Earlier I discussed how Harley Quinn and/or Poison Ivy could work as villains for 'Dark Knight Rises.' Next up in this ongoing series of villainy, is the unstoppable, the muscle-bound and masked "Man who broke the Bat." Bane.
1.) The Brute Model. Nolan has already made use of several kinds of villains, most recently the Utter Madman with Joker and the Fallen Saint with Harvey Dent/Two-Face in 'Dark Knight.' Now it's time for a special kind of model that tends to look the most distinct on screen--The Brute.
The Brute is usually not only known for his strength and ability to fight, but for his intelligence as well. Sometimes The Brute is equipped with special kinds of knowledge or training that give him an upper hand against the hero. A prime example of the Brute is Anton Chigurh, the unstoppable killer from 'No Country for Old Men.' Anton's specialty is not just his keen ability to kill without a thought, but his odd sense of justice and fate which he interprets through the flip of a coin. Really, there's probably no less terrifying a killer who is both physically empowering AND intellectually adroit.
Lesser examples of Brutes in movies are the Kryptonian mute Non, who teams with General Zod and Ursa in 'Superman II,' Sandman from 'Spider-Man 3,' and the big guy who gets chopped up in the propeller blades in 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.'
2.) Bane is realistic. While it would be hard to introduce the Venom compound Bane takes to increase his strength, it's certainly not difficult to create a realistic criminal who has taken enough steroids and lifted enough weights to make himself gigantic.
Given Bane's background as the son of a revolutionary who spent most of his young life in prison, this presents the chance for Nolan to step outside Gotham and explore the fictional Caribbean Republic of Santa Prisca. Santa Prisca is based loosely on Cuba's turbulent political history. Thus far, Batman has faced off with various thugs, the mob, and evil masterminds. It would be interesting to see him square off with an actual terrorist branded an enemy by a foreign government. It would be like taking on Che Guevera with muscles.
Justice in Batman is almost never black and white, but shades of gray. Even the Dark Knight himself is an anti-hero at best, who threads the line of what society considers right and wrong. How do so-called Third World politics enter into this comic book netherworld of morality? Perhaps Wayne Enterprises, like many big American corporations, have unfairly exploited labor in small countries, to which Bane is an indirect victim. If anything, it establishes a motive for Bane wanting to kill Bruce Wayne without realizing (yet) that Gotham's prince is also its dark protector.
3.) Fight scenes, fight scenes, fight scenes. If there's one area that's been lacking in what have thus far been masterful Batman films, it's great and memorable fight scenes. I think the best we came to a full-on fist-a-cuffs was the battle between Joker and Bats at the end of 'TDK.' The fight scenes with Ra's al Ghul in 'Begins' were fast and awkward. Bane, on the other hand, represents a chance for a great alternative to al Ghuls's martial arts, Joker's knives, and Harvey Dent's gun, with some good old fashioned hand to hand combat.
4.) Bane is really scary. Let this really sink in for a moment: Bane broke Batman's back and left him a paraplegic. Can you imagine the kind of havoc Bane could wreak on the underworld when he's capable of laying waste to The Batman? Something tells me Joker, Scarecrow, Riddler and pretty much anyone else would have their hands full dealing with Bane fighting to become the new underworld boss.
5.) Bane/Batman. Like two peas in a (bat) pod. For two guys with completely different upbringings, born in different countries, and two clearly different worldviews, Bane and Batman share a lot in common:
a. Both have lives severely impacted by events that happened to their parents. Bane is imprisoned and ordered to serve the prison time originally meant for his father, who escapes justice and a corrupt government he was trying to overthrow. Batman, of course, suffers trauma from the murder of his parents.
b. Both are highly intelligent hunters capable of stealth and up close combat. While Batman is the World's Greatest Detective, Bane uses his smarts to deduce the Dark Knight's true identity as Bruce Wayne.
c. Both overcome a fear of bats. In his childhood, Bane is tormented by a demon-like bat in his dreams. As he grows older and turns to crime, Bane later comes to believe the bat is a representation of Batman himself. He turns to Gotham, which like the prison he spends his young life, is a place ruled by fear.
d. They have the same father. Well, not really. But for awhile, Bane becomes convinced his biological father is Dr. Thomas Wayne. Later, it turns out his real dad is King Snake, a ruthless criminal dubbed "the most dangerous man alive." Talk about having a killer pedigree.
e. They both impress Ra's al Ghul and are members of the League of Assassins. Ra's later makes Bane his heir, an honor he had previously imparted on Bruce Wayne.
Stay tuned for more in this ongoing series of possible Batman villains for the upcoming 'Dark Knight Rises.'
5 Reasons 'DKR' Should Feature Harley Quinn and/or Poison Ivy (or both)
5 Reasons 'DKR' Should Feature The Clock King
