For now, we may have Robert Pattinson as our newest iteration of Bruce Wayne aka Batman, but it wasn’t the first time the character has been given a dark, gritty reboot. That honor is held by Christopher Nolan’s 2005 film Batman Begins, which singlehandedly saved the franchise from its rubber-nipple-induced isolation brought on by Batman & Robin. Then in 2008, superhero movies were radically changed forever with the gargantuan release of The Dark Knight, which took the goodwill earned by Begins and pushed the envelope in every conceivable way.
After delivering one of the best films of all time featuring an Academy Award-winning portrayal of the Joker by Heath Ledger, Nolan was faced with the truly impossible challenge to top The Dark Knight and complete the journey of Christian Bale’s Bruce Wayne. This brings us to the release of The Dark Knight Rises in 2012, a hugely ambitious and satisfying wrap-up to this superhero story featuring Tom Hardy as Bane and Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman. It gained a hefty amount of praise upon release though not as much as its predecessor.
But while it may not be as groundbreaking of a film, Rises doesn’t rest on its laurels and certainly swings for the fences. But when thrown into the Pit, which film will emerge victorious? Buckle up folks as it may be a closer fight than you anticipate! It’s Chaos vs Pain, Fire vs Ice — it’s The Dark Knight vs The Dark Knight Rises only on… FACE OFF!
This episode of Face Off is written by Paul Cooper, narrated by Shawn Knippelberg, and edited by Paul Cooper. But don’t let us have the final word — tell us in the comment which Nolan Batman flick is your pick — The Dark Knight or The Dark Knight Rises?