Dark Knight Ascends, The

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9.7 (17)
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Faneditor Name:
Original Movie Title:
Genre:
Franchise:
Fanedit Type:
Original Release Date:
2012
Original Running Time:
164
Fanedit Release Date:
Fanedit Running Time:
147
Time Cut:
17
Subtitles Available?
Available in HD?
Brief Synopsis:
I noticed there is a lack of TDKR edits and I'm starting to realise why:

The movie isnt fun. It has downright rediculous moments, and it reduces it's main villain to a love interest. On top of this we have a rediculous nuke that goes off in a minute.
Intention:
Because it's not the fanedit we deserve, but the fanedit we need.
image
Special Thanks:
ArtisDead as always. The real hero.
Release Information:
  • Digital
  • Blu-Ray
Editing Details:
I completely reworked dialogues for this edit. Bane made this possible, really. Because he wears a mask.
Cuts and Additions:
- Remove the Harvey Dent storyline (Bane now just frees prisoners to create chaos and calls the prison itself a symbol of oppression. Which it kinda is in the usa let's be fair).
- Gordon knows who Batman is. Not the Rookie cop.
- Mess around with the timers at the end of the movie to suggest Batman has 9 minutes to get away with the bomb instead if 1. (this helps you not get annoyed by chit chat).
- Removed Alfred telling us who Bane is immediately. He now first has to do his research
- Remove the doctor punching Bruce Wayne in his broken back.
- Made Bane the child who escaped and not talia. Completely reworked her reveal.
- Remove Robin at the end.
- Moves bruce wayne escaping the Pit to earlier in the film to make it clear he could in fact make it to Gotham in time.
- Remove Gordon's letter being read by Bane.
- Bane now frees the prisoners because he feels like it, not to read aloud a letter he doesn't care about.
- Gordon no longer guilt trips. He is happy criminals are locked up, and knows it was worth it.
- Completely re-edited the child's backstory.
- Completely re-created Talia's reveal monologue
- Bane no longer asks if the doctor can disarm the bomb, because who cares? He has a detonator lol. It also makes Bane far more ruthless.
- Slightly cut Ra's al Ghul coming in a dream to bruce.
- Cut bruce hanging to feel like he hangs a far longer time than the original cut.
- Made the bomb go off in 8 months instead of 5.
- Removed all mentions of the timer, untill the final day.
- Removed the second auto pilot line with Lucius. It's on the nose.
Trailer

User reviews

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100%
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5-7 stars
 
0%
3-5 stars
 
0%
1-3 stars
 
0%
Overall rating
 
9.7
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.9(17)
Audio Editing
 
9.9(17)
Visual Editing
 
10.0(17)
Narrative
 
9.4(17)
Enjoyment
 
9.4(17)
View all user reviews View most helpful
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
i didn't really like the original Dark Knight Rises. For me, there were too many departures from the mythos that not only didn't add anything, but detracted from a compelling, coherent story. DonkeyKonga's edit fixes almost all of them.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
O
1 reviews
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(Updated: November 18, 2023)
Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
Firs things first, I have to commend DonkeyKonga for how receptive he was to certain editing criticisms I had before this review. He promptly and effectively fixed various issues which I and a few others had and it really shows with how slick this edit is.
It's become a cliche at this point, but you can show this edit to anyone who hasn't watched the film before and they will have no clue it was an edit. The presentation is top notch (this aint a two channel, 720p presentation we're talking about here) and the narrative changes are subtle enough to feel like an official release in it's own right. You get exactly what you came for with this edit. Everything DonkeyKonga said he did in the description is handled masterfully.

Having said that, there are a few stickler narrative changes I just cant get behind in any respect.
SPOILERS FOLLOW

This edit, for me, took a movie I really like, turned it into a movie I could love, and then introduced new narrative contrivances which made me merely like the film again.
First off I'll lead with the good.
Bane as a character in this film is presented masterfully. I always had problems with Bane in the original Dark Knight Rises, but even I was confused as to how anyone could properly edit out the Talia reveal.
Donkey Konga did just that. In this version of the film, Bane is no longer a simping henchman, but a terifying echo of Batman. His character is exactly the way it is throughout the original Dark Knight rises all the way until the last ten minutes.
I know firsthand how hard it was to accomplish this, which is why I give mega props to DonkeyKonga.
It improves the narrative structure immensely which makes it all the more baffling that Nolan decided to twist the audience. It wasnt enough for the original film to have talia be revealed as an accomplice of Bane. No, SHE had to be the hardened soldier who escaped from the pit, and Bane her ever loyal simp, thus completely undermining Banes presence at all.
This film massively improves that baffling narrative flaw.
It also rather ingeniusly makes commisioner Gordon the one who discovers Batmans identity, not John Blake.
This again, worked almost perfectly. (It was a tiny bit redundant showing a flashback to Gordon putting a coat on Bruce Wayne in batman begins with the way the new narrative plays out but i digress)
John Blake is no longer Robin. Perfect.
There are also more subtle changes to the films pacing and structure which went a long way in serving the film. Again, flawless.

