called “Bronson” if you see him in that movie; he is quite buffed up and looks like he could play a very good Bane. Now thinking of Bane integration into Nolan`s final movie on Batman it does actually make perfect sense.
In Batman Begins, Bruce's notions about justice and society are challenged by Ra's Al Gaul. In The Dark Knight, Batman learns that his mission is not a finite one as well as the idea of what it is that makes a hero with the choice he makes at the end of the picture. If you look at the villains so far, they have tested Batman`s character and resolve not just on a moral front but also on a psychological front. To that effect it makes sense for Bane to be in the third movie as he is a very physical villain that could impose a threat to Batman. To me Bane is Batman`s physical equal and like the best villains in the Caped Crusader`s rouge gallery is a dark mirror of Bruce. He is just as clever as him as well as savvy when it comes to strategy. In addition, if you think of what Bane does in the comics to Batman- breaking his back and then think that Nolan might do something similar to that in the film. It makes the title “The Dark Knight Rises makes sense as well as sound grandiose and epic. The fact that Batman truly rises figuratively and metaphorically after not only a moral challenge but also a physical one that has nearly pushed him to the point of collapse is not only a poignant way to end the series. But it also says a great deal about the Batman character. This is a good point to change the nature of the discussion and talk about the casting of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in Batman 3.
If you go down the street and ask anyone about The Dark Knight`s greatest foes, people will always mention Catwoman and the same can be said of hardcore Bat-fans. I am very happy that she is going to be in the next Batman film. What is interesting about the statement from Warner Bros. is that it says that Anne Hathaway is cast as Selina Kylie, which begs the question, is Catwoman even going to be in Batman 3. I think that she will be, whether early on in the film as a love interest or as a vigilante. As far as her inclusion in Batman 3, like Bane it makes sense. After the death of Rachel in The Dark Knight, you can imagine Bruce feels lost as well as lonely. Catwoman coming into the film could work for two reasons. Nolan could follow on from a theme he presented in The Dark Knight which was does Batman presence in the city can be said to attract not only copy cats but villains as well? Catwoman could be influenced by Batman and present herself as a vigilante who is not afraid to go one step further then Batman. She could also represent a sort of temptation of Bruce or even Batman, the latter being more interesting as Rachael was primarily the love interest for Batman`s alter ego.
As for Hathaway as Selina Kylie while not my first choice for the role, I think she will do fine. From what I have seen her in, mainly Alice in Wonderland and some clips from her various other movies. I think she definitely has range as an actress. However unlike Tom Hardy who I just know will do amazingly as Bane, I shall wait to reserve judgment on Hathaway as Selina Kylie as I have not seen enough of her in film.
Posted by Sartaj Singh
