OKAY, people, fine, I'll go see TDKR in the theater! I wasn't gonna, you know, because I didn't like the second movie very much. In fact, I didn't see either of the first two all the way through.

I shall watch the first two -for realz- this weekend and then go see Verbs. Are you happy now, with your tantalizing whitefont? Stop tormenting me!

I could watch it again tomorrow, no kidding you. But I won't, because it's dilaudid day. And I can't believe what autocorrect did with my attempt at feat in that post...must go back and correct the human way.

I cried more this time, because I knew what was going to happen. I knew which scenes required sustained tears, so I was all geared up. Obviously the explosion of Gotham, from about halfway through the anthem until the sinking it-- Steph the skybox with the mayor in it blows up while the field is going. There's just one player left on the edge of the field--the guy who presumably got Gotham's last touchdown for a while--or was it Sky City? I admit I didn't notice which team. I also cried at least when Selina betrayed Batman, and when she came back and killed Bane (and when she helped the kid whose brother had died in the tunnels (not that many orphans in a city of 12 million--that's cool). When Bruce got out of prison (notice how his cartilage problem kinda cleared up?), I cried too, and when Blake tried to get the kids out of Gotham, I cried.

And maybe other times. I made sure to stop before the end. I would not let myself cry during the funeral, which is admittedly easier the second time round, but Alfred kills it in that scene, and it was tough. I think the kid next to me was scrubbing his face around that time.

I also took the liberty of closing my eyes a few times--that was nice. Every time a prisoner fell trying to climb out of the prison, for instance--I can get by just hearing that from now on.

For some reason I panicked this time through that Lucious didn't make it out from under the river-- I didn't remember seeing him at the the end.

Still lots of feels. Oh, god, feels. I know I'm forgetting some--I made so many mental notes--way more than I actually have mental storage for.

There was a police presence outside the theatre, which made me feel uneasy. I read some people saying that movies were going to feature less gunplay, but that's pretty ridiculous--what are they going to do? Last minute edits? Delay releases? I'm thinking not. We had lots of gunfire in the previews (no Hobbits, but I'm fascinated by the idea the Superman teaser is elves), but I do hear the trailer with the gunfire in a movie theatre is being edited, which I can dig. I imagine the movie will escape intact, however.

So, people who saw it (obviously) -- did you believe Batman was going to blow himself up to save Gotham? Or did you think, well, no, he's Batman; therefore he MUST have a plan?

Because I *totally* believed he was willingly blowing himself up, and here's why: (1a) Last movie in the trilogy. Why not kill him? (1b) Even before the very end with Blake in the cave, I was already envisioning Blake taking over the cape and cowl -- if Bruce is dead, there's still a Batman (actually, I started envisioning it way early in the movie -- when Blake gives Bruce a ride home and Bruce says, "Anyone can be the Batman"). (2) Bruce and Alfred talked WAY too much about the potential of Bruce dying (plus Batman telling Catwoman he hadn't yet sacrificed everything for Gotham). (3) When Gordon said "Bruce Wayne?", that's just the kind of thing that happens in stories, isn't it? The big reveal just prior to the big sacrifice. (4) He's the goddamn Batman. That's what he DOES.

WEEPING, I tell you.

(Part of me has trouble believing that Bruce would give it up. I don't think that's what he does, no matter how much Alfred guilt-trips him. No matter whether there's John Blake around or not, Bruce Wayne doesn't walk away from being Batman. I don't think he would run off to Florence to drink Fernet with Selina Kyle. I'm basically okay with it as part of *this* specific story that this specific movie told, but overall I don't think it's consistent with his character.)

If I see it, I'll wait till the dollar movie. I wasn't than enthralled with the second movie either.

Steph, I pretty much agree with your whole post. In fact, I'm confused by Batman saying to Selina that the autopilot doesn't work--he tells her that--either right before or after THE MASSIVE TIMEWASTING KISS AS THE TIMER TICKS DOWN (that got an eyeroll from me both times, and muttering from the audience). Why would he say that? I get why we're supposed to hear that, but her? Then?

And I realise I can't work out if Blake is coming back as Nightwing or Batman--I'm assuming we're supposed to skip the Robin in shortpants phase.

I'm still replaying Hardy's movements in my head--especially from the fight where all the stills come from, including the hug between scenes. I could watch him fight forever, clearly, between this and Warrior. And cry and cry and cry.

Steph-in IO9's Batfashion post, they did mention getting a coat like Bane's. Here's a thread from superherohype.com: [link] (which is pretty useless) and then Ermenegil Zegna [link] (which is ridiculously expensive). Which means the answer is wait until the cosplay companies catch up, or Halloween.

Oh! Another weird/inconsistent thing I noticed--Bane and his boys crash the stock exchange during the day, but by the time the chase is on (it really doesn't seem like they spend a lot of time there--I think it's daylight when they exit, actually) it's night time. Is Batman that badass that he scares the sun away?

Is Batman that badass that he scares the sun away?

I think we've established that. He's the goddamn Batman.

And I realise I can't work out if Blake is

I don't know if Gotham needs a Batman, specifically, or just a hero. Because he could totally be Nightwing. I'd be really really really okay with that.

Are there any after-credits scenes?

So, in answer to Steph's question: I was ready to roll with it. I thought he could be dead, but I figured that since this was the end of a trilogy, there had to be some hope at the end. So I am okay with Batman's death as long as there is long-term hope for Gotham.

I watch too many movies and too much tv, so I think I really would have been FLOORED if the death stuck. I didn't think about the whys and wherefores, because I was just caught up in the narrative. For once I wasn't overthinking it.

dcp, no.

but seeing as how I didn't have previews either, perhaps someone else needs to weigh in.