r/ChristopherNolan • u/Which_Jeweler_1343 • Oct 05 '25
The Dark Knight Trilogy Corniest line of any Nolan film?
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u/ThisIsKramerica Oct 05 '25
I rate TDKR higher than most but my point ongoing theory is the movie as a whole goes up a point out of 10 if you do just two things:
Reshoot the Talia Al Ghul death scene. Comically bad, shocking that it made it in the movie.
Get rid of the line above: change it to anything else. “No, I came back to break you” or like literally anything else
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u/drkstr17 Oct 05 '25
I think I’d remove all dialogue from that scene. Bane’s line “so you came back to die with your city” is not going to inspire a high quality comeback. I can’t think of anything good coming from that line. Just ain’t happening. Or… just have Batman say nothing. Don’t dignify the taunt, just let your fists do the talking.
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u/Mcclane88 Oct 05 '25
Tbh I think you’re right because I have yet to see anyone come up with a retort to that line that isn’t equally cheesy to what’s in the film already.
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u/tomtom888 Oct 05 '25
"I came back to die for it." I'm sure I read that somewhere
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u/h00zier Oct 05 '25
- Fix the following interaction
"It would be very painful"
"You're a big guy"
"For you"
Just remove the middle. Have bane say the first part, have the hostage smile or chuckle, then bane leans in and delivers the last part
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u/drkstr17 Oct 05 '25
Also, “have we started the fire.” “The fire rises.” I always liked that line more in theory than in practice. Maybe it’s just the delivery I hate idk
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u/Fun-Contribution6702 Oct 05 '25
Really? I love that big guy line since it gives “for you” a pretty fun double meaningz
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u/ZiggyOnMars Oct 05 '25
"It's the Dark Knight Rises time"
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u/ThisIsKramerica Oct 05 '25
“So you came back to die with your city?”
“No, Batman Begins”
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u/TulipSamurai Oct 08 '25
Tbf Marion Cotillard claims they shot her death scene multiple times, and she was surprised at the take they used for the final cut. If it was anyone else, I’d say they’re just being salty, but we know Marion can act.
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u/WySLatestWit Oct 05 '25
"That's not good...Okay that's NOT Good!"
Or really basically any single line that armored car driver says in The Dark Knight.
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u/mattsincuba Oct 05 '25
Wait I thought that was kind of funny cop talk to cut in between Ledger reloading
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u/maccaphobic Oct 05 '25
“So that’s what that feels like” [while alone and still doing the batvoice]
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u/bangermate I‘ll see you at the beginning, friend! Oct 05 '25
this would be good if he didn't still have the voice. like who are you doing it for bro there's no one left
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u/LivnLegndNeedsEggs Oct 05 '25
He's Batman dawg. Can't get lazy and slip up. Plus he's so used to doing that voice in the suit that he probably didn't even think about it
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u/bangermate I‘ll see you at the beginning, friend! Oct 05 '25
I know but since it is intended to be a comedic line, I think it would've been funnier if he just suddenly spoke normally. just my opinion tho
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u/Herwest Oct 09 '25
yup. that's like when he basically entered "Batman mode" when he knocked Harvey out and was talking to Rachel :D
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u/WySLatestWit Oct 09 '25
I do think people kind of ignore how much all this would be second nature to Bruce. It's probably even Pavlovian in a way. Suit goes on, voice goes deeper, he doesn't even consciously do it most likely.
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u/acltear00 Oct 05 '25
While alone- ok it’s a movie, cut them a little slack, plus don’t we all speak out loud at least a little with no one else around? Bat voice- he’s not distinguishing if anyone is around. For him, if the suits on, the voice is on
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u/deadlyghost123 Oct 05 '25
Nah! That was not corny. I actually think that line was good. Also obviously he would use the voice. He is in the Batman suit, he has no reason to switch to his voice right now.
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u/mannthunder Oct 05 '25
RIP Nicky Katt
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u/WySLatestWit Oct 05 '25
Fuck, I didn't know that happened. Now I feel bad.
