The Dark Knight Rises but is that it? - Movie Review

Dark Knight Rises - questions answered, but left me scratching my head?

The Dark Knight Rises Review

By Chris Culler
www.cullercollectibles.com
culler72

Well the Dark Knight has Risen and it's time to review the The Bat, The Cat and The Bane, we can now stop speculating about the last installment of the Dark Knight Trilogy. But Nolan left me scratching my head with the twist and turns at the end of the story. Lets recap our previous questions with answers...

1) A Tale of Two Cities?
As Christ said, "there is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friend". Nolan gives us a bit of a twist by both characters sacrificing their lives. Both Bruce and Batman lay down their lives for Gotham.

RISES RECAP 1

1) The "normal" life Bruce has given up to be Batman
2) Does he or someone else have to die in order to preserve the symbol or legend that is Batman?
3) Is there another tragedy in his life like loosing Rachel?

I would have to say all the above happened in the course of this movie. Because of Batman he believes he can't live a normal life. Both Batman and Bruce Wayne die to preserve the legend. Yes the tragedy is he falls for another women who ends up tearing him apart, but literally this time.

Now where Nolan left me scratching my head was at the end. Is Bruce done with Batman, are they just going to live happily in Paris? So you're telling me he's going to come back from chinese rope torture (pardon the pun), neutron bombs and saving the city to simply live out his last days in Paris sipping tea with Selina and Alfred?

Who will train Blake? Who is he, we never see what's exactly in the bag? Is he Robin doing a solo act, or is he the next Batman or Night wing, or will there be another dynamic duo? So you're telling me a city cop with no training is simply going to come in and fill Bruce's shoes? Bruce was trained by the League, Blake may not spend his time at Duncan Donuts but he's not ready to take on whatever new crime may arise from the ashes Bane and Talia have left in Gotham.
Or does this simply mean Nolan was done with the Dark Knight series and ready to do another series with Batman and Robin? Again more questions than answers for a supposed wrap up to a series. Don't get me wrong, the ending was breath taking as I thought Bruce was dead, but left us with too many questions, which almost feels like the last Spiderman.

2) Does Batman get broken by Bane?

Yes and no. The Fire Rises and then it simply retires to Paris?

RISES RECAP 2

Questions:1) So is that Bruce climbing out of the Pit in the trailers?2) Is his back healed by using the pit thus making him ready to rise to defeat Bane? 3) Bane knows who Batman is as he calls him by name in their encounter in the sewer.4) It appears Bruce is easily defeated by Bane as some point or at this encounter. Bane simply grabs one of Bruce's punches thrown at him... that ain't good!

Ok, this whole plot twist left me scratching my head too.
1) Wayne can't walk to start the movie, then all of a sudden with a few magic knee braces he's taking out multiple bad guys once again.

2) After all these years he's not going to take Alfred's advice and simply let him walk out? Not to mention we never see Cane again until the end, bad idea in my opinion.

3) Bruce is going to be stupid enough to take on Bane in a fist fight after seeing how ferocious a fighter he is? Oh, by the way, if you're spinal cord is severed you ain't walking ever again.

4) Bane's going to fly him to a hole in the ground and leave him with cable tv, where the ghost of Rhaz tells him what we think is the whole plot to the story, and not to mention how does Bruce get back to Gotham, with his frequent flier miles?

Again, more head scratching plot holes. I almost would have rather seen the Lazarus pit and another show stopping performance by Liam. In Nolan's attempt to "keep it real" he left to many head scratching plot holes.

3) Does Batman die or retire?

So is Bruce collecting on Alfred's retirement since he is broke and dead?

RISES RECAP 3

OK, I see the tale of two cities somewhat, but he kills off both Bruce Wayne and Batman? Which leaves me to question the idea of Blake as the next Batman. Batman can fight, but remember he was also supported by state of the art technology via Wayne Enterprises. Now that Wayne Enterprise is gone who will supply the technology for the next Batman or Robin? Again begging the question, Wayne was smiling in Paris, but what does the future hold for the next protector of Gotham and is this only a semi retirement? Will he rise from the dead again as in Batman Begins? So yes the movie left us with a sigh of relief, but still asking what's next?

