Even though I state it in the title of this piece, it bears repeating that my assertion here applies only to the film versions of the Batman universe. Despite a brief stint in the mid-90's working at a comic shop and collecting some in my pre-teens, I'm relatively unfamiliar with the involved mythology. I love every Batman film on some level though. Even the breathtakingly broad and unforgivably abysmal Schumaker films have a campy, nostalgic place in my heart.
The old school crew that essayed the rogues gallery on the Adam West TV show and in its film were a ton of fun. Total pros letting loose and losing themselves in the self reflexive silliness of it all. Nicholson's Joker made an astonishing impact on me as a 12 year old burgeoning cinephile and I still cherish his high energy uber-charisma in the role. Devito's Penguin is a revolting monstrosity, and a delightfully memorable one at that. The A-list, respectable actors that so terribly embarrassed themselves as over the top villains in Schumaker's neon abortions bring a smile to my face for all the wrong reasons.
Nolan's vision of the franchise brought gravitas and believability not only to Bruce Wayne/Batman, but to his nemeses as well. I've long thought Cillian Murphy to be a marvelous, unique screen presence and he brings his particular brand of androgynous intelligence to Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow. Liam Neeson is pure gold as Ra's Al Ghul, a role that redefined his cinematic persona for the last decade. I think Aaron Eckhart is the unsung hero of The Dark Knight. His heartbreaking fall from grace and off-putting devolution into the angry, murderous two-face is what makes that film the definitive tragedy of its generation. Ledger's Joker is simply phenomenal. A total overhaul and inspired reinvention of the iconic character. The performance is alarmingly lived in and altogether deserving of the accolades heaped upon it.
The fascinating thing about the villains in Batman's world is how they represent negative mirror images of the Dark Knight's psychoses. The judgemental fervor of Dent, the corrupt opulence of the Penguin, the shattered mental state of the Joker. The through line seems to be that these aberrations are what Wayne could have become under different circumstances with different role models. The other unifying element seems to be that they're no physical match for Batman, instead relying on mind games to gain the upper hand. Bane brings all these elements together and is not only more formidable than past villains, but as strong (perhaps stronger) mentally and physically as Batman himself.
The League of Shadows desires to do away with crime, corruption and the public's apathy toward it by indifferently burning Gotham to the ground as a means to restore balance. Batman wants to save Gotham by inspiring the populace and assisting like minded law enforcement. The dueling, uncompromising ideologies these two forces represent couldn't be more prescient in our contentious political climate. Extremity one way or the other is always a detriment. Bane and Batman are essentially Rush Limbaugh and Keith Olbermann in battle armor. Wayne was nurtured where Bane was left to rot. Wayne continues down the benevolent path of his altruistic father, Bane becomes the strong arm of his domineering, unforgiving father figure. Like Wayne, he even mourns the loss of a love that can never be.
I thought the film would present Bane as the revolutionary leader of an Occupy sect to make for timely commentary, but his orations are simply disingenuous posturing, poisonous lies meant to further crush Batman and delude the citizenry. He is totally antithetical to Batman. His empowering proclamations and incendiary speechifying are merely a callous ruse. Even the design of his mask is a photo negative of Batman's with the exact opposite sections covered. Bane is what Bruce Wayne would have become if he grew up in a prison instead of a mansion.
Tom Hardy knocks every element of this performance out of the park, but his first one-on-one fight with Batman down in the sewers is particularly spectacular. His immense physicality coupled with the ingenious vocal approach adds up to the sequence instantly becoming one of my all time favorites. The insidious, demonic delivery he infuses to the line, "I AM the League of Shadooooows." is so chilling and badass, it's been incessantly echoing in my head for days. There's a million elements and moments that make the scene magical to me. How the music drops out entirely, letting Bane's voice, running water and percussive body blows take center stage. The disinterested and disgusted looks on the witnesses faces. Bale's primal howl of agony. Bane grappling down a chain to deliver further devastation. And of course, when Batman can no longer depend on the darkness. It's epic, horrific and majestic all at once.
I should wrap this up as I fear I could go on for days about such juvenile matters. Matters like how awesome it is when Bane unleashes that cacophonous flurry after his mask gets knocked loose during their climactic fisticuffs. Or how great a character trait it is to have him tuck his thumbs into his flak vest like a simple country lawyer. How about that hilarious head nod he gives the dude in the stock exchange?!?!!?!??! Had to have been ad libbed. Point being, as magnificent as Ledger's Joker is, Hardy's Bane is easily its equal. It's all a matter of taste though. For me, the barbaric brutality, piercing verbosity and monolithic musculature put Bane over the top. He's the perfect catalyst for Gotham's reckoning and a fitting instigator for Bruce Wayne's final realization.
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