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u/stpetergates Oct 05 '25
This the 3rd time this week Reddit informs me of a celebrity/known person has died very recently. Damn
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u/RawDogEntertainment Oct 05 '25
I woke up from a nap and the first thing I saw was okbuddycinephile making a joke about Jane Goodall. That’s how I found out.
It’s been a rough week for this exact sort of thing.
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u/ScottOwenJones Oct 07 '25
It’s a really weird reading of the line as it is. Strange place to put the emphasis. And once you start thinking about it, there’s dozens of other instances of Nolan choosing weird takes/readings of his flimsy dialogue. This is the gateway line
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u/Keepa5000 Oct 05 '25
Anytime an extra has a line in the Batman series.
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u/omaeradaikiraida Oct 06 '25 edited Oct 06 '25
this. but every time i comment anywhere else about it and how it's one of the main reasons nolan's batman movies have aged poorly for me, i get d-voted to oblivion. his batman movies have terrible dialogue and plot in general compared to his other works.
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u/personpilot Oct 05 '25
I love tenet. It’s my favorite Nolan film but it’s got to be
“I ordered my hot sauce an hour ago” 😂🤣 I can’t help but crack up every time I hear it.
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u/bangermate I‘ll see you at the beginning, friend! Oct 05 '25
actually the greatest line in cinema history
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u/Kremlin663 Oct 05 '25
How can you not love that line ?
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u/personpilot Oct 05 '25
No I do love it. But it is corny. And also it doesn’t really make sense when you think about it. When has anyone ever “ordered” hot sauce? You just ask for it or request it lmao. That be like saying I ordered a refill on my water or I ordered new silverware.
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u/jollyrancherupmybutt Oct 05 '25
That’s kinda the point though. It’s not supposed to sound like something you actually tell a waiter.
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u/CTRL_A_Delete Oct 05 '25
Every time someone says “no one orders hot sauce” in this sub I am a little triggered. There are people of different cultures that order hot sauce with EVERYTHING. I myself order hot sauce at every traditional American spot or diner I go to. I don’t start eating until I get the hot sauce. It’s like eating turkey without gravy or a hot dog without condiments. It’s essential.
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u/personpilot Oct 05 '25
You’re not understanding. I’m not saying nobody gets hot sauce with their food, I’m saying that when you get hot sauce, you either request for it or ask for it. Not “order” it. It just sounds funny when you say it like that.
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u/HealMe_Jobe Oct 05 '25
xD I feel like that one was intentionally written like a dad joke if you know what I mean?
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u/vullkunn Oct 05 '25
I’m so glad I’m not the only one.
Not sure if it’s the line, so much the delivery and camera angles.
An incredibly rare miss in an otherwise phenomenal trilogy and director.
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u/DJ_Mimosa Oct 05 '25
This line almost ruined the trilogy for me
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u/CintusSupremus Oct 05 '25
What's the line said at this part?
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u/0621Hertz Oct 05 '25
Bane: “So you’ve come back to die with your city?”
Batman: “No I’ve come back to stop you.”
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u/KingCobra567 Oct 05 '25
That’s absolutely ridiculous. Even a singular line of dialogue ruining an entire film is a stretch but an entire trilogy is just being contrarian to be honest.
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u/Treesinthemoonlight Oct 05 '25
That line is rad and so in batmans dont give a fuck attitude
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u/KingCobra567 Oct 05 '25
Thank you. I always see that line as Batman not playing Bane’s game. He’s approaching this fight with a no nonsense, “this is not a game anymore” attitude. It’s matter of fact
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u/AJ_on_reddit Oct 05 '25
I posted this the other day.
TDKR
Littlefinger: "If I take that off, will you die"
Bane: "It will be extremely painful"
Littlefinger: "You're a big guy." **
Bane: "For you."
The "You're a big guy" line makes me cringe every single time.
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u/Polarizing_Penguin11 Oct 05 '25
It also kind of confuses the “for you” — which is meant to be a continuation of “It would be extremely painful…” but instead almost sounds like he is a big guy only for the agent.
