The Dark Knight Rises is a damn good film, but what it also showcases is Christopher Nolan’s ability to balance the movie so both the hardcore and the casual fan can appreciate it. The movie has been out for about 2 weeks now; I think it’s high time we put some spoilers up, some of these spoilers have a connection to Nolan’s vision some are just Easter Eggs. Before you jump to the next paragraph be warned it could spoil the movie for you if you have not already watched it.
The Cast
I am not going to beat around the bush anymore, here are the spoilers –
Bruce Wane walks with a cane; this due to injuries sustained in his last encounter with the Joker, of course as the movie progresses Mr. Wayne ignores the doctor’s advice and is back on the street fighting crime as the Batman.
Michael Cane who plays Alfred (Bruce Wayne’s Butler) is there in the movie only for a few minutes, he decides to leave his Master when Bruce Wayne decides to go up against Bane.
Bruce Wayne goes bankrupt, this due to losing his fingerprint and Bane taking over the Gotham Stock Exchange, the bankruptcy leads Wayne to seek a wealthy ally to rescue the company, and he turns to Miranda Tate, a philanthropist and Green Energy activist who he and Lucius Fox bring in order to fund the suppression of the renewable energy programme that they shelved in case it fell into the wrong hands. Fairly key plot point right there…
As twitter Says#TDKR
Joseph Gordon Lewit plays John Blake, who is Robin the boy wonder in the making, for the geeks out there it is explained in the movie that his name is changed from Dick Grayson so he can escape his past – if you closely watch his interaction with Batman you realize it is fairly similar to the ones Batman has with Robin
Commissioner Gordon is a total waste in the movie, for the first half he just in a Hospital bed. I feel bad for Gary Oldman an actor of his calibre deserves more screen time.
Liam Neeson makes an appearance as the very awesome Ra’s Al Gul in Mr. Wayne’s dream sequence; Nolan brilliantly ties the story in and around the character even though he is not present in the entire movie, read on to find out how.
The Scare Crow is back, he plays the judge in the people’s court which is created by Bane
Bane!!!
Bane’s army takes over Wayne enterprise science division, in turn giving them access to the many versions of the Bat mobile
Bane has some crazy confrontations with the Batman, in the first such confrontation he breaks Batman’s back and takes him to the dreaded pit prison, where he leaves him to watch his conquest of Gotham and die.
Anne Hathaway is great eye candy in the film, she plays Catwoman who partners with Batman to fight Bane, and of course before that she is an integral part of bankrupting him and also getting him bitch slapped by Bane. Note towards the end there are indications that she is Mrs Wayne.
Catwoman!!!
Bane’s origin are credited to the dreaded pit prison, where he was born and was the only prisoner ever to escape, however the same is untrue – Marion Cottilard who plays Miranda Tate is actually the prisoner who escapes the dreaded prison, she in fact is Ra’s Al Gul’s daughter Talia Al Gul, Bane is her protector and is in love with her, he helps Talia escape and faces the wrath of the inmates who disfigure his face (hence he needs the breathing apparatus). Talia on the other hand is on her way to fulfil Ra’s’s legacy and wants Gotham to rise from the ashes
Batman does not die in the movie, he hands over his cave to Robin and then is last seen having what seems as lunch with Catwoman, while Alfred looks on.
I think that’s pretty much it, if you have any questions regarding the movie don’t hesitate to type them in the comment section also if you have a great spoiler please add to the same 🙂
Click on the image to know the history off “The Batman”
So continuing our post on the crazy Nolan Batman series, we have picked up a few interesting facts / trivia on the movies and also added an interesting section on Goofs during the shooting of The Dark Knight Rises. The content piece for this article has been taken from across the net and from IMDB as well. Have fun reading and going through some awesome images. Also check the pictorial history of the caped crusader in the pic above.
Batman Begins
Batman Begins
In Batman Begins Christian Balelost his voice three times during filming after altering his voice while playing Batman.
Before Cillian Murphy played the fear inducing Scarecrow the role was offered to Marilyn Manson.
Much of Batman’s gear and apparel, including his cape and suit, is based on actual military technology.
Christian Bale auditioned to play Robin the Boy Wonder in Batman Forever.
During filming of Batman Begins the trailer door for Christian Bale read Bruce Wayne.
In Batman Begins the license plate on Bruce Wayne’s sports car is 375 265.
