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2021 is here and old incomplete edits need a review. At first, I felt this was one of my edits destined for the bin. Looking back on my TDKR edit again, I forgot how many problems are in this movie. Slow fights, silly motivations, and exposition galore. I never thought this was improved enough to warrant a release.
Until now. Possibly. If this works.
Reading a review recently about how "Bruce healing twice" is bad storytelling, I got inspired to experiment a little more, removing the "old" aspect of Bruce so he only has to heal from his fight with Bane. Playing around with this led me down a new rabbit hole. Big changes abound, but the main ones are the removal of all scenes with "old Bruce" and the discussions about him being a recluse. He may not be Batman anymore, but he's not decrepit.
One big effect of this is that we lose Bruce and Selina's first meeting, and so we must turn the ballroom dance scene into their first face to face. This is also the first time the audience actually sees Bruce as well.
We also lose Blake telling Bruce how he knows him. Now he shows up to the mansion, and Alfred looks annoyed. Blake and Bruce's relationship is implied but mysterious (I hope.) Bruce just is friends with an up an coming cop on the force, perhaps trying to lighten the load from Gordon after the stuff with his kid. Gordon effectively is traumatized. My original edit was called "Long Live the Batman" but this newer version doesn't suit the title anymore. Blake doesn't become another Batman. (Batman beyond maybe?)
This also means we lose Alfred and Bruce's first discussion in the cave. Alfred is EXTREMELY sidelined in this edit, showing up only to be annoyed that Blake is encouraging Bruce to be batman again, to get the drive to Fox and resign from Bruce, and to mourn at Bruce's grave and for the will.
Since we lose Alfred warning Bruce about Bane, this is where the REAL rabbit hole began- making Bane more of a menacing mystery. ("Show Don't Tell" mantra in full effect!) I leaned into things like showing Bane enter and exit the stock exchange, but not waiting inside. I removed Bane explicitly mentioning "the League of shadows" in his sewer fight with Bruce. We don't find out about the pit until Bruce is taken there. And little things, like he doesn't grasp at his mask as Bruce breaks it - he keeps fighting like a badass, but its just enough for Bruce to start getting the advantage again.
New Ending:
Other fixes from my original edit include:
I thought it was beyond hope simply due to how great TDK is. I'm actually approaching this review with new perspective, and am very optimistic.
2017 Original Post Summary:
While I regard "The Dark Knight" as one of my all time favorite movies, I never felt TDKR was a worthy successor, so I trimmed this like a bonsai tree- a little at a time. Talia's sex scene - TOTALLY NOT NEEDED. Anyways, a little here and there, and I trimmed 14 min off. I am happy with my current edit but am always looking for criticism.
Until now. Possibly. If this works.
Reading a review recently about how "Bruce healing twice" is bad storytelling, I got inspired to experiment a little more, removing the "old" aspect of Bruce so he only has to heal from his fight with Bane. Playing around with this led me down a new rabbit hole. Big changes abound, but the main ones are the removal of all scenes with "old Bruce" and the discussions about him being a recluse. He may not be Batman anymore, but he's not decrepit.
One big effect of this is that we lose Bruce and Selina's first meeting, and so we must turn the ballroom dance scene into their first face to face. This is also the first time the audience actually sees Bruce as well.
We also lose Blake telling Bruce how he knows him. Now he shows up to the mansion, and Alfred looks annoyed. Blake and Bruce's relationship is implied but mysterious (I hope.) Bruce just is friends with an up an coming cop on the force, perhaps trying to lighten the load from Gordon after the stuff with his kid. Gordon effectively is traumatized. My original edit was called "Long Live the Batman" but this newer version doesn't suit the title anymore. Blake doesn't become another Batman. (Batman beyond maybe?)
This also means we lose Alfred and Bruce's first discussion in the cave. Alfred is EXTREMELY sidelined in this edit, showing up only to be annoyed that Blake is encouraging Bruce to be batman again, to get the drive to Fox and resign from Bruce, and to mourn at Bruce's grave and for the will.
Since we lose Alfred warning Bruce about Bane, this is where the REAL rabbit hole began- making Bane more of a menacing mystery. ("Show Don't Tell" mantra in full effect!) I leaned into things like showing Bane enter and exit the stock exchange, but not waiting inside. I removed Bane explicitly mentioning "the League of shadows" in his sewer fight with Bruce. We don't find out about the pit until Bruce is taken there. And little things, like he doesn't grasp at his mask as Bruce breaks it - he keeps fighting like a badass, but its just enough for Bruce to start getting the advantage again.
New Ending:
- Removed reference to Blake name not being real, removed Robin reference. Blake is something new. (He used his handgun to kill two guys and carried a shotgun to save Gordon. He ain't no Batman.)
- Removed Gordon trying to recruit Blake and finding the new batsignal. (Gordon put people in prison based on a lie, and this edit magnifies it more when the populous undertones are removed. There is no way he was getting his job back, hes lucky not to be prosecuted. He is still somewhat honored at the Statue unveiling, so he's not vilified.)
- Removed Fox discussion about autopilot.(Bruce dies in this edit.)
- Removed Alfred on vacation seeing Bruce. Also removed Alfred's sobbing lines at the cemetary. (He's removed so much in this edit that it just seems over the top now.)
Other fixes from my original edit include:
- Format is full HD all the time, no IMAX format changes.
- Remove Gordon's opening speech - A lot is explained well enough already, this being one as the mayor says it all soon after
- Plane takeover is faster.
- No blood transfusion.
- Alfred's dream vacation story is scrubbed.
- All mentions of autopilot are scrubbed.
- Bane's attack on the stock exchange seems more methodical.
Exterior Stock Exchange shots color-corrected to seem like sunset, to better fit with the nighttime chase scene.- The history eraser program is minimized
to a 'gangland myth'and not a motivation for Selina after Batman saves her from the thugs. - Removed Selina looking back at Bane while being shot at on the rooftop.
- In Selina's apartment, the history eraser program subject is again removed.
- Bruce is not locked out of his house so he doesn't need to sleep with Talia out of nowhere.
- Background tension builder added to Bane/Batman sewer fight.
- Bane does not say he was born in the darkness, but he still says he was a man when he first saw the light.
- Beginning with the prison breakout, Countdown to Core Meltdown Captions spread out the timing of Bruce's recovery beginning at 150 days, with some scenes re-ordered to accommodate.
- Any verbal mention of time outside of a more evenly paced decent into chaos are removed.
- Timecodes added to Bruce's scenes in the pit.
Once Batman hits Bane's facemask and breaks it, Bane doesn't try to fix it during the fight.- Removed Batman saying "where's the trigger" repeatedly.
- The Batwing chase scene is tightened up, Shots of solders inside the tanks are removed
Talia doesn't actually do the full death scene, she talks and is done.- Gordon doesn't discuss who Batman is.
- Bruce dies.
- No vacation scenes with Alfred, Bruce and Selina.
- Blake gets the bag without being called Robin.
- Gordon doesn't return to work. No new Batsignal. Blake will become SOMETHING, but not Batman. (Unless he spends years training to be better than having to shoot the two goons at the cement place) He's got potential. And he seems to have already known Bruce
2017 Original Post Summary:
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