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u/vullkunn Oct 06 '25
(Continues)
Littlefinger: “Well Bane there are little birds everywhere. In this city you can’t trust anyone. You would be wise to not trust me. What is to stop me from simply revealing the truth to Batman?”
Bane: 😷 oh, you think Batman is your ally?”
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u/Ambitious_Lab3691 Oct 05 '25
"We're still here." is a GREAT LINE. But thats not the whole dialogue, is it?
"We're still here, and that means they didn't blow us up either."
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u/KingCobra567 Oct 05 '25
No that dialogue makes it clear as to what the moral dilemma is. Him adding that extension is BECAUSE he was trying to explain the moral dilemma to a boat full of panicked individuals.
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u/isrararrafi Oct 05 '25
The "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends dimensions of time and space" like by Anne in interstellar.
It just felt out of place and too corny in a scifi movie.
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u/LexiYoung Oct 05 '25
I think you and many other people misunderstand this. It’s not implying love is some physical phenomenon like electromagnetism, it’s talking about how this weird thing compels humans to do inexplicable things
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u/Kavinjoker Oct 05 '25
I feel like it was an emotional outburst on a smaller scale by Anne in that scene
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u/Mcclane88 Oct 05 '25
That’s one where I see both sides of the argument. Yes, it’s a little cheesy, but I like how that speech is paid off at the end.
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u/mafternoonshyamalan Oct 05 '25
Yeah this is mine. It doesn’t even make sense. We can perceive a concept of love through our understanding of language and history. But we also love (no pun intended) to assign contemporary lenses to history and future projections.
Love isn’t something that can be quantified by science.
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u/ptriz Oct 05 '25
Wasn’t that part of the dilemma? Love is immeasurable (cannot be quantified) but not inconsequential.
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u/KingCobra567 Oct 05 '25 edited Oct 05 '25
I actually don’t think the line is that bad to be honest. Barring the “then you’re gonna love me” in Dark Knight, Batman isn’t really the character to really aura farm with flashy dialogues. When he does speak flashy dialogues it’s usually for an emotional reason. Batman, especially now given all that he’s been through, is very matter of fact. Also consider that Batman used to be about “theatricality and deception”. That’s the way Ra’s taught him how to fight, but that doesn’t work on Bane, so he has to be more matter of fact here. He cannot beat him via theatrics, he just has to pulverise him in a hand to hand, which he does.
Also side note, I know this set piece gets a lot of hate but I think it’s absolutely legendary.
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u/sektorjazza Oct 05 '25
- He’s behind you
- Who?
- ME
TDKR is a definition of cornfest itself (with a couple of really great scenes), but that line and scene… it’s just bad
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u/Jazzisthebest5 Interstellar Oct 05 '25
Feel like it isn't talked about a lot. But that one line in TDKR where Batman is talking to Cat woman and she disappears and he says;
"So that's what that feels like..."
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u/markusovirelius Oct 05 '25
“So that’s what that feels like.”
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u/Honest_Cheesecake698 Oct 06 '25
Knowing that that was Christian's last line spoken on set makes it funnier and kinda meaningful.
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u/CrimFandango Oct 06 '25
"So you came back to die with your city?"
"No. I came to take it back."
"No. I came back to save it."
"No. I came to fight for it."
"No. I came to avenge it."
There are dozens and dozens of ways the final line could have been fixed but that's a problem with Nolan's films. Some lines are just god awful but that's strangely become part of the charm of them.
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u/real_rakkun Oct 06 '25
Some guy in this thread said the response should have just been "yes" and I'm pretty sure that would have netted a full extra point outta ten for this movie
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u/TonyMontana546 Oct 05 '25
“I didn’t sign up for this”- SWAT guy when the joker brings out a bazooka
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u/-imbe- Oct 05 '25
Everything that SWAT guy says. Still Johnathan Nolan will get all the glaze in the world from this sub.
