The Dark Knight Rises

Warner Bros and Christopher Nolen have announced the two lead “baddies” in the next Batman flick. He also has settled on their actors.

Anne Hathaway has been cast as Catwoman. Tom Hardy (Inception) is set to play the South American brainy, muscle-bound “super steroid” freak Bane.

As a comic book fan who came up in the “silver age,” I have always loved Batman, despite in my earliest years being a diehard Marvel fanboy. I loved Neil Adam’s run in the 70’s, and Nolan’s Batman has a close resemblance to that incarnation. Before Nolan, my favorite of the films was the first Tim Burton effort, and also the Val Kilmer Batman (my only three problems with that one being a Robin who is too old, a two-face who is too ugly on the normal side of his face, and a Gotham City that is just too wrapped in neon – even the damn guns had neon tubing on them? Sheesh.)

Nolan has brought a great sense of realism to the world of Batman, and the first film was a fantastic origin story that hit all the right notes with comic fans and the “unbeliever” general public.

I really did love that first Christian Bale Batman film, and the second had a lot of great moments. I thought Two Face was kind of wasted (a criminal career that lasted around 20 minutes. Hardly worthy of entry into the Rogue’s Gallery down in the Batcave to be sure.) I think the new actress playing the love interest was a very strange choice. And I don’t *gasp* think that the late Heath Ledger’s Joker portrayal was all that extraordinary (although I do like a more toned down Joker, as he was often just too giddy and silly in some former incarnations). Overall, I think they should have shortened the film by around 20 minutes (something I say about a lot of movies. I’m looking at you, LOTR). It was just too much for one theater sitting.

So, how will Catwoman and Bane fit into the more realistic, non-comic bookey “Nolanverse?” Well, Catwoman was kind of a given anyway. The question is, which way will they go with her. The crazy leather bitch made famous by Michelle Pfieffer in Burton’s Trannyfest Batman Returns? The dominatrix prostitute of the 80’ and 90’s? Personally, I think a good take for Nolan to fit her well into his world is to make her more like her high society cat burglar persona from the olden days.

The Batman Animated Adventures from the 90’s did that with her, and did not have to stoop to making her a crazed, psychosexual being like Burton did. She actually pretty much had it together. I liked that version. Throw in that versions animal activism, and you’ve got yourself a reason to have Anne Hathaway bare her teeth and throw down with some martial acrobatics.

Bane? I dunno. I think it is a shit move. This was never that fascinating a character, and he only got into the consciousness of the fanboys by being the foe that literally broke Batman’s back. He also is not part of the old rogue’s gallery, which I think should have a focus on the old. A Nolan version of The Penguin (a non-mutated version, please), Riddler, or even bringing back Two Face would have been a much better choice. Nolan would have to take Bane to an entirely new vision for me to get behind it. I think he is a lame character.

This is most likely Nolan’s last Batman, and I think it is a shame that we will not see the return of Liam Neeson’s Ras Al Ghul, or at least his daughter Talia (who would be a perfect fit for the exotic and currently very popular Mila Kunis from Black Swan. Hell, maybe Anne Hathaway could have pulled off Talia) during his tenure.

OK, the film is at least a couple of years away from theaters. Sue me, I like talking about Batman.