Now for the two sticklers,
I really loathe the fact that this edit cut out the Harvey Dent subplot. Its something I had reservations about before watching, and my every reservation was, in my view, justified. I'm sorry but theres just not much of a story here without that subplot. It's super important for me, and I think super important for the audience, that Gordon and Batmans deception in the dark knight is payed off in some respect in this film. Its exclusion created buckets of problems for me.
Why does the city celebrate the murderer of Harvey Dent with a statue number one.
Number two, why does Bane suddenly transform into a populist when freeing the criminals from blackgate? This did not work for me at all in this edit. Bane suddenly, out of nowhere, plays up a populist revolt against the man narrative, despite 5 minutes prior telling the entire city he was going to blow them up. This only works in the original film because Bane oozes cynicism while reading Gordons letter, showing the that the entire Empire of New Gotham city is built upon a murderer, in turn breaking Gothams spirit and also, unwittingly, making Gotham hungry for Batmans return, thus making the flaming bat symbol all the more emblematic. This, in the original film, almost CREATES the class disparity narrative the rest of the film rolls with which is why its exceptionally important to keep. It shows that the crime act which has saved Gotham city is built on a literal lie. This is an important chickens coming home to roost in the original story and is just completely dropped here for no apparent good reason.
Now theres just a gaping hole in the middle of the film. The entire film goes out of its way to show that one officer chasing batman at the expense of bane, because batman was responsible for the death of dent. Later on that officer works with Batman. Why?

With this new narrative change, the film becomes about Gotham learning to celebrate a man who they believe to be a murderer. It just leaves a nasty taste in my mouth, and its done even worse by yet another pointless narrative edit.
The very ending of the film.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, show dont tell and all that jazz, but without seeing Bruce in the flesh the ending felt rather empty to me, and pointlessly ambiguous, We know wayne survived, so show him for us. I think the audience, and Alfred, deserves that payoff. Less discerning viewers could come away with impression that Bruce died and alfred is dreaming or it doesnt matter if bruce is alive or not or whatever, inception style. I just really hated it. More importantly, it completely left a dead end on Selina Kyles story arch. The subplot of the technology which erases someones past is never fully resolved. We really need to see Bruce and Selina in a new life for that subplot to have any importance. Its even alluded to at the end of the movie right before the credits, but again, we never see Selina. For. No. Good. Reason. Other than chasing a nolan signature melodramatic ambiguity so the audience member can feel smart.


I understand that I'm not entirely the intended audience for this edit. I knew full well that these narrative changes were in this edit going in. But its made all the more frustrating for me because everything else is SO on the money here.
I wish there were a seperate version--one which preserves the original final seconds of the film and the harvey dent subplot. Because I really have nothing but good things to say about the rest of this fanedit. From smaller things like the cutting to black in Bruce's ascension, to larger things like how this entirely fixes Bruce getting back to gotham and how he escaped the batplane in time, this really is meticulously and thoughtfully edited.
It just, to paraphrase George Lucas, goes a bit far in a few places.

All in all, I recommend this edit. But I'm still left searching for a perfect middle ground between this and the original release.

(btw mega props to donkey konga for the alternate no romance cut. this really focused the film on batman and catwoman, which was a huge boost to the film. Plus, less miranda tate is always welcome lol)


UPDATE: Subsequent to this review the editor, DonkeyKonga, was kind enough to make an alternate cut of the film with the changes I suggested here. This is now, by far and away, the definitive way to watch the film for me.
If youre like me and liked the Dent sideplot, and wanted to preserve Bruce and Selina at the end, but wanted a Bane which was true to his representation 3/4ths of the way through the film then this is the way to watch.