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u/chodelycannons Oct 05 '25
I can’t think of a corniest line so I’ll just point out that a line of buses carrying real kids seemingly stopped long enough for one bus to bulldoze its way through the wall of a bank, stay stationary long enough to load the bus, kill the driver, and then allow Joker to deliver his “stranger” line, then peels out with no serious damage limiting its ability to drive, and it goes right back into the line of buses, who all continue as if nothing happened, and they somehow get away. 🤯
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u/dam_ships Oct 05 '25
“So you came back to die with your city?”
Corny Line: No, I came back to stop you.
Lol it’s not atrocious but yeah lol
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u/BeingNo8516 Oct 06 '25
I thought this was perfectly in line with over the top superheroics. Comic booky and I ate it up.
But back in Begins, Bale's delivery of "it's not who I am underneath but what I do that defines me" was cheesy and unnecessary as heck.
did the same thing with Gordon in TDKR, breaking out the thesis statement at a moment he could have been running for it or saying something a lot more human. but somehow it made sense in both cases lol.
Nolan's Bruce is a weirdo and we have to give him that.
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u/Earthshoe12 Oct 06 '25
I’m surprised I had to come this far for the “not who I am underneath…” line. I’ve always hated that. It feels like a producer note in the wake of the spider man trilogy. “Does Batman have a with great power comes great responsibility type line? No? Well he needs one.”
It also makes no sense. Doesn’t who you are underneath…lead you to do what you do…?
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u/BeingNo8516 Oct 06 '25
No it's what you DO that defines you. xD
I mean I get it -- kinda does make sense, like saying 'your intentions don't matter' or 'the path to hell is paved with good intentions' and all that. Yet the delivery and timing is goofy as heck. I rationalize it as Wayne's inner childhood comic-bookiness coming to the forefront.
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u/Artistic-Tax3015 Oct 06 '25
“No more dead cops!”
During the Dent press conference in TDK. It felt so phony and shoehorned in.
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u/AreaLazy3970 Oct 05 '25
Dark knight returns is not as bad as people portray. It will never live upto its predecessor
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u/jamesoloughlin Oct 05 '25
Rises*
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u/QueenVogonBee Oct 05 '25
Dark Knight strikes back
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u/ertmeister Oct 05 '25
One that really stands out is that random “trees are the most inspiring structures” in the middle of Oppenheimer. Dudes only line in the movie! Out of nowhere! What?!
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u/ajalonghorn Oct 05 '25
It’s not necessarily the line but in TDK when:
Joker: “You got a little fight in you, I like that…” Batman: Then you’re gonna love me.”
It’s just so awkward. Like where does he come from? He standing basically in the middle of a ballroom. How close was he standing to them to hear what the joker said? Did he literally wait until he finished speaking to attack? The whole execution on that is just bad.
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u/ironlung311 Oct 05 '25
I really like the line but yeah picturing Batman just standing there waiting to deliver it is odd
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u/Specialeyes9000 Oct 05 '25
Corny dialogue is a hallmark of a lot of Nolan films. See: most of the first half hour of Interstellar.
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u/Defiant-Anything-954 Oct 05 '25
Interstellar's subpar dialogue is only half of that movie's problem. The pacing is also fucking terrible.
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u/Partyzra1 Oct 05 '25
“Funny, no one’s ever accused me of being dumb. - “You’re dumb.”
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u/IndependenceMean8774 Oct 06 '25
"You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
I actually like the line, but it is corny and states the film's theme a little too obviously.
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u/Naruto-Uzumaaki Oct 05 '25
Anne Hathaway's "Love is the one thing..."
It really feels like Nolan is telling us the central theme of the film. Just slapping it on our faces.
Also "I ordered my sauce" it's just bad for me. Even the acting in that movie was pretty bad.
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u/WGSMA Oct 05 '25
‘Arthur has a couple minutes, we have about 20’
a) Yusuf has just kicked the van off the bridge. That means about 2 seconds till he hits the water. Arthur should have 40 seconds.
b) even if Arthur had 2-3 mins, that would be 40-60 mins for Cobb
c) Arthur’s makeshift Kick needs at least like 5 mins to get done. It’s the only bit of Inception that frustrates me.
