I loved the movie. But I don't think he ruined anything with the ending. Nolan's Batman at this point in his life, is getting old and falling apart. How much more can the he do? Bruce Wayne was destroyed and left broke. Batman to many died saving Gotham. He left the keys to the car so to speak to Blake. Why is it necessary that he still play a role? In the eight years that pass from TDK, it seems that Gotham made a huge turn around in comparison to it's state in Batman Begins. Batman was already gone and somewhat retired. It took a guy like Bane to bring in back out.

For me I find that the character's in the comics to be very different then they are portrayed on screen. Bruce said if he found someone to take over he would hang up the cowl. He thought that was person was Harvey Dent and it wasn't. But he found that guy to be Blake. In going with the three movies I find the ending to be perfect. I don't think Nolan's Batman and Batman from the comics to be the same type of guy. Mainly due to the fact that Gotham City in the comics isn't getting better. It can't or why do we need a Batman comic if he succeeds. But in a movie that Nolan wanted to have an ending, Gotham had to get better. Bruce Wayne's Batman is simply no longer needed.

Too much inconsistencies, Bane held the movie by himself along with the supporting cast. This was a movie where the batman is more about the fate of gotham than the 'batman' character itself.

Batman would retire when Gotham no longer needed him. That's a theme even in the comics. He does what he does so that Batman need not exist.  
 
At the end of Rises, Gotham was saved and purified. He didn't quit to please himself, Batman died saving Gotham, and because of that, Gotham was able to save itself.

I do see the points you are making and like you I enjoyed the movie. I think by the end of Rises, Bruce realized that there was nothing left he could do as Batman. If his fight with Bane proved anything it was that he could be broken and could easily die on the job, in the movie we saw him using some sort of device, for lack of a better word atm, to fix his own leg. What if he had died without ensuring Gotham's future to the right hands. His body was falling apart and the Human body in general can only take so much abuse. Plus, if he continued on as batman, how long would it be before someone takes notice of Bruce Wayne with a prosthetic leg or something with no real explanation for it?

In my opinion, he did NOT give up the fight for justice or against the criminal element, he merely passed the torch to someone who would continue the fight when he could not. However I do agree with your point on him just leaving Blake with nothing but the cave's resources. That did seem out of character to me. If Batman were to ever pass the torch to another crusader, he would make sure his successor was ready in all possible ways. It really would've been better to see Blake arriving in the cave at the end, only to see Bruce standing there in training gear, quoting Ra's "Are you ready to begin?"

While I do Love Batman Beyond, I would much rather see a Nightwing Spin-off, I like to think that's what Nolan was trying to do with Blake.

I think the fact that Bruce retires is more in line with the realistic theme of the trilogy. In reality, nobody would physically or mentally be able to devote their life to fighting crime every night like he does in the comics. Bruce's main goal is to rid Gotham of the kind of evil that killed his parents. After defeating Two-Face, The Joker, and the mafia in TDK Gotham was at the point where it was a much safer place, and Batman wasn't really needed, until Bane. After defeating Bane and Talia, Gotham was at the point where it could survive without Batman again, and Bruce could retire.

@r3d_rob1n: @Suprman: Becoming Batman doesn't happen over night. But that doesn't mean Blake couldn't do it. He has the motives and now the means to become Batman, how he gets to that and how long it takes isn't something you can throw at the end of a movie. Got to look at the big picture. I don't think Blake was going to throw on the cowl that day and try to be Batman, but everything is in place for him to do so.

@cjbostick81: I agree that becoming Batman doesn't happen overnight and I'm not saying Blake couldn't do it, or that he would do it right away, but he can't do it alone. Even In this series, Bruce had people helping him and I wish that factor was there at the end of the movie with Blake coming into the cave. Don't get me wrong I still loved that ending, mostly because Blake was such an awesome character. And who knows, Maybe those types of resources are included with the cave's computer, contact lists, maps of the city, stuff like that. Maybe there will be a deleted scene or something with him checking the cave's computer, I hope there is.

I read that Nolan wanted to tell his story of Batman from Batman's beginning to his end. This was his story. Where as a comic has to come out every month maybe more and you have to keep the character alive. So the comic character is more driven and motivated, how else do you keep Batman fighting so long?

I always find it interesting how everyone gets upset when a movie changes a story or adds a spin to the character. I mean you got the comics to read and enjoy that character. In movies you need an end because you just don't know if there will be another movie or if an acter will continue as that character. Things of that nature. I like to think of it as reading a stand alone graphic novel or an alternate version. Like Batman: Earth One, completely different take on the Batman character.

@War Killer: Agreed. The ending fit with the other two movie's story.

@War Killer: Absolutely. I do not understand why everyone hates it. It's not the same Batman from the comics. It's Nolan's take on the character and each movie had a strong flowing story. It had to end and I love how Nolan choose to do it.

@War Killer: Agreed. It's like a stand alone graphic novel.

As stated in another forum, I personally think Batman died. Nolan is famous for making his endings subjective and open to interruption. Leaved the viewers wondering and questioning the ending. Who is to say he didn't die and that Alfred wasn't just imaging him in the cafe? His way of thinking he is in a better place...peace of mind kind of thing.

@War Killer: And I think that is the entire point of the ending. Nolan's ending are subjective, so you can get the ending you want out of it. Like Inception. Was it a dream or was it real? You choose the ending. This is why i really liked TDKR.

@r3d_rob1n: True, but that doesn't mean he used it. They also stated that the software sucked even though Bruce upgraded it. This is very much a stand alone story. Non of the other Batman Films were connected and I doubt the next reboot will have any connections to it.