4) Who is John Blake, the next Batman or Nightwing?Levitt has the classic Dick Grayson, i.e. Robin look, but who is he?

RISES RECAP 4

This was all correct in assuming Blake was stepping into the role of the next protector of Gotham, but in what context? Will he fill the role of Batman for a while, Nightwing, Robin, does Bruce return? Nolan could then title the first movie in his next trilogy Batman and Robin Begins. We can only hope we'll see this cast together again possibly bringing Gotham back from the ashes much like the No Man's Land series?

To recap, it was an exciting 3 hour ride but with a climax that left me with more questions than answers. Can a man who gives a city everything he has simply pack up and leave it? Can a former Gotham police officer fill the shoes of Batman with no training? Why would a man like Bane who had compassion on a child simply treat others as animals to be killed for failing him?

Nolan took us on an exciting ride during the Dark Knight Trilogy. But I still felt he left us with more closure at the end of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight than he did with Rises. Rises had so many plot holes and twist and turns it left me with more questions than closure.

BACK AT THE BATCAVE...I've read some recent speculations on the Rises ending. It appears Nolan could have left us guessing with this ending. Some fans are speculating the scene with Alfred is not real and Bruce is dead? All the symbols at the end are simply the legend of Batman living on in other aspects such as Gordon's light, Blake's stepping into the Batcave, and Lucious having hope maybe Bruce is alive because the guidance system was working? Guess time will tell...

The Dark Knight Rises, what can we expect?

The Dark Knight Rises

By Chris Culler
www.cullercollectibles.com
culler72

The anticiaption is growing for the Dark Knight Rises. So before I write an article on the The Bat, The Cat and The Bane, lets stop and speculate on what may go down with the last installment of the Dark Knight Trilogy.

1) A Tale of Two Cities?
I recently heard Chris Nolan make a comment about the inspiration of the Tale of Two Cities influencing the Dark Knight Rises. If that is so, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". We know how that story ends, self sacrifice of one for another. As Christ said, "there is no greater love than a man lay down his life for his friend".

So now that begs to question, does this simply mean:
1) The "normal" life Bruce has given up to be Batman
2) Does he or someone else have to die in order to preserve the symbol or legend that is Batman?
3) Is there another tragedy in his life like loosing Rachel?

2) Does Batman get broken by Bane?Now the question is this...Is Wayne's back messed up by Bane, or does his fall at the end of the Dark Knight cause him to walk around with the cane. Remember he was limping after his final encounter with Harvey Dent as we see him speed off into the night.

According to websites, The Lazarus Pit is confirmed for the Dark Knight Rises. So is that Bruce climbing out of the Pit in the trailers? Is his back healed by using the pit thus making him ready to rise to defeat Bane? Remember Wayne uses the pit in the Knightfall series, he then comes back to defeat Bane. My guess is Nolan will use a similar storyline since we've already seen Rhaz and the league, and we know his secret is the pit.

Some recent releases have let us in on a few other notes:
1) Bane knows who Batman is as he calls him by name in their encounter in the sewer.
2) It appears Bruce is easily defeated by Bane as some point or at this encounter. Bane simply grabs one of Bruce's punches thrown at him... that ain't good!

3) Does Batman die or retire? (Refer to #1)My guess is he retires as all we heard in the Dark Knight was how he continually spoke of retiring to wed Racheal. Now the question is Miranda Tate the love interest, or is she Rhaz's daughter trying to take down Bruce? One has to figure the League of Shadows will play into this story somewhere. But killing off Bruce would totally be a bummer...

4) Who is John Blake, the next Batman or Nightwing?Since Bruce looks as if he's going to start collecting his 401k, who will take his place? It would seem from the trailers the Blake character may fit the mold of the next Batman or Nightwing. Levitt also has the classic Dick Grayson, i.e. Robin look, so my guess is that is who will pick up the torch for Wayne. From what we can discern from the latest trailer, it appears Blake admires Batman and what he stands for as the protector of Gotham.

