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The Dark Knight Rises2012

Directed by Christopher Nolan · 2012 · Movie · 2h 44m

ActionCrimeDrama

The Legend Ends

Eight years after the Joker, a masked mercenary arrives in Gotham and Bruce Wayne has to decide whether the city still needs Batman.

Flag a scene Start a watch-along
13.1dumb per hour
Pause to Rant

Lower is better.

7 scenes flagged

5
Guilty
1
Contested
1
Explained

5,350 ratings

7
Scenes flagged
5,350
Ratings
3,570
Dumb votes
1,430
Explained votes
1
Not scored
Pete
First to flag

Is The Dark Knight Rises dumb?

The Dark Knight Rises scores 13.1 dumb scenes per hour, which puts it in the Pause to Rant band. Lower is better. 5 of its 7 flagged scenes count toward that score, based on 5,350 ratings.

5 scenes are Guilty (most viewers say dumb), 1 Contested and 1 Explained. Explained scenes do not count.

Where does The Dark Knight Rises go wrong?

The most common problems are “Plot hole” (3 scenes), “Broken science” (2 scenes) and “Impossible knowledge” (1 scene).

Is it worth watching if I hate “Plot hole”?

3 of 7 flagged scenes are tagged “Plot hole”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is How did Bruce Wayne get from the prison back to Gotham so quickly?.

Is it worth watching if I hate “Broken science”?

2 of 7 flagged scenes are tagged “Broken science”. It shows up regularly. The highest rated one is How does a fusion reactor turn into a bomb in The Dark Knight Rises?.

Scenes in The Dark Knight Rises

Why is Bane's dialogue so hard to hear?

0:20:00

GuiltyNot scored
7.8/ 10(1,100 ratings)
How did Blake know that Bruce Wayne was Batman?

1:03:20

Explained
6.5/ 10(700 ratings)
How did Bane take Bruce Wayne's fortune in one trade?

1:15:00

Guilty
6.9/ 10(560 ratings)
How did Bruce recover from a broken back so quickly?

1:21:40

Contested
7.0/ 10(520 ratings)
How does a fusion reactor turn into a bomb in The Dark Knight Rises?

1:30:00

Guilty
7.7/ 10(640 ratings)
How did Bruce Wayne get from the prison back to Gotham so quickly?

1:50:00

Guilty
7.3/ 10(960 ratings)
How did the trapped Gotham police survive underground for months?

2:18:20

Guilty
6.8/ 10(870 ratings)

Reviews

On the scene

How did the trapped Gotham police survive underground for months?
nopeanut_ninaSupporter8/10AI rewriteNov 1, 2026

Says dumb

They emerge looking fresh, as if they had spent the weekend camping. The film treats the underground as a holding cell and never addresses how people live in one.

On the scene

Why is Bane's dialogue so hard to hear?
late_to_credits8/10AI rewriteOct 28, 2026

Says dumb

Bane's lines are a core part of his menace, and many of them are lost. Even with subtitles, it is distracting to have to check what he is saying.

On the scene

How did Bruce Wayne get from the prison back to Gotham so quickly?
plothole_peteFounding Critic #7Supporter8/10Nov 8, 2026

Says dumb

The city is under siege and the film has made a point of saying no one can enter. Bruce returning without a clear route is a gap that the film does not address.

On the scene

How does a fusion reactor turn into a bomb in The Dark Knight Rises?
rocketry_rob8/10AI rewriteNov 4, 2026

Says dumb

Fusion reactors do not turn into bombs by being switched off and re-purposed. The film uses the word 'fusion' as a magic label and then fills the rest with plot.

On the scene

How did Blake know that Bruce Wayne was Batman?
harbor_lightsFounding Critic #58Supporter4/10AI rewriteSep 18, 2026

Says explained

Blake was a boy at the home where Bruce visited. He recognized something in him. The film frames it as emotional, not forensic, and I think that is enough.

On the scene

How did Bane take Bruce Wayne's fortune in one trade?
counsel_okaforVerified expert: Criminal lawSupporter7/10Oct 24, 2026

Says dumb

A fraudulent trade made under duress, with a stolen biometric, would face challenges. The film treats the trades as final within minutes, which is not how markets or law handle them.

On the scene

How did Blake know that Bruce Wayne was Batman?
ben_the_skepticSupporter6/10Oct 30, 2026

Says dumb

He gives a reason, but it is a hunch and not evidence. Characters have deduced hidden identities in better ways, and the film is vague about what Blake saw.

On the scene

How did Bruce recover from a broken back so quickly?
dr_halloranVerified expert: Emergency medicineSupporter7/10Oct 14, 2026

Says dumb

A fracture of that kind involves surgery, long immobilisation and months of rehab. The film's version of treatment is closer to a punch and a pep talk.