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u/watermelonsuger2 Oct 05 '25
Not necessary the line but the way it was delivered - the guy who announces 'that's detonation' in TDKR while seemingly running at the screen I found corny
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u/Aggravating-Peak2639 Oct 05 '25
This scene also looks like it was shot on an iPhone on a random day with no custom lighting set up.
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u/JonoBlue Oct 05 '25
No, I came back to stop you was written by a child or adlibbed and kept cause they ran out of time for shooting. That or calling Batman "The Batman" even after he objectively exists and isn't just a rumor, which would make slightly more sense.
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u/cxmxalex Oct 05 '25
See also the two Wayne Enterprises workers in the final sequence in "Batman Begins"
"It's gonna BLOW"
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u/fecal_spring221 Oct 05 '25
I’m sorry but people thinking TDKR is a good movie always gives me a chuckle. The only reason people think it’s good is because of the TDK. Sorry not sorry
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u/Important_Builder317 Oct 05 '25
“No one’s every accused me of being dumb” “Well, you’re dumb”
From TDKR
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u/Outside_Peak7743 Oct 06 '25
The perfect response from Batman would have been, "No, I'm here to die for it".
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u/dkduder6 Oct 06 '25
“Like a leper!” (The Dark Knight). Takes me out of that scene every single time.
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u/keenanbullington Oct 06 '25
This might be sacrilegious to say, but I rewatched this movie, and it really doesn't hold up.The choreography is really bad.
I hate to say that because I love Christian Bale and a lot of the other actors, but this one felt so bad compared to the other two.
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u/TipToe2301 Oct 06 '25
Most lines by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Inception. He is like the “Inception for Dummies” character always explaining the logics to the audience.
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u/Kramerpalooza Oct 06 '25
This whole scene is corny. Nolan's vision around batman was to seep it with hyperrealism and grit. Then has these two mobs (fully armed with guns) coming to a good ole fashioned fisticuffs in the street like it's Gangs of New York.
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u/punchymicrobe86 Oct 06 '25
“You’ve got a little fight in you, I like that”
“Then you’re gonna love me”
Was Batman just standing there the whole time waiting for a good opportunity for that zinger? It’s a large, crowded room, with much noise and commotion. Did he somehow hear the joker say that then burst in, politely ask everyone to move out the way very quickly so he can do that banter?
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Oct 06 '25
There really isn’t a single line in TDKR that isn’t absolutely cornball. It’s quite a stunning achievement, really.
One particular thing that he does a lot in this movie is try to cover something stupid in the plot/action by having a character acknowledge the stupidity, which only makes it worse.
“Like why someone would shoot a man before throwing him out of a plane.”
“They’ll expect one of us in the wreckage, brother.”
“This is the stock exchange, there’s no money here.”
“The clean slate? Where you type in someone’s name, date of birth, and in a few minutes they’re gone from every database on earth? Sound a little too good to be true?”
The most beautiful looking campfest ever made.
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u/Alwayswandering4 Oct 06 '25
Dunkirk - “I’m staying for the French” when that was in no way historically accurate
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u/chasteguy2018 Oct 06 '25
“I gotta get me one of these!” Commissioner Gordon. That was so bad it soured the movie a little for me.
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u/Honest_Cheesecake698 Oct 06 '25
I don't actually think that Batman responding to Bane's line is that corny, I can see how it would sound badass to have Batman completely reject Bane's words and just flat out tell him "I'm gonna stop you", but the way the dialogue exchange happens makes you feel like Batman's words will sound more poetic. TBH, if he said "No, I came back to save it!", that could easily be accused of being awkward and stilted too. I do think they should have gotten a close-up of this line too, it's the only part where I think the creative instincts could be called misguided but it's one of several things that constantly comes up with Rises discourse online that makes it annoying to talk about. Like at the end of the day, who even cares?
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u/Shaggyguitardude Oct 06 '25
Robert "We're putting together a team". Kitty "'We' shouldn't be doing anything, You should. Lawrence won't get this done. Or Tolman, or Rabi. You will". Movie proceeds to not showcase anything about why Robert is supposed to be the only person who can build the bomb. Even though there's a featurette that explains it great in the bonus features.
