Previously I had threatened a post on the prologue trailer for The Dark Knight Rises but never followed through. What with the promotional push now kicking up (cue irritating intersplices with NBA playoff footage), this is a good time to call shots on the themes of the movie.
My interpretation of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins is that of one man rising up against despair and corruption (and the arrogance of Ras Al-Ghul). The Dark Knight was one man fighting against a force of chaos. In both cases though, it was one man as savior.
In the prologue trailer, all about Bane the central villain of The Dark Knight Rises, it’s clear that Bane has built a movement. One of his henchman actually sacrifices himself for the cause at Bane’s behest. As he goes to this death, the henchman is clearly reveling in his martyrdom. Yeah Bane will be a physical and mental badass, but where he’ll have one-upped Batman is in motivating a disenfranchised underclass. And that’s something a loner cannot defeat no matter how powerful a symbol.
So picking up the tail end of the comic The Dark Knight Returns, Bruce Wayne will learn that enduring change is brought by building sustainable collective action. In so doing, after being broken by Bane, he will rise up from the darkness defeat his enemy, bring lasting peace to Gotham, and ride off into the night.
And the opening of The Dark Knight Rises will punk The Avengers. Can’t wait until July 20th.