MovieChat Forums > The Dark Knight (2008) Discussion > About the fight scenes...

About the fight scenes...

posted 8 years ago by mh-newressistance
5 replies | jump to latest

I don't think that many realize this, but the fight scenes in these movies were intentionally staged they way they were. It wasn't because Nolan can't do fight scenes or anything like that. That complaint is stupid in itself, since directors don't know anything about fight choreography. They just hire certain people to stage fight scenes and that's it. The reason why fight scenes in these movies feel awkward and reactionary at times, is, well, because that's how it goes in real life.

I don't know how many of those who say these complaints were in the real fights, but as someone who spent his youth fighting douchebags in his neighborhood, the fact of the matter is, real life fights between real people look awkward.

I think people just don't understand that all those stylistic fights from martial arts movies look so cool because they are staged to look cool, not realistic. In real life, real fights are reactionary. Nobody can predetermine where or when his opponent will strike.

But I guess since Batman have learned martial arts, he has to be always ahead of everyone in the fight?

No.

Just because someone learned how to fight, it still doesn't mean that he'll fight like in movies.

Examples:

Wrestler Dave Batista fights in a staged wrestling match:

https://youtu.be/aN9Y5a3iFEE

Wrestler Dave Batista in a real MMA fight:

https://youtu.be/Q8PUv0NKu5M

Like he did with many elements in these movies, Nolan wanted the fight choreography to be practical rather than stylistic.

[–] Rey_Kahuka 8 years ago

The truth is it would've been near impossible to stage a quality martial arts fight sequence in that costume. The suit is clunky, so the fighting (and editing) had to be clunky as well. It couldn't have worked any other way.

The future is in the hands of a man who has none.(As in no future, as opposed to no hands.)

[–] mh-newressistance 8 years ago

The truth is it would've been near impossible to stage a quality martial arts fight sequence in that costume. The suit is clunky, so the fighting (and editing) had to be clunky as well. It couldn't have worked any other way.

From what I remember from the interviews with Bale, the biggest problem was the cape. Since Nolan refused to animate the cape and used the real one for every scene, it was very hard for Bale to move and fight with that cape. It's one of the reasons why that first fight scene with Batman in BB is so choppy and poorly edited. The actual, non-edited fight looked so bad, they had no other way to do it other than to edit it roughly.

That's one of the reasons why Snyder's Batman can move better - stuntmen don't wear the cape during the fight scenes, so that they can movie faster.

[–] Rey_Kahuka 8 years ago

And to your point, maybe it still could've been done if they rehearsed it to hell, but then it would've looked rehearsed-- and it wouldn't have fit the tone of the film.

The future is in the hands of a man who has none.(As in no future, as opposed to no hands.)

[–] Mistah-J 8 years ago

Personally I didn't have any problems with fight choreography and I really like that "poorly" edited scene in Batman Begins. It was nice introduction to Batman in action, as we get to see it through the eyes of Falcone who look confused about what he is seeing.
The camera angles, Batman dropping out of nowhere and taking them out swiftly, worked very well for me in establishing the myths and mysteries of a guy that's dressed up as a bat beating criminals.

On the other hand, Rises had some bad fight scenes. While still liking the choreography, I can't help but notice some bad guys falling around Batman without being hit.
Even though I admit it looked bad, I don't really have problems with them as I wasn't interested in action that much anyway.
It's clear that Nolan didn't care too much as well since this trilogy is centered around characters and their psychological struggles. This trilogy never tried to sell itself as badass action packed movies like one would expect from a "superhero" movie.

[–] FMT 8 years ago

You remind me of Tommy Wiseau. He too claims The Room was always meant to be a comedy. Not poor film making, but completely intentional, he meant to do it. All part of the plan.