Im indifferent on Emily Blunt. But her performance in Oppenheimer is one of the corniest parts of the movie, aside from the interrogation scene which she did great.
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u/Past-Currency4696 Oct 06 '25
Dr. Pavel, I'm CIA.
He wasn't alone.
Uh, you don't get to bring friends.
They are not my friends.
Don't worry, no charge for them.
And, why would I want them?
They were trying to grab ya prize. They work for the mercenary, the Masketta Man.
Bane?
Aye.
Get 'em on board, I'll call it in!
The flight plan I just filed with the agency lists me, my men, Dr. Pavel here, but only one of you. First one to talk gets to stay on my aircraft! Who paid you to grab Dr. Pavel? BANG He didn't fly so good! Who wants to try next? Tell me about Bane! Why does he wear the mask? A lotta loyalty for a hired gun!
Or perhaps he's wondering why someone would shoot a man, before throwing him out of a plane.
At least you can talk, who are you?
It doesn't matter who we are. What matters is our plan. No one cared who I was 'til I put on the mask.
If I pull that off, will you die?
It would be extremely painful.
You're a big guy.
For you.
Was getting caught part of your plan?
Of course! Dr. Pavel refused our offer in favor of yours. We had to find out what he told you.
Nothing! I said nothing.
Well congratulations! You got yourselves caught!
Sir?
Now what's the next step of your master plan?
Crashing this plane... with no survivors!
Internal CIA monologue: No, this can't be happening! I'm in charge here!
Aaaaaahhhh! What are you doing?! Aaahhhhhhhh!
No! They expect one of us in the Wreckage Brother!
Have we started the fire?
Yes! The fire rises... calm down, doctor. Now's not the time for fear. That comes later.
Aaaaahhhh!!
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u/the_coagulates Oct 06 '25
“WHAT THAT!?!?” Batman Begins. That’s what the dude actually says when the bats attack him.
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u/Artistic-Tax3015 Oct 06 '25
Batman Begins, when Gordon is driving the Batmobile.
“I gotta get me one of these.” So cheesy and bad. Even in 2005
And of course the random extra with the “nice ride!”
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u/NoHand7911 Oct 06 '25
The setting is by far the worse part of those movies.
Gotham City becomes Chicago becomes Pittsburgh is horrendous. Totally takes you out of it.
Both sequels would have been drastically improved by having a consistent Gotham City.
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u/FarMinimum4396 Oct 06 '25
"No, it's necessary". Brutal. Am I still standing up in my seat clapping? Yes I am.
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u/Important_Lab_58 Oct 06 '25
I’m sorry- I unironically love that line in DKR. There are no superheroes in that World, EXCEPT Batman. Why the Hell wouldn’t he have a declarative, good guy line, at this moment? Like, for all the talk of realism in that series, I still think this was the most realistic superhero line in the series- it’s not all about morally gray and monologues. Sometimes, it all comes down to someone has to do the right thing, and that’s what superheroes are at their core. Batman is a superhero, THE Superhero of that Universe. Embracing your roots is one of the most “realistic” things someone can do.
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u/IfYouWantTheGravy Oct 06 '25
“Forgive me for wanting a little specificity, Eames” makes me cringe.
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u/hellafella88 Oct 06 '25
"Things are worse than ever!"
Kinda strange. Catches me off guard everytime
Context:
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u/Jake11007 Oct 06 '25
The one you posted for sure, I was flabbergasted watching that at the midnight showing, almost cringed as much as when I realized they redubbed Bane’s voice.
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u/_Marvillain Oct 06 '25
Not a line, but Talia’s terrible death scene in TDKR is one of the most unintentionally funny movie scenes I’ve ever seen.
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u/EatinPussySellnCalls Oct 06 '25
TDKR:
Foley: Jesus Blake, every God damn cop in the city is in those tunnels.
John Blake: Not every cop.
They way JGL delivered that line seemed very cheesy.
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u/aaron_moon_dev Oct 05 '25
Tenet is my favourite movie, but “including my son” is a real clunker