It’s been over a decade sinceChristopher Nolanconcluded his famedDark Knighttrilogy, and even now,The Dark Knight Risescontinues to be a joy to watch. FromTom Hardy’s incredible performance as Bane toChristian BaleandAnne Hathaway’s clear chemistry as Batman and Catwoman, it’s easy to see whyRisesmade over a billion dollars at the box office. It’s a fun movie, and even if it isn’t as standalone-ishas the previous two installments, it’s an epic conclusion to a brilliant saga. But it’s worth noting that the film’s memorable ending feels stolen (at least in part) from another Warner Bros. picture, specifically the 1999 animated flickThe Iron Giant. Yes, seriously, if you haven’t noticed it before,the endings ofThe Dark Knight RisesandThe Iron Giantare more than similar,with a few key differences to account for the differing mediums and characters.
Yes, ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘The Iron Giant’ Really Do Have Similar Endings
Admittedly, most probably wouldn’t spend a considerable amount of time meditating on the similarities between movies likeThe Dark Knight RisesandThe Iron Giant. Each film, though tied together by Warner Bros. and their respective ties to DC Comics (the latter was heavily influenced bySupermancomic books, after all), feels quite different in both tone and scale. And that’s not to mention the distinct mediums (live-action and animation) in which these stories are told. But the truth is,RisesandThe Iron Giantare a bit more connected than you might think. For one thing, both filmsend with the titular hero valiantly saving his hometown from a nuclear warhead, having to sacrifice himself in the process. The Giant (Vin Diesel), inspired by Hogarth’s (Eli Marienthal) Superman comic books, flies up into the sky and meets a nuclear bomb head-on in a powerful moment that sticks with you. Likewise, with no time left to lose, Batman carries Bane and Talia’s (Marion Cotillard) bomb across the Gotham City skyline and out over the water to explode at a safe distance. In both cases, the hero is presumed dead as a result as their respective supporting casts watch from afar.
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As a result of their respective sacrifices, Batman and the Giant are both honored by the people that they saved. Gotham City erects a statue of Batman to remind them of their famed Dark Knight, while Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick Jr.) crafts an Iron Giant statue for a park in Rockwell, where Hogarth can gaze up at his fallen friend. With statues to their heroes existing in public spaces for citizens to remember what was done for them, the parallels are clear. Lastly,bothThe Dark Knight RisesandThe Iron Giantend with the return of said hero, which is in part why they’re consideredsome of the best superhero moviesout there.
InRises, Bruce is revealed to be alive,having used his autopilot function to escape the explosion in the nick of time and retiring with Selina from his crusade as Batman. But while Bruce has moved on, hepasses his cape and cowl on to “Robin” John Blake(Joseph Gordon-Levitt), meaning that both Bruce and Batman will live on. Although different in execution,The Iron Giantalso ends with the Giant’s return as Hogarth sets the alien robot’s screw piece free to be reunited with his other parts, which are reconstructing themselves in the Arctic.Each film concludes with Batman and the Giant finding new lifeafter making the ultimate sacrifice.
‘The Iron Giant’ and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ Explore Similar Themes of Heroism and Legacy
Additionally,themes of heroism, legacy, and perseverance are woven through both pictures.WhileRises' examination of legacy is the more obvious of the two—displayed in Bat-symbols around the city, Bruce passing the torch, and Batman rallying the citizens and police of Gotham against Bane—similar ideas exist inThe Iron Giantas well. For the entire picture,the Giant struggles with becoming the person he chooses to be. Does he want his legacy to be that of the villainous Atomo, the giant robot monster who terrorizes the world, or does he want to live inspired by a heroic character like Superman?Ultimately, he chooses the latter,though not before a brief venture into villainywhen he believes that Hogarth has been needlessly killed. Both Batman and the Giant are broken by their adversary in this way (Bane seemingly kills Gotham, while the military seemingly kills Hogarth), butthey ultimatelyrise above these literal or figurative pits of despairto become heroes once more.
We’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention thatboth the Dark Knight and the Iron Giant refuse to kill.It’s their “one rule,” as Batman chooses another path apart from the lessons he was taught by Ra’s al Ghul (Liam Neeson), while the Giant, having seen what they can do, does not want to be a gun. Ironically, Batman’s “Bat” machine has guns of its own, just as the Giant is equipped with onboard weapon systems, but neither uses them with the intent of killing their enemies. (This is whythe Giant’s dream sequence is pivotal, as it explores the character’s fears of becoming that very weapon.) WhileThe Dark Knight RisesandThe Iron Giantcouldn’t be more different in overall tone and filmmaking style,they share a common ending that inspires audiences, reminding us of what it truly means to be a hero. You may not have recognized the similarities before, but you’ll never be able to watch these movies the same way again.
The Dark Knight Rises
Eight years after the Joker’s reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.
