"The Dark Knight Rises" Review and Discussion Thread (spoilers)

[Harvey]

Good to know.

[Kelthaz]

I can't believe that they would waste this much time on "Robin" if the character wasn't being setup for a spin-off series. Given the popularity of John Blake, I'm sure we'll get a Nightwing movie in a few years.

[Turtletrekker]

Kelthaz wrote:

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I can't believe that they would waste this much time on "Robin" if the character wasn't being setup for a spin-off series. Given the popularity of John Blake, I'm sure we'll get a Nightwing movie in a few years.

Meh. That would be a "wait for video" movie.

[Mach5]

Kelthaz wrote:

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I can't believe that they would waste this much time on "Robin" if the character wasn't being setup for a spin-off series. Given the popularity of John Blake, I'm sure we'll get a Nightwing movie in a few years.

I doubt that. It would de facto be a fourth Nolanverse movie, and I think it was made perfectly clear that it ended with part three.

But the question is, if WB were to get greedy and decide to profit on nu-Robins's popularity (which could end up being short lived, it's too early to tell), would they even get JGL to play him again? Nolan's actors are known to be pretty loyal to him, no? And as far as Nolan is concerned, this thing is definitely over.

[Warped9]

Popularity of John Blake? I'd never heard of him before this movie.

[Dark Gilligan]

Kelthaz wrote:

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I can't believe that they would waste this much time on "Robin" if the character wasn't being setup for a spin-off series.

They had to set up Blake as Bruce's heir and successor in a credible manner and, more specifically, for the audience to care about him. That's why they took the time, and it wasn't a waste.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

I always wondered what exactly is happening when the Batpod's front wheel is spinning perpendicular to the road. It happens often in the new film but the signature moment is when he shoots out of the alley in TDK. It's followed by the Joker's comment: "So here's a Batman."

What is actually happening when they spin like that

[Agent Richard07]

^ I was going to ask about that wheel action too. I couldn't really make out what was happening.

[Warped9]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

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I always wondered what exactly is happening when the Batpod's front wheel is spinning perpendicular to the road. It happens often in the new film but the signature moment is when he shoots out of the alley in TDK. It's followed by the Joker's comment: "So here's a Batman."

What is actually happening when they spin like that

Same here. I kept thinking, "How the hell is that supposed to work?"

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

My guess: The wheel itself is angled perpendicular to the direction the pod is facing so he can glide to a stop. Who knows?

[Agent Richard07]

Lord Garth wrote:

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My father, who never read a Batman comic in his life, also didn't like the movie. He didn't like that Batman kept getting beat up and he said we should watch movies to get away from the problems of in the real world.

With that line of thinking, we'd never get good superhero stories, just more formulaic stuff, and that gets old after a while.

Harvey wrote:

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I found it hard to believe that the trades Bane made in Bruce's name would have been upheld for more than three seconds. First, Bruce wasn't there; security footage can confirm that and Alfred could provide an alibi about his whereabouts. Second, the trade happened after the exchange had been taken hostage and everything had stopped. Wouldn't that look suspicious to...well, anyone?

Fraud wouldn't be difficult to prove, but getting things ironed out would take time, assuming it's even possible. Afterall, real trades were placed and I can't imagine it would be easy to get that money back.

Mach5 wrote:

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I doubt that. It would de facto be a fourth Nolanverse movie, and I think it was made perfectly clear that it ended with part three.

The trilogy is done and Nolan is done, but he's given his blessing for a Catwoman movie at least, so this particular universe doesn't have to be over and done with.

[Locutus of Bored]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

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I always wondered what exactly is happening when the Batpod's front wheel is spinning perpendicular to the road. It happens often in the new film but the signature moment is when he shoots out of the alley in TDK. It's followed by the Joker's comment: "So here's a Batman."

What is actually happening when they spin like that

The rear tire has a similar set-up, it's just more compact and harder to see.



Batman can just turn the front wheel and go in a circle in place (which he did in TDKR to align himself with the truck ramp and escape) or both wheels can roll and he can slide to the right and left. The rear wheel spin also helps when he popped a wheelie onto the wall and turn around in place in The Dark Knight.

[Trekker4747]

Anyone see the "Mythbusters" episode recently where they tested the idea of "square wheels"? The idea being that at a certain speed square wheels will operate smoothly as the -somewhat- rounded corners end up being the only points of contact with the ground.

It didn't work out too well given that it provided a very, very, unstable ride even at higher speeds when presumably the effect would have taken place. While it produced a slightly smoother than expected ride it was still damn rough and bumpy.

I suspect this idea with the Batpod wheels would work out the same way. Rolling laterally -especially if its rolling on the gun turrets- would be a very rough ride. When I saw the scene in TDK I too wondered what was going on, seeing the same thing happen in TDKR made it more clear and it made even less sense when thought about.

It'd "work better" if the wheels where spherical or those crazy omnidirectional wheels on high-end forklifts.

LINK

These wheels give the vehicle the ability to basically move in any direction without trouble or needing to make a turn. It can forwards, backwards, sideways and literally "turn on a dime."

It it can do it without making the rider of vehicle feel like they're driving on a washboard road on four flat tires.

[Agent Richard07]

Nice find Locutus. I only remember the wheels spinning sideways though, not the gun assembly. Like I said, it was hard to make out what was happening. The tech in these movies use a lot of quick motion so that you don't see how things work.

[Locutus of Bored]

Trekker4747 wrote:

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Anyone see the "Mythbusters" episode recently where they tested the idea of "square wheels"? The idea being that at a certain speed square wheels will operate smoothly as the -somewhat- rounded corners end up being the only points of contact with the ground.

It didn't work out too well given that it provided a very, very, unstable ride even at higher speeds when presumably the effect would have taken place. While it produced a slightly smoother than expected ride it was still damn rough and bumpy.

I suspect this idea with the Batpod wheels would work out the same way. Rolling laterally -especially if its rolling on the gun turrets- would be a very rough ride. When I saw the scene in TDK I too wondered what was going on, seeing the same thing happen in TDKR made it more clear and it made even less sense when thought about.

It'd "work better" if the wheels where spherical or those crazy omnidirectional wheels on high-end forklifts.

LINK

These wheels give the vehicle the ability to basically move in any direction without trouble or needing to make a turn. It can forwards, backwards, sideways and literally "turn on a dime."

It it can do it without making the rider of vehicle feel like they're driving on a washboard road on four flat tires.

Yeah, but those omni-directional wheels are designed for maximum maneuverability and minimum turn radius, not for speed or road travel. Most of the time the Batpod's wheels have the wheel treads flat to the ground and facing forward for speed. The only time he uses the wheels to go sideways or rotate is when he's slowing down/stopping or turning in place (unlike the Mythbusters ep where they were speeding up and trying to cruise the road with the square tires), so a brief bumpy ride is somewhat more forgivable than when you're at full speed. Also, the "fatness" of the wheels makes them pretty rounded even when they're going sideways, and they have some give with the inflation, so it's not nearly as square as even the rounded corner wheels with the hardened rim they used on Mythbusters.