For the longest time, I had no clue. I just couldn’t figure it out. I mean, it’s a great movie, right? As an action flick, it stands up to most of the greats. As a story, it has a deep, complex structure that keeps you guessing, even when you, honestly, know many of the answers. So, what was the problem? Why did Nolan’s last Batman movie leave me feeling unfulfilled? What was the burning in my gut that just wouldn’t go away even though I thoroughly enjoyed the movie? What was the problem with The Dark Knight Rises? I thought on this for a long time before I finally realized that Batman, himself, had told me what my problem was.
“The point of the mask is that anyone can be Batman.” This one statement, which Nolan tries to hammer home by having Bruce Wayne appoint a new Batman and having him repeat this as, almost, a mantra in the waning moments of the film, are the precise problem I have with the film. “Anyone can be Batman.” No they can’t Batman is, essentially, Bruce Wayne. Anyone else is a pale imitation. Let’s compare, what I believe to be, the two best Batman iterations: the first Tim Burton Batman and Nolan’s Batman.
At first glance, in the grittier, more realistic Gotham, Nolan’s Batman seems as though he would be, hands-down, the better of the two, but honestly, pit them against one another, and I would honestly say that Burton Bat beats Nolan Bat in a fight, an rather easily. Ok, Nolanites, hear me out before you have me drawn and quartered.
The Burton Batman was smarter. This isn’t even up for debate. Nolan’s Batman had his entire arsenal created for him. From his body armor to the gliding cape, he was, almost, helpless without the aid of Lucius Fox. None of the vehicles he used were his own design, and many of his personal arsenal of weapon- grappling guns, etc.- were part of the R&D department of Wayne enterprises. Meanwhile, the first time anyone ever saw any of the Burton bat-tech, aside from Bruce and Alfred, was when they were employed for their various uses. And, it doesn’t stop there.
Nolan’s Bat was trained by the League of Assassins, a cult, led by Ras Al Ghoul, whose sole purpose is the annihilation of a huge portion of the human race in order to start anew and create a new Eden. Nolan’s Batman found this out just before he was given his final initiation to the cult. Burton’s Batman would have known with whom he was dealing before-hand. Why am I so sure? Because Nolan’s Batman is, supposedly, a real-world Batman, while Burton’s Batman was a better reflection of the comic books that spawned him. Burton’s batman would never have left because he couldn’t save Harvey Dent, nor would he have wasted his fortune building something that could be turned into a nuclear bomb. Burton Batman was too smart for these faux pas.
Remember Axis Chemicals, the place that birthed the Joker? Remember the files that Burton Batman had on all the criminals in Gotham and how he was able to piece together who the Joker was? Remember him showing up to save Vikki Vale from that same Joker based only on the fact that she called to confirm a date. Remember how often he showed up when the Penguin or Catwoman were up to no good or how he put an end to Joker poisonings using his chemistry knowhow when he realized the Joker was a chemist as well? Nolan’s Bat has very little of this prowess. Matter-of-factly, he seems very adept at hitting things but lacks the refined skill of Burton Bat. Speaking of skills…
Nolan’s Bat was trained in the same place as Bane, meaning, someone with more conviction and the same training could beat him. Bane did, so who else could? Most likely Ras, had he wanted to. Who knows how many others? What about Burton Bat? Do we know where he was trained? No. Do we know how many masters or disciplines? No. All we know is he could beat any opponent and that he could disappear in an instant. Honestly, there was never a doubt in my mind that Burton Bat wins, but Nolan Bat, many thought was going to die. I’m sorry, Nolanites, but it’s no contest. You don’t have to like it. You probably won’t admit to it, but in your quiet times, when it’s just you and your inner voice, you’ll have to accept it… Burton Batman was simply better.
This brings me back to the crux of my problem- anyone can be Batman. No, they can’t. The whole Nightfall storyline, which introduced Bane, went through great lengths to get us to understand that there was only one Batman, and that anyone else was only a pale imitation. Even the one Bat that did succeed in taking over Bruce’s legacy was a partial clone of the original Batman. The point is, that I think Nolan missed the point. In saying, and believing that anyone could be Batman, he took away things that were essential to the character. He made him, almost, normal, so that anyone could aspire to be him, but that’s not who Batman is. Batman is Bruce Wayne, a man obsessed with using his MIND and body to keep everyone safe, because he is one of the few who can. He’s Batman, not just because he can be, but because others can’t. That’s what Nolan lost. That’s what TDKR was missing, and that is what we’ll never get from him now…
Black Superman