The wide-shot of the house of the League of Shadows was entirely computer-generated.
During filming of the scene where Batman is being towed by a train through the streets of Gotham, so much steam was used that it would “rain” on the cast and crew for several minutes after each take.
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight is the first Batman feature film that doesn’t incorporate the word “Batman” in its title.
Even though Christopher Nolan offered her the part, Katie Holmes decided not to reprise her role as Rachel Dawes. Instead, she opted to co-star with Diane Keaton andQueen Latifah in Mad Money that same year. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Isla Fisher, Emily Blunt and Rachel McAdams were all considered for the role before Maggie Gyllenhaal stepped in.
The Dark Knight was the first Batman film with no live-action or CGI bats.
Neither of the first two films has opening credits or titles
Heath Ledger improvised when he started clapping inside his jail cell in a mocking and sardonic capacity as Gordon is promoted. The clapping was not scripted but Christopher Nolan immediately encouraged the crew to continue filming and the sequence was included in the film.
The Dark Knight Rises
The Dark Knight Rises
Christian Bale has stated that he would not play Batman if Robin appeared anywhere in the trilogy. Christopher Nolan agreed not to include Robin as it would undermine the dark tone of his series.
One of the reasons why Christopher Nolan cast Tom Hardy as Bane wasbecause of his performance in the film RocknRolla. Hardy stated that he thought he was cast because of his role in Bronson. He arrived on set only to learn that Nolan has never even seen Bronson.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Leonardo DiCaprio , James Holzier, Ryan Gosling, and Mark Ruffalo were considered to play John Blake.Gordon-Levitt was ultimately cast.
After The Dark Knight was released, Aaron Eckhart expressed interest in returning as Harvey “Two-Face” Dent, as the film had left his role relatively open-ended.Christopher Nolan stated that Dent was definitely dead, and that his death would leave lasting repercussions across Gotham.
At 165 minutes long, this is the longest Batman film released to date as well as the longest film that Christopher Nolan has ever directed.
Out of respect for Heath Ledger, the Joker is never once mentioned for the whole film.
The Dark Knight Goofs
The timer on the bomb reaches 4:59 twice during the countdown.
When Bruce Wayne was checking his computer in the bat cave for the first time, one of the articles about Selina Kyle spelled the word “Heist” wrong. It said “Hiest” instead.
The fusion reactor suddenly becomes a fission reactor. It has a control rod removed and then threatens to go critical. Control rods are there to control a fission reaction and not a feature of fusion reaction. Even if this was the case, the decay would happen at an exponential rate and certainly not take 3 months to happen.
3,000 police officers are trapped underground for 3 months, kept alive by food parcels. However, when they are released, not one of them shows any sign of beard growth.
Throughout the trilogy, Batman noticeably wears thick black make up around his eyes when he has his mask on. However, when he returns The Bat to the cave for the first time, he talks with Alfred without his mask on, yet there is no sign of any make-up.
Hope you enjoyed reading the same. Also like we said, these are just a few handpicked interesting reads there are loads more available on the net. Also if you guys have some interesting trivia or facts do send them to us 🙂
Do check out our gallery of some awesome Trilogy pictures.
A lot has been written about the Dark Knight Rises online till date; we thought we would come up with a review that works for both the casual movie watcher and geeks (love the way we categorise people nowadays). We have tried very hard to keep the review spoiler free, but a few are mentioned so I suggest you read the same at your own risk. Before we get into the review, it is important to know that Christopher Nolan was hesitant about returning to the series for a third time, but agreed to come back after developing a story with his brother Jonathan and David S. Goyer. Thank God he did because it is a fitting end to the trilogy.