Let me know your thoughts or suggestions on the thread below.

What If the X-Men Went out of Business?

X-Men united in unemployment...

By: Corey "The Mighty Thor" Willinger

www.cullercollectibles.com

Some of my favorite Marvel comics were the "What If" storylines, where all bets were off, even as far as which characters would survive.What If The Hulk Killed Wolverineand What If Magneto Took Over the U.S. were some of the best. Here's one that might not be met with such adulation but speaks to the reality of the modern world.

What If the X-Men Went out of Business

In this economy, a lot of people are forced to take on the first job that becomes available. If the super hero business ever took a hit, where would the X-Men be directed based on the information shared they shared about themselves with the good people at the unemployment line?

Iceman - A fireman. Iceman's always been good at putting out flames. Just ask Pyro. As a member of his local fire department, Iceman would still be able to do a service to humanity and possibly save lives.

Storm - Meteorologist. As a TV anchor, Storm would be beloved by viewers for her uncanny ability to get the forecast right every time.

Jean Grey - A psychic. Along the same lines as Storm, people love someone who can predict the future. Reading her customer's mind, Jean could tell them so much about themselves, they'd believe any vague prediction she made later. "You're worried about your mother. She'll be all right."

Wolverine - A stuntman. Before joining the X-Men, Wolvie never cared much for the spotlight. He wouldn't be any different in Hollywood, where he'd be called in to take a nasty fall, shake himself off and grab a quick paycheck while the pretty boy actor made the real money.

Colossus - A demolition man. Though he was a farmer in Russia known for what he produced, Colossus wouldn't have a hard time making it in deconstruction. Razing a building would take him a fraction of the time it would take a full crew.

Beast - A mascot. One thing that will always remain constant about the NBA is its knack for weird mascots with amazing talents (The Suns employ a gorilla). With his acrobatic ability, Beast could make a halftime show almost worth the price of admission as he threw down some nasty dunks.

Nightcrawler - A magician. Vegas is a town fascinated with freaks, and the devilish-looking Nightcrawler would fit in perfectly. Bringing an act that would not only rival but surpass that of Penn and Teller, Nightcrawler could be on his feet again in no time at all. Now you see him, now you don't.

The Avengers plot holes explained and Thanos

Avengers

By: Chris Culler
www.cullercollectibles.com

Well the wait is over and I'll have to say it was worth waiting in line for, that's the first movie I've ever done that for, and I mean a long line.

I think Marvel has done a great job and is trying to go the way of the Nolan Batman series and not make anything "too" corny, as lets be honest these movies are targeted at people my age, Mid 30's. Lets face it none of the suits are weird and Captain America wouldn't be Cap without the suit and I can live with Hawkeye looking more modern. I also thought Ruffalo did great so we should have one Banner for the rest of the Hulk/Avenger series now, I'm tired of the switch up.

Now to the plot holes explained. I think I figured out the Hulk/Black Widow scene from the line at the end from Banner. Remember he said I control him (The Hulk) because I'm always angry.
I think during the Black Widow scene he was trying not to get angry and thus he lost control of the Hulk.

The other hole is the Thor appearance. Thor we can assume was sent on a one way trip by Oden. Loki said something to the effect that Oden must have used all his power to send you to Earth.
The only way Thor was getting back was to get the Tesseract which is why he was very vocal on getting it when he first arrived. Not huge plot holes but explaining them would have make the movie drawn out and almost 3 hours.

They ended the Avengers well with them going there separate ways for another movie but ready to assemble for the sequel. The Thanos character will be interesting because his bio makes him seem almost supernatural? If they try and get to out of this world with the character it could make the sequel a flop. As I read in his bio, Thanos destroyed the universe and created it again, so hopefully Marvel keeps it down to Earth. I'm fine with the way they've made the Thor characters not too hokie.