The ending to the trilogy is fixed once and for all.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 2 0
(Updated: November 12, 2023)
Overall rating
 
9.6
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
9.0
Enjoyment
 
9.0
I must confess that I've always enjoyed rewatching this movie more than its overly-lauded predecessor. Not because its a better film (it's absolutely not), but simply because it's a lot more fun and silly. From Bane voiced as a Scottish grandpa to Drama Club Catwoman and the painfully obvious "I was Talia all along!" twist, this film is just plain dumb, but in a way that I enjoy. DonkeyKonga's edit does a good job of keeping the fun while reducing the more outrageously stupid elements. My only quibbles would be with the ending. Trying to keep the survival of Bruce ambiguous doesn't really have any weight given that we've already seen Fox learn that the autopilot was repaired. And while removing the truly dumb 'Robin's my middle name' bit is understandable, I think not hinting at his future as Batman's heir makes his character arc too much a bummer. Otherwise, though, this is a really fun edit that makes the best of a pretty botched film.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
B
Top 100 Reviewer 55 reviews
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Overall rating
 
10.0
Audio/Video Quality
 
10.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
The Dark Knight Rises was one of those films I just acknowledged. I remember seeing it once in a drive-in theater when it came out but never again. Just in little bits and pieces. After seeing a ton of reviews years later, and finally watching it again on TV I came to the quick conclusion.

It sucked.

Were there good moments? Absolutely. Were there bad? Abso-freaking-lutely. Most of the issues lied in the writing. Moments that just happen in the story and you're left to ask: "Why?"

Why does Blake just know Bruce is Batman?
Why is Talia the kid that escaped the pit? Why would Ra's do that to his own daughter? (That part specifically just felt like they needed a twist at the end)

While the Ascends edit doesn't make the movie a flawless film, there's only so much you can do with a shaky foundation, it makes the movie the best it can be. Bumping up my personal score from a 7.5-8 to a 8.5-9.

*SPOILERS TO THE EDIT*

The only flaws I have with the edit in particular are little nitpicks. One larger one is the removal of the "Robin" plot-line at the end. While I remember audibly groaning when they outright called him Robin, I thought him finding the batcave, while a little sequel-baiting, could further show that this Gotham's future is protected. And with the "Robin" moment, I'd almost want to see if either AI voice cloning or a quick little voice-edit could be used to have the woman say "Richard" instead of Robin. I feel like that wouldn't be too on-the-nose.

*SPOILER END*

Thanks DonkeyKonga for taking the time to fix what many would call a lacking finale to a trilogy and turning it into something more fitting. Highly, HIGHLY recommend to those on the fence.

User Review

Do you recommend this edit?
Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
Report this review Comments (0) | Was this review helpful? 2 0
Overall rating
 
9.8
Audio/Video Quality
 
9.0
Audio Editing
 
10.0
Visual Editing
 
10.0
Narrative
 
10.0
Enjoyment
 
10.0
When I first watched this movie in the theater, I loved it. Each time after the initial view became worse and worse. I started to think "why did I ever like this movie?" The story is such a mess. I think that since it is so well acted and shot, you initially miss some of the major issues with it on first watch. It is clear Christopher Nolan was overthinking the entire story and tried to create this comic book/drama/social commentary and it just didn't work.

I hadn't watched the movie in years and came across this edit. Thank you to Donkey for making it a movie I can actually enjoy again and also making it a worthy ending to the perfect setup of Batman Begins and Dark Knight.

First thing - removing the "guilt" that Gordon feels over hiding the facts about Dent is essential. The Dent Act put thousands of criminals in jail - why would you feel any guilt over that? And then Blake calling him out on it just always bothered me. Sure the guy became Two Face, but he still did some good.

Making Bane the child in the Pit sold this for me. I am fine with Miranda being Ra's Alghul's daughter, but the fact that she was the child in the pit just never worked for me. Bane was scary and crazy and that was his prison - he always should've been the one who escaped.

Making the timeline longer until the bomb goes off also works and makes it more believable Bruce could recover and make it back to Gotham in time.

Not showing Bruce at the end is definitely how the original movie should've ended. Seeing Alfred's smile, but not seeing what he is looking at is so much more satisfying in my opinion. Plus it removes him being there with Selena which I always thought was stupid.

This is a great edit and technically very well done and thought out. I took a nitpicky point off of the audio quality because (and while I love the intent and outcome) I feel the way Blake says Gordon was "babbling about Batman being Wayne" sounds a little weird. I did rewind it a couple times to try and catch what he was actually saying. Visually it is SOOOOO creative because he uses the shot of Blake saying "Bane" and replaces it with "Wayne" but the way he says Wayne stands out as not being part of the original dialogue. I feel this is something AI can probably eventually fix to make perfect.

Thank you Donkey for making a finale of the Dark Knight Trilogy that is worthy to what came before. It was a fun watch and highly recommended!

User Review

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Yes
Format Watched?
Digital
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