The Mrs and I decided to go for the Dark Knight Rises on Saturday; unfortunately all theatres we looked at were packed to capacity. Finally, the Mrs. found the Ebony Lounge at Metro where 2 tickets were available. We both had never been to the lounge so decided to give it a try. The show was an early morning show at 9:45 am the very next day; as with most Saturdays, we slept in and then there was a mad rush to reach the movies. Cutting to the chase, we made it in time watched the Superman trailer and got into our very comfortable recliners 🙂 for all those who missed it check the trailer below
The movie starts off with a bang, introducing Bane as one of the major characters in the scheme of things to come. As you have heard by now the events of the movie take place 8 years after the events of the Dark Knight. Batman has retired and Gotham believes he is the reason that they lost their beloved son, Harvey Dent. The good part is Nolan has kept the story around events in Gotham rather than just Batman, this enable him to introduce and build certain characters at the start of the movie. Catwoman and Miranda Tayte are the most notable characters introduced at the start of the movie, played by the gorgeous Anne Hathaway and Marion Cottilard. Both the leading ladies look stunning and will have you asking for more throughout the movie. The action scene where Catwoman fights goons while Gotham PD breaks in and she switches characters to play the victim is crazy, similarly Cottilard has an aura around her which a few will immediately recognise; suffice to say she breezes through her scenes with the ease of a knife through butter. Moving on, the plot also moves at a crazy pace, one incident leads to another and Batman is forced out of retirement – this basis Bane trying to steal data from the Gotham Stock exchange. The Batpod is his vehicle of choice and the sequence where the cops eventually start chasing the Batman instead of Bane is crazy; Nolan known for not using CGI has shot over 100 cars driving across the streets of Gotham. Batman escapes the Gotham PD and also introduces viewers to the Bat (Batwing). Of course Alfred, Batman’s trusted butler, unable to see Batman go up against a Nemisis like Bane, decides to retire (Don’t know why Michael Cane was let off so early in the movie).
The movie’s biggest advantage is the fact that it is driven forward not by Batman but by Bane, something you don’t see nowadays. The character is brutal and almost demigod like, much like in the comics; the script masterfully builds his character to match Batman who already has 2 movies under his belt, his plan through the movie will keep you guessing and his voice will terrorize you whenever you hear it, be it on the iconic football field shot featuring Hines Ward, wherein the entire ground collapses and Bane introduces himself to Gotham, or in his first hand to hand encounter with Batman, in which, I must say, he dominates. “So you think the dark is your ally? I was born in it. Moulded by it. The first time I saw the light I was already a man. And it was nothing but bright. The shadows betray you. Because they belong to me!” writing like this will keep you glued to your seats. The movie then takes on the task of back-stories and the faith of Gotham, I do believe Nolan has been inspired by Bane’s origin – “Bane spends his childhood in the hellish prison of Pena Duro on the corrupt South American island nation of Santa Prisca. He develops superhuman strength through a forced experiment involving the drug Venom”. Taking from here, Nolan puts up the spectacular prison sequence shot in India and takes you through Batman’s resurgence (This after Bane breaks his back) as well as key plots towards the end of the movie. I really wished they had shown more of the prison, it is truly spectacular. A special mention goes to the character of the blind prisoner (or who appears to be blind) played by Uri Gavriel.
The end of the movie is where the Darkness and Chaos really shine bringing Gotham to life like fans of the comic know it; hell breaks loose and here is where the supporting crew also work their magic, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt share substantial screen time in Batman’s absence and give you a view of the madness that Gotham has become. I especially liked the makeshift courtroom which is judged by Scarecrow, Gordon Levitt stands out in his performance as the detective trying to do right – he is portrayed as being intelligent enough to deduce Batman’s identity, and near the end of the film, Blake reveals his legal name is Robin John Blake (Hint). Again the sequence where Gotham PD take on Bane is spectacular. What surprised me towards the end was the tag team that Batman formed with Catwoman, we always know there was something there but fighting together was a bit farfetched.
Before we call it wraps – the music of the movie – it matches each and every scene. Hans Zimmer has done an outstanding job of providing a top notch score for both the smallest of small scenes and epic battles. What you will remember once you finish the movie is “The chant” – the chant that the prisoners shout in unison when someone is trying to climb out of the dreaded prison – Zimmer mentions, “The Chant became a very complicated thing because I wanted hundreds of thousands of voices, and it’s not so easy to get hundreds of thousands of voices. So, we Tweeted and we posted on the internet, for people who wanted to be part of it.” It seemed like an interesting thing. The two worded chant, “deshi basara” translates to “he rises” in Moroccan, exhibiting Ra’s al Ghul’s (Hint) Arabian nationality, as well as coinciding with the title of the film, The Dark Knight Rises.
To conclude, the movie finishes like it starts….. with a bang. I stood up and clapped as the credits rolled. Purists may argue this movie is not like Nolan, he has gone the commercial way and all that crap. I don’t think so; Nolan has taken the best from comic books, interpreted it into his world and portrayed Batman as close to his comic book avatar as possible. This movie is an absolute must watch especially for Tom Hardy’s portrayal of Bane. Don’t miss highlights of the world premiere in the video below.