Now on to a guess about the next film and Thanos plans. Watch the first Thor again for the Gauntlet of Infinity, it's in Oden's guarded room. Now Loki is in the perfect position, in prision to steal the gauntlet for Thanos. So you can see how all the pieces are in position for the next movie and for Thanos to reveal himself once the gauntlet is stolen.

The Gospel According to…..The Avengers?

by 
Joshua HitchcockMount Moriah Baptist Church

The Avengers is a film that movie lovers have been waiting for. Ever since Iron Man and Hulk came out, people have been waiting for The Avengers. I went to see the movie with some church members and they suggested I do a sermon series on the avengers. Well, I hate to disappoint them, but I am not going to do that. I mean, I could. I could preach a sermon on anger, talking about the anger problem of the hulk. I could talk about the Pride problem with Iron Man. Black Widow apparently is still living in her past and is trying on her own to wipe out the “red.” Hawkeye traded teams and became a bad guy for part of the movie. Dr. Fury has a problem with obeying authority. Thor thinks he’s “a god.”

Maybe someone can do a sermon series, but I am not. Why are people fascinated with superheros. I think it is because the idea of a superhero resonates with every one of us. Think about the plot of any superhero movie.

There is a threat to human life as we know it. A villain rises on the scene and seeks to destroy humanity. A superhero or group of superheros in this case rises to the occasion, puts themselves in danger, to be the savior of the world, offering the world a life of peace from the disaster wrought by the villain.

They all follow that theme. Whether it’s Spiderman fighting Dr. Octopus. The Hulk saving the world from Abomination, Captain America putting his life in danger to destroy “Red Skull.” Iron Man getting rid of whiplash. You name it. They all follow the same pattern.

Every person likes when the superhero wins. But it’s fiction isn’t it?

Yes and No. There is no guy out there that gets angry and turns into a big green monster that fights bad guys. There’s no overly prideful dude out there with a flying iron suit. That is all fiction.

But the world is threatened by an enemy who seeks to devour humanity, and he is more powerful and poses a greater threat to humanity than any villain in the superhero movies. His name: Satan. His strategy: Blind the world from the truth of the gospel. Deceive the world in thinking that everything is ok, when there is a serious toxic problem eroding the world and causing universal decay. The problem: Sin. Sin is pervasive. It extends to every person to the deepest parts of their soul and heart.

What’s the answer? The world needs a hero to save the day. The Avengers all together wouldn’t be able to win this fight. The world needs a greater superhero. The good news? There is one! He doesn’t wear a cape. He doesn’t have a cave or a cool car. He doesn’t have a sidekick. He hasn’t been affected by gamma radiation. He’s not “a” god, He is “THE” God who entered the world, took on human flesh. He didn’t come to defeat the enemy in a knock down drag out demonstrating his omnipotent powers. Satan tried to get him to do that. Where did this superhero have his victory: Calvary, hanging on a cross. The Superhero: Jesus. When Jesus seemed to be most helpless, that’s when he was most victorious. When Jesus seemed to be defeated, that’s when he put sin to death. On the cross, Jesus actually experienced the worst enemy of those affected by sin. God himself. God would destroy everyone affected by sin. On the cross, Jesus took sin upon the cross and absorbed in entirety the wrath of God of all those who would repent and believe. That’s a superhero.

The world cries out for a superhero. The world has gone terribly bad ever since Satan’s first strike in the garden of Eden. A Superhero has came to the scene and gave Satan and sin a deathblow on the cross. The victory has been one, It is finished.

How are we to respond? Turn from sin, and trust in Jesus. Who would not want the new life Christ can offer? Who doesn’t want to be freed from sin’s firm grasp? Trust in Jesus today.

It’s interesting that we have in our minds a superhero who is a caped or masked warrior who will fight and avenge the threatening powers. In fact, that’s the kind of superhero/savior the world was seeking in Jesus’ day. Jesus was triumphant at the cross. The people then missed it because they were looking for the caped warrior or the masked man to bring a revolution. In stead, it was a seemingly helpless carpenter hanging on a roman cross who saved the world.

Jesus is a hero unlike any the world has ever seen. Will you trust in Him?