There is only a couple of months left until The Dark Knight Rises, is released upon the world. During the time leading up to this final conclusion of the Nolan saga, there has been talk about why The Dark Knight was such a success. Many have come to the agreement that it was Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker, that pulled in the masses. Others believe it was his death, that helped the film make it's way to success and because of this fans have become skeptical as to whether The Dark Knight Rises, will be able to meet the ever growing hype.
In my view, Bane will be a fantastic replacement. As many of you will know, he can match Batman both, physically and mentally, making him a true challenge. What I think separates Bane from The Joker, is that his goal, will be to destroy Gotham. Of course, that is not the only thing Bane is capable of destroying. In the comics, Bane managed to break Batman's back, so it will be interesting to see whether this will be featured in the film.
Now this is only based on various rumours but apparently, Bane is suffering from a debilitating cancer, hence why he wears the mask on his face. I think this alone already makes Bane a very compelling villain and more importantly, a different antagonist when compared to The Joker.
The problem with the last series of Batman films, was the majority of the villains used, felt the same. Tommy Lee Jones portrayal of Two Face was very reminiscent of Jack Nicholson's Joker. Apart from the differences in appearance, there was nothing that truly made them standout from one another. This does not appear to be the case with Nolan's antagonists. Each villain he has featured so far, have been very different from one another in terms of their own personal goals and complexities.
The other reason why I think Bane will be a good villain is Tom Hardy. Hardy is a rising star and has proven himself to be a very talented actor. There is an intensity in his eyes and considering the majority of his face will be covered up by a mask, this will be a very important trait to have. There have been complaints that Hardy is too short to play Bane but I don't think it matters to be perfectly honest. Yes, Bane is portrayed in the comics to be massive and much bigger than Batman but that is the comic world. In the Nolanverse, he fits perfectly. I have never been a big fan of his mask in the comics and cartoons, so this look is definitely more appealing. He looks intimidating, almost like a Rottweiler, with its muzzle on. It makes him look vicious and extremely unpredictable, which I feel makes the character very interesting visually. I know there are people that aren't a big fan of this look but to be fair, I am certain, I remember some fans that were not particularly impressed by The Joker's new look either. At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference.
One of the biggest criticisms being hurled at this new character, is his voice. People have had trouble making out what he is saying and are worried they will not be able to understand him, during the film. I have not really had that problem but I can understand that some have and it isn't fair to them, if they can't understand. I personally hope Christopher Nolan fixes this issue but unfortunately, there have been articles stating that he has no desire to do so, so it will be interesting to see where this goes.
All in all, I feel Tom Hardy will be a great addition to this film and will make Bane his own character, just like Heath Ledger did with The Joker. The film does not have a death behind it this time but I think it is safe to assume this will be just as big as The Dark Knight, if not bigger.
Now to ask all of you. What do you think?