It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. …..That’s how the press note from Warner Brother reads – It’s no rocket science that the new movie will open to record breaking box office numbers, but if early reviews are to be believed, the movie is getting a mixed bag where critics are concerned.
We, at Badbikegang, are not debating whether the movie is good or not, but have chosen to focus on the Bikes that the movie has inspired and also give our readers some interesting facts about Chris Nolan’s Magnum Opus (What the hell? We’ll put in a few spoilers for good measure also). Let’s focus on Bikes as that is the whole agenda of this blog is…..Bikes (Duhhhh!).
Please note, we will only focus on Batman’s Bikes not Robin’s; he may get a mention here and there, though. The first time a Batcycle was glimpsed in the cartoon was when Catwoman stole Batman’s utility belt and unwittingly pressed the button activating the Batcycle’s autopilot in the Batcave. From then on, the Motorcycle has been a regular part of Batman’s arsenal. With regards to broadcast, the Bat Bike featured extensively in the 1960s American television series starring Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin. The bike was built by Dan “Magiera” Dempski, who used a donated Yamaha 250cc. The bike was customized with a front steering assembly (the part with scallops on it). The windshield was made out of plexiglass which had to be specially molded and custom blown. The sidecar was also a go-cart that would break away from the cycle itself – note Batgirl who also featured on the show had her very own bike (check the amazing retro shots). The next round of swanky bikes came featured in “Batman & Robin”, it was Batgirl’s vehicle when heading to the Gotham Observatory at the film’s climax. Robin also has a motorcycle (Applause Robin has been mentioned) that looks like that of Batgirl’s, unfortunately it is technologically inferior to the one Batgirl rides, I do remember the bike being called the “Bat Blade”…. (don’t know which idiot thought of that).
In the last 2 decades there have been many Batman motorcycle sightings with regards to movies, animes and games but none as memorable as featured in Nolan’s depiction of the caped crusader – The Dark Knight. The movie featured one of the coolest bikes I have ever seen and even better bike sequence – check the video below, The Batpod definitely kicks some serious ass!!
Like he took the character to the next level, Nolan also took his gadgets and vehicles to the absolute next level, the Batpod is a mean looking machine; it looks like a beast ready to charge at full stride. Interestingly, only stunt driver Jean-Pierre Goy has ever piloted the intimidating Batpod — the giant tires, crude suspension, and prone riding position make it more dangerous to ride than almost anything on wheels — Few people know that Christopher Nolan was actually very hands on in building the Batpod, production designer Nathan Crowley and he took a month to assemble a foam-and-plastic model for Batman’s new ride. This was then made into a fully functional bike later.
You have to understand a few things to actually appreciate this juggernaut of a bike. In order to give Batman the ability to manoeuvre under low clearances, the Batpod can physically lower and elongate itself. On set, the front forks extended and the chassis hugged the ground, positioning Goy parallel to the ground–and that’s before pulling a 360 (That’s just whack!). The saddle is free to rotate; it allows you to do all kinds of odd movement within the frame of the bike. Another cool design element – those footrests which are actually the bike’s radiator. But like the exhaust, the normal components had to be hidden to keep the bike’s profile true to the original concept. The engines are actually built into the tires so the bike has an unreal aerodynamic look. To top all this, the bike features .50-cal. machine guns and 40 mm cannons built directly into its frame. Then the bike one-ups them with its iconic grappling hooks, which flip an 18-wheeler over in one key shootout. It would not be fair if we did not showcase a video at this point in time featuring the technology of the Batpod, so here you go….
Now onto the current film, Dark Knight Rises – we debated putting an early review, but that would spoil a lot for people reading this post, instead here is a guide of things you must know before you watch the movie, it will definitely enhance the movie watching experience.
The Dark Knight Rises takes on from The Dark Knight, only 8 years later…
Anne Hathaway plays Selina Kyle, better known as Catwoman; she will be seen riding the Batpod, Batman’s bike in the film.
Christopher Nolan reportedly chose Bane, played by Tom Hardy, in The Dark Knight Rises. Nolan wanted Batman to go up against his strongest advisory yet, both physically and intellectually.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy and Marion Cotillard who play significant characters in the film were all seen together in the 2010 film Inception which was also directed by Christopher Nolan.
