The Villian––The Right Way

Bane, contrary to the abomination that was the 1997 film “Batman and Robin,” displays the ideal image of the extremely intelligent villain. Bane was first introduced into the Batman world when the comic book “Batman: Vengeance of Bane #1” was published in 1993. Bane was created to be the only villain who could push Batman both mentally and physically; the former is usually forgotten when people describe him.

The Origin:

Now, where does Bane fit into the story of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight Rises”? The story is looking to be adapted from “Batman: Knightfall,” which focuses on Bane breaking out all of the prisoners from Arkham Asylum. By doing this, he runs the Batman into the ground with exhaustion and then moves in on Batman to attack. According to the comic, Bane breaks Batman’s back. During the time of Batman’s injury, three people come to protect Gotham: first is Batman’s old sidekick Nightwing—once named Robin; second, the new version of Robin; and finally, a random man named Asriel. But the likelihood of these details being included in the movie looks slim due to Nolan and Chris- tian Bale—the actor who plays Batman—having both expressed hatred for the Robin and Nightwing characters.

The Return:

Although sidekicks may be ruled out, the way Batman makes his return in the comic book may be included in the movie. In the comic book, Batman seeks out his old arch-nemesis Ra’s al Ghul, featured in “Batman Begins” (played by Liam Neeson), whose use of magical powers and technology have the ability to revitalize. In the released cast list, Ra’s al Ghul is casted in young and old form, suggesting that he will play a part in Batman’s return. The movie poster promises the end of the legend, the end of Batman, but knowing Nolan, however he chooses to interpret it will be sure to put on a fascinating show.

The Controversy––Prior Notions

Even though “The Dark Knight Rises” may be the most highly anticipated movie of the year, controversy already surrounds this not-yet-released film. This dissent comes from two fronts, both relating to the main villain, Bane. The first stems from preconceived notions on the main villain’s portrayal, including his attire and his voice. But these, and other prejudgements, were established by the worst Bat- man movie by far—“Batman and Robin.” Even the cliché-creating Adam West of the original Batman shows, was able to put on better performances. The version of Bane in “Batman and Robin” was a steroid-pumped Russian test subject who appeared to be completely unintelligent. This vision of Bane, which has become too common, was far from the one created for the comics, short of the matching costume.

The Controversy––Garbled Voices

Other controversy lies within the gar- bled, yet intellectual, speech of Bane in “The Dark Knight Rises.” Some were irked by the fact that this character sounds very intelligent, put together, and British—not Russian. The origin of his accent means nothing in the scheme of things, but the inability to make sense of what he is saying was originally perceived as a negative. But Nolan made a few statements referring to his intention to keep Bane masked in mystery. Keeping his words and voice slightly slurred adds to the enigma surrounding him. Nolan challenges audience members to can make out the gist of what Bane says, and claims that will be enough. The movie comes out this July, and with multiple trail- ers, “leaked” footage and set photos, the hype continues to grow. And although some fans will fret about Bane, Christopher Nolan always delivers.