The very first words spoken in The Dark Knight Rises are in voiceover from Commissioner Gordon, who kicks things off by saying, “I knew Harvey Dent…”
If you are a comic book fan here are 5 comics that will prepare you for The Dark Knight Rises: Batman Legacy, Batman Incorporated Season 2, Catwoman: Selina’s Big Score, Batman: No Man’s Land and Batman Knightfall. On the Spoilers bit, I don’t have the heart to put them up just yet, suggest you go and watch the movie it will definitely answer all your questions; if it does not, come back to the blog next week for some in-depth analysis and spoilers. Keep an eye out for the Batpod in the movie; the very hot Catwoman also rides one this time around…..Do check the gallery below for some crazy fan art inspired by The Dark Knight Rises. As usual, do share any interesting basis the movie or bikes in comments….
Every now and then you will see a motorcycle on the road and go “WOW! That’s an awesome looking piece of equipment!” People queue up outside showrooms or expos to see motorcycles that have been created basis themes or brands. We have always been fascinated with unusual bikes; hence one of our favourite pastimes is customizing our bike and also watching the Biker Build Off.
To add to the above, Movies, Games and various other brands are also promoting their products using Motorcycles; a classic example of the same – Batman, Gears of War, Tron Motorcycles, etc.. The Gears of War Bike was actually designed by Paul Junior Designs; the wheels of the game-inspired trike include theGears of War cog skull symbol and the paint resembles armour used in the game. It features crash bars to fight locusts, dual gattling guns and 14 inch wide tires. Check the video below for the unveiling.
The Batpod, on the other hand, is a totally different ball game (we will be covering this in another post). Designed by Nathan Crowley, who designed the Tumbler for Batman Begins (2005), the bike has 20″ front and rear tires (the Tumbler’s front wheels), and is powered by a high-performance, water-cooled, single-cylinder engine, geared toward the lower end for faster acceleration and with no exhaust pipes. The exhaust is routed through the hollow steel/aluminum/magnesium tubing used for the frame of the bike. The Batpod is steered by the shoulders instead of hands, and the rider’s arms are protected by shields. The two foot pegs are set 3½ feet apart on either side of the tank, which the rider lies on, belly down.
The Tron Bike is by far, my most favourite bike, purely on the way it looks and also the way it is showcased in the movie. Electroluminescent strips built into the tire cowlings, wheel rims and body illuminate the cycle. It is powered by a fuel-injected Suzuki 996cc, 4-stroke engine. Riders lay at a near-horizontal position astride the padded leather seat, with feet on foot pegs that control its 6-speed constant mesh manual transmission and hands on the handlebars for throttle and braking. The hubless wheels are former truck tires built up, then custom-shaped to fit onto one of two counter-rotating rims spinning within each other, providing the broad-tired authenticity of the computer cycles from the movie. A chain-driven friction drum manages acceleration and braking from the handlebars. It uses a 3 1/2-gallon main fuel tank and 1 1/4-gallon reserve tank. Check the awesome video below.
I thought it would be fun to put down some Unusual facts on Motorcycles in this post, some of them you already know some will make you go WTF….
The German inventor, Gottlieb Daimler, is generally credited with building the first practical motorcycle in 1885.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 2000, 631 motorcyclists were saved by wearing their helmet.
Motorcycles and scooters are, on average, about twice as fuel efficient as cars.
Up to eight motorbikes can fit in the same parking space occupied by one car.
Kawasaki also makes spaceships.
The first rider to ever go over 300 mph was Don Vesco in 1975, on a 1496cc Yamaha-engined streamliner.
MV Agusta is currently producing the F4 1078 RR 312. 312kph being the recorded top speed at the Salt Flats in Utah in 2007.The RR312 reached a recorded top speed of 195, but since speeds are averaged, it’s recorded top speed is 194mph, or metric, 312kph.
The fastest motorcycle is the Dodge Tomahawk, a prototype with an unusual design, featuring the 500 hp (373 kW) 8.3 L V10 engine from the Dodge Viper.(Picture: theRed Bull Bike)
Harley-Davidson built push-bikes between 1917 and 1923. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle, built in 1903, used a tomato can for a carburettor.
When Valentino Rossi was five, his dad Graziano built him a go-cart to discourage him from getting into bikes.
By now you must have realized why the unusual works. Below is a bunch of interesting, unusual motorcycle facts and some awesome imagery for your eyes only. As with all our posts, if you have an unusual bike and an image to share, do add the link in the comments section.
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